13 Weeknight Dinners To Make With Jarred Marinara

If you've got a jar of pasta sauce, put it to good use.

By
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia Cash
Claudia has been a contributor for Simply Recipes 2017, writing numerous articles focused on cooking on a budget, quick and easy meals, and kid-friendly foods.
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Updated November 10, 2024
Claudia Cash
Stuffed Shells in a Casserole Dish with Some on a Serving Spoon

Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

If there’s one thing I always have in my pantry, it’s pasta sauce. It’s basically liquid gold at my house: when I’m in a pinch, I know I can pull out a trusty jar and whip up a semi-gourmet dinner in no time at all.

With the holidays oh-so-swiftly approaching, spending oodles of time on dinner just isn’t going to happen for me, and I get the feeling that *maybe* you’re in the same boat?

That’s why I’ve stocked up on pasta sauce like there’s no tomorrow. Around here, we use it on everything from classic spaghetti and pizza (yes, I use it on my pizza!) to stuffed shells. As long as you have some sort of pasta and sauce, you’ve got dinner

  • Pasta Skillet with Chicken Sausage, Cheese & Spinach

    Skillet Pasta with Chicken Sausage, Cheese & Spinach
    Lisa Lin

    There are 5 basic ingredients in this skillet recipe and I’m almost positive that you have them on hand right now. Keep this recipe tucked in your back pocket because you’ll be using it over and over again!

  • Baked Ziti

    Baked Ziti
    Elise Bauer

    Oh Baked Ziti, how we love thee. It’s such a classic dish that is basically like lasagna but without all the layers. By adding jarred marinara into the mix, this is basically the most low maintenance weeknight meal of all time.

  • Easy Chicken Parmesan

    Baked Chicken Parmesan bake the chicken in the oven in a casserole dish
    Sally Vargas

    There are so many ways to enjoy Chicken Parmesan! Serve it straight up, over pasta, or in a sub roll. Serve it with a Caesar salad or veggies. Which option will you choose?

  • Baked Spaghetti

    Baked Spaghetti

    Simply Recipes / Cambrea Gordon

    Simply Recipes Founder Elise Bauer says, "You can assemble this up to a day ahead. Just cover it and keep it in the fridge, and add a few minutes to the bake time."

    Continue to 5 of 13 below

  • Sausage Meatballs with Ricotta in Tomato Sauce

    A plate of sausage meatballs with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese
    Elise Bauer

    Simply Recipes Founder Elise Bauer says, "To chiffonade basil leaves, stack leaves on top of each other, then roll up leaves lengthwise like a cigar, slice thinly starting at the end."

  • Skillet Chicken Parmesan

    A skillet with chicken parm ready to serve
    Nick Evans

    Simply Recipes Contributor Nick Evans says, "I normally serve this Chicken Parmesan over spaghetti, but feel free to experiment with it, as the flavors are great on so many things. You could serve it over rice and be just fine, or with a big piece of crusty bread and a salad."

  • Homemade Pepperoni Pizza

    Crispy crust and cheese on a pepperoni pizza made at home
    Nick Evans

    While this recipe says to use pizza sauce, I’ve used marinara in a pinch, and it still does the trick. TIP! Make an extra batch of dough, smother it with butter and cheese, and cut it into breadsticks. Dip those breadsticks in the extra marinara!

  • Stuffed Shells

    Stuffed Shells in a Casserole Dish with Some on a Serving Spoon

    Simply Recipes / Sally Vargas

    Simply Recipes Contributor Sally Vargas says, "Check the directions on the package for the pasta cooking time and then subtract 1-2 minutes. Since the shells are going to bake again in the oven, you don’t want them to be too soft at the start."

    Continue to 9 of 13 below

  • Easy Italian Sausage Spaghetti

    Italian Sausage Spaghetti
    Elise Bauer

    Spaghetti seems to be a default meal for when you can’t think of anything else... and that’s okay! We all have those nights! The trick is to add in a little zing, and in this case, Italian sausage happens to be our zing of choice.

  • Slow Cooker Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

    Meatballs in a slow cooker filled with tomato sauce with a spoon lifting a meatball out of the sauce.
    Alison Bickel

    This is such a versatile dish. Want to make it for dinner? Serve it over pasta. Don’t know what to do with the leftovers (if there are any)? Serve it on a hoagie roll. Going to a party? Stick little toothpicks in each meatball and you’ve got a tasty appetizer.

  • Pepperoni Pizza Pockets

    Pepperoni Pizza Hand Pies
    Nick Evans

    Think calzone, but flakier. Not only can you use jarred marinara sauce, but you can also use a store-bought pie crust to cut down on the time even more. These are fun to eat for dinner, but my kids love taking them in their lunches!

  • Baked Chicken Marinara

    Elise Bauer

    This is similar to our Chicken Parmesan, but it’s made with chicken thighs more an added depth of flavor. This is definitely what you’ll want to make for when you need a heaping helping of comfort food!

    Continue to 13 of 13 below

  • Meat Lovers' Sheet Pan Pizza

    Sheet Pan Pizza with Pepperoni
    Nick Evans

    Ever had sheet pan pizza? It’s so fun to make, and this one is loaded to the brim with meat. This makes a giant pizza, so you’re more than likely to have leftovers!

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