Simple Vegetarian Spaghetti Marinara Recipe for Flavorful Dinners

Easy spaghetti marinara made with whole wheat noodles, crisp vegetables, and a simple homemade marinara sauce. This vegetarian spaghetti is satisfying, light, and perfect for a quick weeknight meal.

The combination of al dente spaghetti, colorful stir-fried vegetables, and bright Italian marinara sauce makes this dish a complete and flavorful meal. It’s easy to adapt to your pantry and tastes, and the sauce can be prepared ahead for even faster assembly.

Make the marinara sauce in advance and refrigerate — the flavors deepen as it rests. When you’re ready, heat the sauce, cook the spaghetti, quickly stir-fry the vegetables, and toss everything together. The whole meal comes together in about 30 minutes.

Recipe Features

• Quick & easy – Toss spaghetti with marinara sauce and vegetables for a ready-in-30-minutes meal.
• Customizable – Swap or omit vegetables and adjust seasonings to suit your preferences.
• Marinara sauce – You can use store-bought sauce, but a simple homemade version is included.
• Make-ahead – Prepare the sauce ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Vegan-friendly – This recipe contains no meat or dairy; add cheese only if you prefer.

Ingredients to make spaghetti marinara

For the marinara sauce

• Tomatoes – Fresh plum tomatoes are used here; canned whole tomatoes work well too.
• Flavorings – Onion, garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes (optional), salt, black pepper, and a pinch of sugar.
• Olive oil – For sautéing the aromatics; any neutral cooking oil will also work.
• Basil – Fresh basil is optional but adds authentic Italian aroma.

For the pasta and vegetables

• Pasta – Whole wheat spaghetti is used, but substitute any pasta you like.
• Vegetables – A mix of bell peppers (red, yellow, green), carrot, cabbage, and red onion adds color, crunch, and freshness. Use whatever vegetables you prefer.
• Seasoning – Garlic, salt, black pepper, a little sugar if needed, and soy sauce for a savory finish.
• Garnish – Spring onion greens or fresh basil.

See the recipe card below for exact measurements and nutrition information.

How to make spaghetti marinara

To make the marinara sauce

1. Score and blanch tomatoes: make a cross at the bottom of each tomato, boil in water for about 5 minutes, then transfer to ice water.
2. Peel, seed, and roughly chop the tomatoes. Reserve a few chopped pieces and puree the rest. (If using canned tomatoes, skip blanching and peeling.)
3. Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Sauté chopped onion until translucent, then add garlic and cook for another minute or two.
4. Add the pureed and chopped tomatoes, bring to a simmer, then season with salt, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes (if using), and a small amount of sugar to balance acidity.
5. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce gently for about 20 minutes until it thickens and the flavors meld.

To cook the spaghetti

1. While the sauce simmers, bring water to a boil, add salt, and cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente.
2. Drain the pasta and rinse briefly under cold water to stop cooking and remove excess starch. Set aside.

To assemble the vegetarian spaghetti

1. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a pan on high. Add chopped garlic and sauté for a minute.
2. Add sliced onions and cook until translucent, then add sliced carrots, bell peppers, and shredded cabbage. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes so the vegetables remain crisp-tender.
3. Season with salt, then add the cooked noodles, marinara sauce, black pepper, and soy sauce. Toss everything together to combine and warm through.
4. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed, then finish with spring onion greens or fresh basil and remove from heat.
5. Serve immediately while hot.

Cooking Tips

• Use ripe, juicy tomatoes for a vibrant sauce; canned whole tomatoes are a convenient alternative.
• Longer, gentle simmering deepens the sauce flavor — cook low and slow when time allows.
• Cook pasta to al dente for best texture; avoid overcooking to prevent mushy strands.
• Rinsing pasta with cold water stops carryover cooking and reduces stickiness from excess starch.
• Make the sauce ahead of time and refrigerate in an airtight container to cut down the final assembly time.
• The marinara sauce also works well as a pizza base or as a dip for breadsticks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Variations that you can try

• Add different vegetables such as blanched broccoli, mushrooms, or sweet corn for variety.
• For a non-vegetarian version, fold in shredded cooked chicken or sautéed shrimp.
• If you’re not vegan, finish with grated Parmesan or Pecorino and a drizzle of good olive oil.

Storage suggestions

Let leftovers cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and a review below.

Recipe Card

Easy spaghetti marinara recipe | Vegetarian Spaghetti | Vegan spaghetti marinara

Whole wheat spaghetti tossed with quick homemade marinara and stir-fried vegetables makes a balanced, flavorful meal that’s easy to prepare and customize.

5 from 2 votes

Course: Main

Cuisine: American, Italian-American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Preeti Nayak

Equipment

• Heavy bottom pan

Ingredients

To make marinara sauce

• 1 kg tomatoes Or 1 large can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes
• 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
• 1 teaspoon fresh basil, finely chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoon sugar or use a small carrot to sweeten

To cook spaghetti

• 150 gram whole wheat noodles

To make Spaghetti marinara

• 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 1 carrot, sliced
• 1 yellow capsicum, sliced
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 1 green capsicum, sliced
• ½ cup cabbage, shredded
• salt to taste
• ½ cup marinara sauce (add as required)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon spring onion greens

Instructions

To make the marinara sauce

• Wash and score the tomatoes, then blanch in boiling water for about 5 minutes.
• Transfer to cold water, peel, discard seeds, and roughly chop. Reserve some chopped tomato and puree the rest.
• Sauté onion in olive oil until translucent, add garlic and cook briefly, then add the pureed and chopped tomatoes.
• Season with salt, pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, and sugar. Simmer on low for 20 minutes.

To cook spaghetti

• Bring salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti to al dente according to the package.
• Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and reduce stickiness.

To make spaghetti marinara

• Heat oil, sauté garlic, add onions and cook until translucent.
• Add carrots, bell peppers, and cabbage; stir-fry 3–4 minutes keeping them crisp.
• Season with salt, then add cooked noodles, marinara sauce, black pepper, and soy sauce. Toss and warm through.
• Adjust seasoning, fold in spring onion greens or basil, and serve immediately.

Notes

• Use fresh, ripe tomatoes for the best flavor, or one 28-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes as an alternative.
• Simmer the sauce longer on low heat for a deeper flavor if you have time.
• Cooking pasta al dente provides the best texture; do not overcook.
• Rinsing cooked pasta with cold water stops the cooking process and removes excess starch that causes stickiness.
• Make the marinara ahead, cool it, and refrigerate in an airtight container to reduce final meal time — just reheat, toss with pasta and veggies, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 340kcal

Nutrition information is an estimate and should be used as a guide.

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