5 Minute Marinara Sauce

photo and recipe from The Sisters Cafe

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic crushed
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1TB tomato paste (You can leave this out, if you don't have it on hand.)
1 32-ounce can chunky-style crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian dried seasoning
1 handful flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, optional

Add the olive oil to a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed pepper. When the pepper snaps and the garlic sizzles, add the tomato paste, cook for a minute, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook for five minutes and stir in parsley.

To this basic Marinara sauce you can add cooked ground beef, onions, sweet peppers, mushrooms or whatever you like to make a sauce for spaghetti.