13 Recipes to Make with the Jar of Marinara Sauce in Your Pantry

Baked Ziti and Meatballs
Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

While there are occasions when we like to devote the time to making homemade marinara sauce from scratch, there are times when convenience is key. The jarred variety is great to lean on for quick meals when you're short on time. We suggest adding a jar of marinara sauce (or two!) to your cart when you're at the grocery store to keep in the pantry at all times. Then you'll be able to pull together any of these easy recipes on a moment's notice for last-minute company or a quick weeknight dinner for your family. From cheesy casseroles to slow-cooker pastas to handheld bites and more, there's plenty of ways to turn a convenient jar of marinara sauce into a warm and delicious meal.

01 of 13

Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Pull-Apart Pizza Bread
Alison Miksch

Recipe: Pull Apart Pizza Bread

Bundt pans aren't just for cakes. This pizza bread recipe uses jarred sauce and refrigerated biscuit dough to help it come together easily.

02 of 13

White Calzones with Marinara Sauce

White Cheese Calzones with Marinara Sauce
Photo: Linda Pugliese; Prop Styling: Claire Spollen; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: White Calzones with Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce for dipping is just the finishing touch cheesy, homemade calzones need. We recommend using Rao's Homemade Marinara Sauce for this recipe.

03 of 13

Slow-Cooker Pasta Bake

Slow Cooker Pasta Bake
Caitlin Bensel

Recipe: Slow-Cooker Pasta Bake

This slow-cooker pasta bake is as easy as dump, cover, and cook on low.

04 of 13

Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Smoked-Pork-Stuffed Pasta Shells

We made this recipe with a pound of chopped smoked pork, but you can also use chicken if desired.

05 of 13

Zucchini Lasagna

Zucchini Lasagna
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Tina Stamos

Recipe: Zucchini Lasagna

Three types of cheese make this casserole a crowd-pleaser.

06 of 13

Baked Ziti With Meatballs

Baked Ziti and Meatballs
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Christine Keely; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Baked Ziti With Meatballs

Frozen meatballs along with jarred sauce help this baked ziti come together with just 10 minutes of hands-on time and 30 minutes total.

07 of 13

Meatball Pasta Bake

Meatball Pasta Bake
Hector Sanchez; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Meatball Pasta Bake

Orange juice and orange zest add a touch of brightness to this baked casserole.

08 of 13

Baked Zucchini Fries

Baked Zucchini Fries
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Baked Zucchini Fries

Whether served as an appetizer or a side dish, make sure to serve these baked zucchini fries with plenty of warmed marinara sauce.

09 of 13

Eggplant Rollups

Eggplant Rollups
Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

Recipe: Eggplant Rollups

This five-ingredient dinner calls on eggplants instead of lasagna noodles to create rollups.

10 of 13

Pizza Casserole

Pizza Casserole
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Pizza Casserole

Add this casserole to your dinner lineup as another way to enjoy the flavor of pizza.

11 of 13

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables
Alison Miksch

Recipe: Baked Ziti with Summer Vegetables

This cheesy casserole still allows you to serve up plenty of flavor and veggies in just one dish.

12 of 13

Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan

Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Recipe: Grilled Baby Eggplant Parmesan

No breading or frying is needed for this grilled take on eggplant Parmesan.

13 of 13

Grilled Cheese & Tomato Roll-Ups

Grilled Tomato and Cheese Roll-Ups
Southern Living

Recipe: Grilled Cheese & Tomato Roll-Ups

The classic sandwich also makes a great, shareable snack that's made for dipping into marinara sauce.

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