Growing up in Central Utica New York in the late 1960s, this was a staple on Friday in our home, it was so inexpensive using tuna, money was tight and fed a large family easily.
This pasta seafood dish is delicious with just tuna, however later on when the economy got better ofr us, we were able to start using an assortment of seafood we liked.
Of course, there are many variations you can add but this is a quick marinara and easy recipe using canned or fresh seafood of your choice.
During the holiday, mom would make stuffed calamari in a similar sauce and make a variety of seafood dishes plus several others were on our tables for Christmas Eve in celebration of the 7 Fishes.
Scroll down and let's get started with this easy economical seafood dish, it's super simple and delicious!
Marinara Sauce
This is a quick-cooking sauce when using canned tomatoes however you can use fresh tomatoes but cooked longer than 30 minutes.
This 30 minutes marinara sauce seafood dish is one is perfect for any seafood lover and the easiest recipe ever!
Using just tuna will also make this extremely economical to feed a large crowd when on a strict budget.
Ingredients You Will Need (scroll down to the printable recipe card for measurements)
- canned or fresh tomatoes
- fresh basil
- extra virgin olive oil
- fresh garlic
- salt, pepper, red pepper flakes
- seafood of choice see suggestions below original recipe uses tuna fish with oil
- pasta of choice
- Pecorino Romano cheese
Seafood Suggestions
- crab meat canned or out of the shell
- lobster meat
- scallops
- shrimp
- mussels
- calamari rings
- canned salmon
- boneless white fish or other
- tuna in oil
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Seafood Marinara
Remember just a few other tips, if using other than canned tuna make sure to thoroughly cook the seafood of choice.
This seafood marinara is a quick version and very simple to make and you can use any pasta you prefer.
If you use fresh tomatoes you will have to cook them down longer until most of the water absorb before adding the seafood or tuna.
I personally am not fond of this for leftover as it gets much stronger in flavor.
Tuna or Seafood Marinara
Yield: 6
Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min
A light marinara made with San Marzano Tomatoes and served with any seafood or just tuna with linguine.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 freshly minced cloves of garlic
- 3 fresh basil leaves
- 1 sprig of fresh parsley and oregano
- 1/2 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
- 2 can of tuna in oil or any freshly cleaned shellfish, (not frozen) IE: shredded crab, lobster, rock shrimp, regular shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari rings, scallops, you can really use any boneless seafood you prefer.
- 2- 28 ounce can of San Marzano tomatoes or use fresh plum tomatoes put through the food processor boiled and put in an ice water bath then peeled
- salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 lb of linguine cooked to package instructions drained ( you can also use any kind of pasta you prefer or angel hair instead)
Instructions
- In a large deep saucepan around 4 quarts, add the oil and minced garlic and saute until fragrant around 2 minutes.
- Stir in the fresh herbs, tomatoes, salt, pepper, and red pepper to taste.
- This should simmer for 30 minutes.
- Add whatever seafood you prefer around 10 minutes before this is completed cooking or when your seafood color like shrimp turns pink.
- In the meantime cook the pasta to package instructions.
- Drain do not rinse.
- Pour over pasta and serve with Romano cheese and more red pepper flakes.
Calories
511.18Fat (grams)
20.37Sat. Fat (grams)
3.81Carbs (grams)
37.27Fiber (grams)
3.20Net carbs
34.07Sugar (grams)
2.72Protein (grams)
43.17Sodium (milligrams)
901.26Cholesterol (grams)
132.03Pin for Later
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Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2013. It was edited and re-published in 2020