The tomato-based spaghetti sauce named for the Italian phrase meaning “sailor-style” is marinara sauce.
Marinara comes from alla marinara, generally translated as “in the style of sailors” or “sailor’s style.” The sauce is usually built from tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs such as basil or oregano. Depending on the recipe, it may also include onions, olives, capers, anchovies, spices, or wine.
Its exact origin is disputed. Popular stories connect it with Neapolitan sailors or with the wives who prepared food for men returning from the sea. Tomatoes arrived in Europe from the Americas after the 16th century, so marinara could not have existed in its familiar tomato-based form in ancient Italy. The earliest Italian cookbook known to include a tomato sauce was published by Antonio Latini in 1692 and 1694.
A common mix-up is spaghetti marinara. In countries including Australia, New Zealand, Spain, and South Africa, that name often refers to seafood pasta in tomato sauce. In Italy, seafood versions are more commonly associated with alla pescatora, or “fisherman’s style.”