FOOD NEWS
Here's How Marinara Sauce May Have Gotten Its Name
By Nico Danilovich
With its complex flavors and easy preparation, marinara sauce is a well known classic that’s perfect for anyone’s pasta or garlic bread — with or without meat included. The sauce has a long and fascinating history, and there are a few theories regarding its name.
Unsurprisingly, it was in Italy where marinara received its moniker, after tomatoes were first introduced to them by the Spanish in the 1500s. The word "marinara" first translated to something like "sailor style," which makes more sense when you learn that the Naples-born sauce was popular among sailors.
Marinara sauce’s popularity among sailors might have been due to the simple and acidic sauce keeping well aboard ships. Another theory is that its simple preparation made it easy for the spouses of sailors to cook upon their arrival home — as soon as they saw their partners’ ship docking, they could start up the delicious home cooked meal.