I’m not much of an inventive cook or baker. This is something that I would love to improve at, however, I’m currently a strict follower of recipes. I’m always amazed by those who can whip something up in the kitchen without meticulously measuring ingredients and following step-by-step instructions. My tomato vegetable pasta sauce is the only recipe I’ve created on the fly, and even though it is super simple it is still one of my favorite things to make for dinner. I came up with this recipe a few years ago when I wanted pasta but was out of canned marinara sauce. It is a very basic recipe and allows for a lot of variation. It serves 4-6 and takes about an hour from start to finish. I often make a hearty version, but it can be made to be more like a traditional marinara sauce by using a blender, food processor, or immersion blender after it has finished cooking.
To begin, I sauté 3/4 of a large or one whole medium yellow onion in 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. I use a large pan with high sides as the recipe makes a decent amount. I then add a lot of chopped garlic. I used the entire packet shown in the picture above, roughly 8-9 cloves of varying sizes. I love garlic and still didn’t find it to be overpowering in flavor. While those are sautéeing, I chop up 4 medium sized carrots and then add them to the onions and garlic. The carrots take the longest to soften, so it’s important to get them into the pan quickly. After the carrots, I chop and add 2 large zucchini to the mixture. You could also use yellow squash if you prefer. Then, I chop up the two medium tomatoes and add them to the pan.
Once all of the fresh vegetables are in the pan, I add two cans of Italian diced tomatoes. You can also use regular diced tomatoes, you will just need to add extra seasoning. The sauce should begin to bubble nicely. I add generous amounts of pepper, additional Italian seasoning, oregano, basil, and a little bit of salt. This is all to taste, if you’re unsure of how much to add start with a smaller amount and you can add more if necessary. Once all of the seasonings are in, cover the pan and lower the heat to halfway between medium and low. Allow it to simmer for approximately 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the carrots are tender, the sauce is ready!
I enjoy it with whole wheat pasta and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The sauce is flavorful, full of vegetables, and, in my opinion, much better than canned pasta sauce! I’ve also made this using only tomatoes, onions, garlic, and seasonings if you’re in the mood for a tomato basil sauce. The recipe is pretty much the same, however you’re adding a much higher amount of fresh tomato instead of the zucchini and carrots and it doesn’t require as long to simmer. This is one of my comfort foods and I can’t wait to make it again this week!
Brianne Elizabeth 