Tomato Sauce Recipe: Healthy Ingredients, Quick Easy Method

Use this in Mostaccioli, Lasagna, Moussaka, Tomato Bisque Soup, etc. One advantage of this recipe: it doesn’t easily scorch. Some recipes require a lot of stirring, but as the juicy tomatoes boil down, the sauce suddenly thickens, and the pan burns as well! This is avoided by adding tomato paste last. The onion-garlic mix still needs to be stirred occasionally, but burning or scorching the bottom of the pan is less likely with this method.

While sugar might be an ingredient in many tomato sauces, carrots give this recipe its sweetness. They add extra nutrition too. But leave the carrots out if desired; the sauce is still delicious! Makes 2-3 qts.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 c. (2 lb.) fine-chopped onion
• 8-10 garlic cloves (1/4 c.), minced
• 1 1/2 lb. carrots, cut in chunks
• 1/4 c. olive oil
• 1 c. red wine (or 1/2 c. red wine vinegar)
• 8 oz. can tomato paste
• 2- 28 oz. cans chunk tomatoes (almost 2 quarts)
• 1/2 TBS. salt
• 1/2 TBS. pepper
• 2 TBS. dry basil

PREPARATION

1. Saute’ in a med. skillet with lid on: > 6 c. (2 lb.) fine-chopped onion > 8-10 garlic cloves (1/4 c.), minced > 1/4 c. olive oil

2. Stir occasionally, over med. high heat. Turn burner down as the onions soften. Next add to the onion skillet: > 1 c. red wine (or 1/2 c. red wine vinegar)

3. While onion/garlic mix simmers, cook until tender in just a bit of water: > 1 1/2 lb. carrots, cut in chunks

4. Pour the cooking liquid off of the cooked carrots, into the onion mix. Process the cooked carrots in a food processor or blender until smooth.

5. Bring the onion mix up to a boil again, to let the liquids boil off some more, stirring occasionally.

6. Last of all, add the cooked, processed carrots to a large bowl or pot, mixing in the remaining ingredients: > 8 oz. can tomato paste > 2- 28 oz. cans chunk tomatoes (almost 2 quarts) > 1/2 TBS. salt > 1/2 TBS. pepper > 2 TBS. dry basil > the sautéed onion mixture

7. Freeze pint containers of this if not using within several weeks. Sauce will keep almost a month or so refrigerated, longer if frozen.