I admit, there are times when I buy canned or jarred products to use in a pinch when I just don’t feel like making something. I have canned beans and even a jar of pizza sauce in my pantry for those occasions. But one thing I will never ever buy pre made again is marinara sauce. There is just no comparison between store bought and homemade. I’ve been perfecting this recipe for many years now and I’m sure I’ll continue tweaking but I must admit that it’s pretty darn tasty and the best I’ve ever tasted. It’s great over pasta, meatballs, roasted veggies, rice and even as a pizza sauce. I always have some on hand and you can even freeze it for use later on!
Sarah
Ingredients:
- 56 ounces crushed tomatoes (I use a combination of Eden Organic Crushed Tomatoes with Roasted Onion and Eden Organic Crushed Tomatoes with Sweet Basil – I love the flavor that these products bring to the sauce but you can use any type of crushed tomatoes)
- 1/2 a medium yellow pepper, seeded, finely diced
- 1/2 a medium orange pepper, seeded, finely diced
- 2 large carrots, finely diced
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup red wine of your choice (optional but gives the sauce so much flavor – you can also add in a little balsamic vinegar if you don’t want to use red wine)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 tbsp basil
- 1/2 tbsp oregano
- 1/2 tbsp rosemary
- 1/2 tbsp thyme
- 1 tsp sea salt
- black pepper to taste
Preparation:
- In a large casserole or soup pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the peppers, carrots, onion and garlic.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and slightly browned.
- Remove from heat and pour in the red wine if using, otherwise skip this step. Stir, scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Return to the stove and reduce heat to low.
- Add the tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper and stir well. Let the sauce cook for about 2 hours, stirring every so often.
- Remove from heat and use sauce over pasta, rice, veggies or in any dish that requires marinara.
- Let the sauce cool completely before storing any leftovers. *see notes
Nutritional Info:
Makes approximately 8-9 cups.
Serving size 1/4 cup.
Nutrients per serving: Calories: 26, Cal. from Fat: 7.5, Total Fat: 0g, Sat. Fat: 0g, Carbs: 3g, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 2g, Protein: 1g, Sodium: 3mg, Chol: 0mg
Notes:
Once the sauce is completely cooled you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also freeze the sauce in a freezer safe container for up to 6 months.
