Happy Meatless Monday friends! I am traveling to Indiana University today for a parent orientation with my daughter so I have a short post for you. I am sharing one of my favorite go to recipes, my Favorite Tomato Sauce. It’s not just any sauce-it’s jam packed with tons of veggie goodness. The best part is that the veggies are hidden so if you have any picky eaters in your house, they probably won’t notice them at all. Please join Tina Muir and I for this week’s Meatless Monday recipes. Share some, find some and meet new friends.
What I love about this sauce is that it’s so versatile. I use it on pasta, spaghetti squash, flat bread and even omelets. It’s packed full of veggies for a hearty taste. The trick is to roast up a pan of your favorite veggies and puree them in with the sauce. My favorites are eggplant and baby bella mushrooms. This way you create a thicker, heartier sauce that’s full of flavor. It’s simple to make but oh so delicious.
- 1 large or 2 baby eggplant-peeled and sliced 1/4 in thick
- 1 zucchini-sliced
- 1 package of Baby Bella mushrooms
- 1 large red or orange pepper-seeded and quatered
- 2 28 oz cans San Marzano tomatoes (whole or diced)
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 onion-diced
- Olive oil, salt, pepper, red pepper, Oregano, basil,
- Pre heat oven to 375
- lay out veggies and garlic closes on baking sheet & sprinkle with olive oil, salt & pepper
- Roast until softened-about 15 min
- Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temp
- In a large stock pot-
- Saute onion in olive oil
- Working in small batches puree veggies with tomatoes in a food processor
- Return each batch to stock pot until all veggies are blended
- Season with salt, pepper, oregano, basil and red pepper
- Bring to a low boil then reduce to low and allow to simmer for at least 45 min
- Serve a top pasta, spaghetti squash, pizza, eggs etc & enjoy
I love tomato sauce on just about everything! I like to cook up a batch and freeze half for later because you never know when a snow day might hit and you need to make a pizza. This recipe is suitable for vegetarian, vegan, GF, low carb, Paleo and just about everyone!
I usually cop out and buy store bought kind. But this sounds tasty and very simple.
lacey@fairytalesandfitness.com recently posted…Peek in our week and some new products from Voxbox
What?? Store bought? LOL
I love all the veggies!! I am leaning more and more toward homemade sauce. There is only one or two kinds of store brands that don’t have sugar (crazy!) added to the sauce.
This looks so good – I’ll have to try for sure.
Have a great trip with your daughter!! 🙂
Natalie recently posted…1 Sentence Saturday!
Thanks! You will live the home made sauce
This looks really good. My favorite if I’m going home-made is a bolognese with lots of chopped veggies (I usually make it with meat of some sort but the veggies are critical). Hope your trip goes well!
Kelli recently posted…Spring Forward Means Bike Tires on Pavement!
Thanks so far so good!
Ooooh thank you! I will definitely be using this, and I did not have a secret in the sauce, in fact, I hadn’t really found one that I loved yet….so time to give this a try! Happy meatless monday!
Tina Muir recently posted…Meatless Monday- Sweet Potato and Almond Butter Soup
I def lime the homemade version so much better. happy Meatless Monday to you too!
Love the eggplant addition in this!
Megan @ Skinny Fitalicious recently posted…Double Chocolate Quinoa Brownies & Letting Go Of Expectations
Me too it gives it a nice texture and thickness
The secret is always in the sauce! I used to have a great crock pot recipe but I can’t find it and of course I can’t remember all the ingredients. It is the trick to most dishes! Eggplant I would have never guessed 🙂
Renee @ Bendiful Blog recently posted…5 Must Have Kitchen Staples for Weight Loss
Eggplant is great in here it really gives it a nice texture. You could do it in the crock pot too
I am so bad, I use jarred pasta sauce, but I try to get the ones with the least amount of sugar. I need to get better about making it myself, but we very rarely eat pasta or use it on anything else, so maybe that’s why I don’t make it!
Sue @ This Mama Runs for Cupcakes recently posted…Paris Marathon Training Recap: Week 8
We are a tomato sauce family!
OMG YES. You know I love tomato sauce, and I loove how you use veggies to chunkify this. Send me a jar!!!
Susie @ SuzLyfe recently posted…When was the last time… (Marvelous Monday Weekend)
Ooh good idea lets start jarring our own sauce
Congrats to you and your daughter on IU – that’s a great school. I saw the news on your coffee date post this weekend (which I loved!) and that’s very exciting. This sauce looks really fresh and delicious…love that you use in in lots of different ways.
Meg Bollenback recently posted…Cauliflower and Blue Cheese Soup with Homemade Croutons
Thanks we are having a great day so far. I will be hitting your blog back later tonight. I love the coffee dates so fun hope to see you there next week
I meant next month oops!
Mmmm…this looks so good! Love how hearty it is- my favorite kinda sauce!
Annmarie recently posted…Meatless Monday: Roasted Broccoli with White Bean Puree
Mine too! Hope you enjoy
I have never tried to make homemade sauce before! I have always used jarred sauce and add a little love to it! Looks yummy! Enjoy your trip to IU!
Mary Beth Jackson recently posted…#NoTextRed kind of weekend!
Thanks! Once you go homemade you will never go back!
I always throw my veggies for a sauce in the food processor as well! I think it makes the sauce super thick, which I love!
Maureen recently posted…Results & Getting My Sh*t Together
Me too!
This looks so tasty Deborah! I love making homemade sauces like this (usually I use carrots and zucchinis as my “hidden” vegetables) – it’s an easy way to sneak more veggies into my kids meals 🙂
Kyra @ Vie De La Vegan recently posted…Watermelon Chips
Absolutely! I usually throw in whatever I have but always eggplant
I’m glad I’m not the only one who usually just goes with store bought – not sure why I’ve never even tried to make my own tomato sauce.
Kim recently posted…The Legs Feed the Wolf (3/1 – 3/7)
LOL you will never go back. It’s so easy too
My mom’s spaghetti sauce is my favorite tomato sauce. The key for me is chunky veggies and lots of oregano!
Nicole @ Fitful Focus recently posted…St. Patty’s Thin Mint Pudding {vegan, gf}
I love chunky veggies but my kids do not. Oregano is a must for sure
I have saved this in my favorites. I need this! I am a gardener, well at least I think so, I love to grow my own veggies. I always grow tomato’s and have more than I can ever use. Last summer/fall I made about 25 jars of salsa… I still have a lot, I need to make something different with them, and tomato sauce sounds perfect! Thanks for sharing!
Kristy @Runaway Bridal Planner recently posted…Queen of Procrastination, That’s Me
Ooh I love homemade also too and just about anything w tomatoes. Hope you like it!
That looks yummy! I like the idea of freezing part of the batch. What a great way to keep some on hand 🙂
Akaleistar recently posted…Cinderella Shoes: The Modern Girl’s Glass Slipper
I love being able to pull out of the freezer in a hurry.
Can’t wait to try this! I don’t really have a favorite but I can tell you we have some we aren’t fans of. I’m more of a flavor fan and not a fan of sweet spaghetti sauces.
Sarah recently posted…Matcha Milkshake
Me too! I don’t like the sweetness found in most jarred sauces.
That sounds great. Almost all of my favorite recipes used canned tomatoes or tomato sauce, but I’ve never made my own.
Coco (@Got2Run4Me) recently posted…My Swet Ride Review
oh once you do it’s hard to go back to the jar 🙂
A red sauce of some sort has become a meal prep staple. It’s yummy and can be used so many ways throughout the week for a great meal.
jill conyers recently posted…5 People You Most Want To Workout With
Exactly! We are big tomato sauce fans over here!
Oh I love a good tomato sauce! Nothing is better than homemade!! I love roasting my tomatoes first if I have time- they get such a yummy caramelization!
Sam @ PancakeWarriors recently posted…Crispy Baked Peanut Tofu
Yes me too! Roasted tomatoes are the best. So looking forward to summer grilling
Your tomato sauce looks delicious! I love the incorporation of the veggies! YUM!
Tricia @ A Couple Of Dashes recently posted…3 Trainers or People I’d Like to Sweat It Out With…
Thanks! I love to hide the veggies in there-they give it a great texture.
I’ve been waiting for this recipe – woohoo!! Can’t wait to try it out 🙂
Jess @hellotofit recently posted…Change your life with the plyo box
Hope you like it-it’s one of my faves 🙂