Classic Garden Marinara Sauce
Okay, hear me out. This may be an unpopular opinion but marinara sauce can be overlooked by those who don’t know the importance of it, and appreciated by those who know what’s up. Being French trained at Le Cordon Bleu, I was taught that marinara sauce is actually THE finest and best sauce out there. It’s the sauce that you should definitely try when you are eating out for a nice Italian meal, because honestly it’s their staple for excellence. There is a reason they say the sauce is the boss, and it’s because it’s the standard for everything else in the entire establishment.
For those who never learned to make a classic marinara, I am here to save the day. It’s summer and the tomatoes are popping off right now, especially cooking tomatoes at the local farmers markets. Usually the cooking tomatoes come in large quantities because they are the softer selections of tomatoes that will only last for another day or too. They’re at their peak ripeness and need to be used immediately before going bad, which usually means they are cheap, about 5$ for a big bag typically. These cooking tomatoes normally have some imperfections, but they are perfect for a marinara sauce because they will be cooked down and blended up together into a magical and delicious recipe.
This recipe is:
low sodium
dairy free
plant based
simple and easy
great for meal prep
perfect for summer
Save this recipe this summer when you want to impress your friends and family with the best marinara recipe ever!
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Makes about 64 oz of sauce:
The Goods:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large red or yellow onion, diced
1 large leek, sliced
1 tsp salt
1 celery stick, diced
1 large zucchini, small diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup red cooking wine
8-10 ripe heirloom tomatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp black pepper
6-7 rosemary leaves
1 package gluten free pasta (penne or spaghetti)
1 cup pasta water
minced basil for garnish
Optional garnish: vegan parmesan
The Method:
Heat up a large heavy bottom soup pot on medium high heat with the olive oil. Once hot, add your onions, leek, salt, and sauté for 2-3 minutes. When the veggies have become softer, add the celery, zucchini, garlic, and sauté for 2-4 minutes.
Toss in the tomato paste and mix until everything is coated. Next pour in your red wine to help deglaze the pan and reduce the liquid down for about 2-3 minutes or until the liquid has cooked out.
When the wine has reduced, toss in all your diced tomatoes, bay leaf, black pepper, and rosemary leaves. Stir and then lower the heat to medium low, cap with a lid, and cook down for 35-55 minutes while stirring every 10 minutes.
Grab another large pot and fill it up water for the pasta. Bring the water to a boil, and don’t forget to salt the water. Cook your pasta to package instructions and save 1 cup of the pasta water for your sauce later. When your noodles are al dente, drain and set them aside.
Quickly to finish the sauce, add the 1 cup pasta water into your marinara sauce and then using an immersion blender, blend your sauce into a smooth puree. (Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before blending!)
Taste for salt and then serve immediately with your noodles while everything is still warm. Garnish each serving with minced basil and optional for vegan parmesan.
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