Homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce

Happy Spring!

Today is the first day of spring and although it doesn't feel like it where I am (snow, hail, sleet, freezing temps...), I'm going to make every opportunity to enjoy it.

I think love all of the budding flowers, the wonderful temperatures, and the happy vibe that comes from packing away your parka and pulling out your tank top.

But even more than all of that, I love all the spring veggies. This tomato sauce makes excellent use of the abundance of vegetables that you may soon have in your garden.

I basically rooted through my fridge and put out all of the Italian-esque ingredients that I could find. Had I found more veggies, the ingredient list would have been even more substantial. I would look at this recipe as more of a general guide to tomato sauce where you can take or leave any of the ingredients you'd like.

Sauteing garlic, onions, and carrots in a pot smelled like a flavor explosion in my kitchen. And I hadn't even added all the good stuff yet!

I loved the chunkiness of the sauce before I pureed it (I think that consistency would be ideal with spaghetti or angel hair), but I was serving it with ravioli and wanted it to be a little less chunky. Out came the immersion blender.

I served this with Trader Joe's Butternut Squash Ravoli. It was super tasty and complemented the ravioli nicely.

Homemade Chunky Tomato Sauce

Serves 4-5 with pasta

Ingredients

• ½ Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced onion
• ¾ cup diced carrot
• 4 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1-1/2 cup sliced white mushrooms
• 1 cup diced zucchini
• ¾ c chopped frozen spinach
• 2 cans (15oz.) diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoon tomato paste
• ¼ teaspoon rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 T fresh parsley, to garnish

 Method

1. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions, garlic, and carrots and cook until onion is slightly tender, 3-5 minutes.

2. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and spinach and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften, 3-5 minutes.

3. Add both cans of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and remaining herbs and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

4. If sauce is too chunky, you can puree a bit of it with an immersion blender or in a food processor. Return to pot and heat through. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot over pasta or tasty ravioli.

Related Recipe: Pasta Puttanesca