Homemade Vegetable Pasta Sauce

Homemade Vegetable Pasta Sauce

Sunday, February 10, 2013

One great way to ensure that you are getting a variety of veggies is through delicious homemade pasta sauce.  In fact, you can trick almost anyone into eating more vegetables just by adding them to spaghetti sauce, and with the right seasonings, even the pickiest of children and husbands will be satisfied.  Well, luck so has it that I make the best pasta sauces ever. No really.  Perfect for cold nights or summer dinners on the patio, here is how to make your very own amazing pasta sauce.

One great way to ensure that you are getting a variety of veggies is through delicious homemade pasta sauce.  In fact, you can trick almost anyone into eating more vegetables just by adding them to spaghetti sauce, and with the right seasonings, even the pickiest of children and husbands will be satisfied.  Well, luck so has it that I make the best pasta sauces ever. No really.  Perfect for cold nights or summer dinners on the patio, here is how to make your very own amazing pasta sauce.

Ingredients:

        Olive oil, enough to coat pan

        1 onion, finely chopped

       2 carrots, finely chopped

          2 stalks of celery, finely chopped

         ½ green bell pepper, finely chopped

         4 cloves minced garlic

        1 lb ground Italian sausage (Meijer, $2.50!!)

          ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

      2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes (Aldi, $.99 ea)

          Salt to taste

        1 teaspoon dried parsley

        1 ½ teaspoon dried basil

       1 ½ heaping teaspoon oregano

         ½ cup or to taste of red wine

Materials:

         1 good knife for chopping

          1 cutting board

          1 large soup pot

Large spoon

Start by chopping the onion, carrots, celery, and bell pepper.  I find it helpful to chop the carrots and celery longwise, and then chopping them into finer bits. 

 Heat enough olive oil in a large soup pot to completely cover the bottom of the pan, and add the vegetables and Italian sausage.  Brown the meat thoroughly; the juices will help flavor the vegetables.  Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper.  After a few minutes, it should become somewhat fragrant.  Add the tomatoes, salt, and herbs.  Add one can’s worth of water, or more to your liking.  Let simmer for one hour, and then add wine.  Continue to simmer for three to four hours or longer.  I tend to start mine around noon, and we eat it at about 8 or 9.  Serve with pasta of your choice.  We like to eat it with spaghetti.

The fun doesn’t have to stop here.  You can add any vegetable you like, really.  I have seen people add mushroom, zucchini, and eggplant.  I haven’t tried mushrooms because Roger hates them in most things, and I cannot stand zucchini or eggplant unless it’s eggplant parmesan. Speaking of which, you should totally buy the raw milk grated parmesan at Trader Joe's.  It's the best.