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Vine-Ripened Tomato Marinara Sauce

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What to do when you have a bumper crop of tomatoes this summer? Make your own pasta sauce!

Serve fresh, or stock your freezer for the winter.

If you don’t have vine ripe tomatoes, a 28oz can of crushed tomatoes will work too.

Vine-Ripened Tomato Marinara Sauce

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Cook Time 2 hours
Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Servings 10 4 oz. servings
Calories 113 kcal

Equipment

Dutch Oven 3 quarts or larger
Food processor

Ingredients
  

  • 4 lb Roma tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic chopped
  • 3 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried basil
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
  • 1 cup full-bodied red wine
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 2 Bay leaves

Instructions
 

  • Fill Dutch oven with salted water and bring to a boil
  • Cut an X on the bottom of each tomato
  • Add tomatoes to the boiling water and boil for one minute
  • Drain the tomatoes. When they are cool enough to handle peel, remove the stem end and the seeds.
  • Place the tomatoes in a food processer and pulse until blended, but not completely pureed.
  • Heat a Dutch oven on medium heat and add the olive oil
  • Add onion and sauté 5 minutes
  • Add chopped garlic and sauté 1 more minute
  • Add the tomatoes, paste, oregano, basil, salt, pepper, wine, sugar, and bay leaves
  • Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and let simmer 30 minutes
  • Cook pasta of choice according to instructions
  • Top with fresh basil, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and grated parmesan cheese
  • If freezing, allow sauce to cool completely before placing in the freezer

Notes

You don’t have to use Roma tomatoes. They are the best for making sauce, but if you end up with a bumper crop of some other type of tomato, or you find a great deal at a farm stand, use what you have.  Your sauce will taste great!

Dried vs. Fresh Herbs

I prefer dried oregano and basil during the cooking process, but if you have an abundance of fresh herbs, use them.  But remember that dried herbs are more potent, so you’ll need to double the amounts.

Variations

  • Add sausage or ground beef
  • Soak dried Porcini mushrooms in hot water. When the mushrooms are soft, chop and add to sauce.  Drain the liquid and add to sauce.
  • Add ¼ cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes
  • Add a sprinkle of crushed red pepper

Nutrition

Calories: 113kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 2gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 0.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 564mgPotassium: 497mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 1667IUVitamin C: 26mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg
Keyword tomato
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