Vegan Marinara Sauce

5 from 2 votes

Add this vegan marinara to any Italian recipe for the freshest and tastiest dishes. With no oil or added sugars, this sauce is easy and can be frozen.

Prep Time10

Cook Time1

Total Time1 10

Course: Sauces, Dips & Dressings

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: servings

Calories: 61kcal

Author: Kathy Carmichael

Ingredients

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1 large shallot minced
2 cloves garlic minced
2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
2 Tablespoons fresh oregano chopped
½ cup fresh basil chopped
4 ounces POMI tomato paste
64 ounces POMI chopped tomatoes or fresh tomatoes chopped
1 cup red wine I used red Zinfandel
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Vegetable broth to prevent sticking in pan

Instructions

In a large stockpot, add onions, shallot, and garlic; cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent.
Add a small amount of veggie broth to prevent sticking
Add chopped herbs and cook for 3-4 minutes longer.
Add tomato paste and stir until thinned.
Stir in wine and cook for 10 minutes or until liquid dissipates.
Add tomatoes and simmer for 30 minutes.
As tomatoes break down, I use a hand masher to mash the tomatoes a bit. You don't want to blend them with an immersion blender since you want them thick with chunks of tomatoes.
Stir occasionally and add salt and pepper to taste.
Store ina covered container in a refrigerator until ready to use.
It will last 4 days in the refrigerator.
If freezing, wait until completely cool, and spoon into a ziplock bag or Souper Cubes and seal.

Notes

Paul and I appreciate a great bottle of red wine from time to time, but sometimes, we buy a bottle of Red Zinfandel that is a bit too strong for us to drink. Though we consider drinking it later, it sits in the refrigerator too long. As a result, it gets even stronger, and we can't drink it. So, "waste not want not."

Red wine sitting in the refrigerator, for instance, makes the best sauce wine. Or, if you have a bottle of red open, share it with your sauce.

My girlfriend, who doesn't drink, buys single small bottles of red and white wine to use for cooking at the grocery store. Again, it's all about saving money :)

The secret to perfect marinara sauce is cooking slow and low.

Similar to pressing tofu, the result is in being patient.

Since my sauce doesn't have added sugars or oils, when I cook the sauce on low for an hour or more, the onions and shallots caramelize on their own, bringing out their natural sweetness.

Nutrition