No-Tomato Marinara Sauce

 
     Recently I was looking for a sauce that could be made as a substitute for a tomato based sauce and was quite pleased when I came across this Tomato Free Pasta Sauce on Gluten Free/Dairy Free NJ's blog. I'm sure some of you are shaking your head and wondering why I would be excited about a tomato free pasta sauce. For those that are allergic to tomatoes or for some other reason have to eliminate them from their diet finding an alternative sauce is a JOY! I am excited about this sauce because I think it is one that anyone will like and the base of beets and yam just make it a great nutritional sauce! It is interesting that there is no strong beet or yam flavor when the sauce is done. Hope your curiosity has got you wanting to try this now!

     My recipe is an adaption from the one mentioned above. Since I am making this sauce with my daughter's health needs in mind, along with tomatoes, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar also needed to be eliminated. I didn't find it necessary for my taste but you may want to add them. The sauce was a little bit sweet so maybe the acid from the lemon and vinegar would balance out the sweetness. I also did not use the cornstarch that was in their recipe and did not feel it was needed.

     The Gluten Free/Dairy Free NJ's blog noted that the sauce will loose its red color if you cook it to long since beets turn brown when cooked long. This did not happen for me. I cooked it on low heat for about 15 minutes. It was more like I was heating the sauce than cooking it. The blog suggests not to overcook when reheating.

     There are a variety of ways this sauce can be used. Just change the herbs and seasoning to suite your recipe. In addition to putting it on pasta tonight, my husband and I thought it was a great dipping sauce for the Jerk Tofu I made. It was similar to dipping bread sticks or chicken into marinara sauce.

No-Tomato Marinara Sauce

Makes about 1 quart

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

½ cup chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped (or more if you like)

1 T. grapeseed oil (or other oil for sautéing)

1 medium carrot, sliced (about ½ cup)

1 yam, cut in small cubes (about 2 cups)- use yam, orange inside, not sweet potato

1 red bell pepper, roasted (see note below)

1- 15 oz. can sliced beets, drained

1 – 1 ½ cups vegetable broth*

3-4 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 T. dried Italian herb mix

Salt and pepper to taste

*Check broth label to see that it does not include tomato.

Optional: You can add any combination of fresh or dried herbs and spices-

     1/3 cup fresh basil, torn or thin sliced or 2-3 T. dried

     1/3 cup fresh parsely, chopped or 2-3 T. dried

     3 T. oregano, chopped or 2-3 t. dried

     Pinch of red pepper flakes

I used about 2 T. dried Italian herbs and some fresh basil. 

Directions:

1. On medium heat, in a large skillet, add the grapeseed oil. When hot, add the onion and sauté until onion is soft and just begins to brown. Add the garlic and sauté another minute until garlic is fragrant.

2. Add the carrot, yam, and about ½ cup of broth. Cover and simmer until the vegetables are soft, about 15 – 20 minutes. Add more broth if needed.

3. In a food processor, add the roasted pepper and beets. Puree. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

    Add the cooked vegetables to the food processor and puree. Add a little more broth if needed.

4. Return both vegetable puree’s to the skillet. Add the extra virgin olive oil and herbs. Whisk to combine, adding more broth if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat on low for about 15 minutes.

Note: How to Roast a Bell Pepper-

Wash and dry the bell pepper. Cut out the stem and remove the seeds. Cut the bell pepper in half length, length ways, remove any seeds and the white veins. Place the bell pepper on a pie plate or small baking sheet. Lightly cover with grapeseed oil or cooking olive oil. Broil until the skin starts to blister and gets a little charred. The bell pepper will wilt as it softens. Remove the bell pepper from the pan and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a plate and let the bell pepper steam for a few minutes. Transfer the bell pepper to a plate or cutting board. Peel off the outer skin. Your bell pepper is now ready for using in this recipe.

This is just the coolest recipe!! I seriously was excited with the result and would love to know how it worked for others or any variations done. My husband keeps saying, "This was different but I really liked it".

Enjoy!