Simple Spaghetti Sauce

This is a quick recipe to throw together a homemade marinara sauce. I’m sure there are loads of recipes out there to make a sauce truly from scratch, which would involve dicing up tomatoes, simmering them, etc… but I am not that fancy! I use canned tomato sauce and diced tomatoes for the base, and then flavor it up to give it a richer taste. Plus, I like knowing that I’m eating freshly sautéed onions and garlic and using spices I’ve purchased that I can trust, as avoiding “cross-contaminated” spices area a bigger hassle than one would think. Most pre-made sauces will list out the spices in the “ingredients” section, but you can’t be for sure where the spices came from or how they were packaged. Just something to think about.

Ingredients:

• 1 14.5 oz can of diced/crushed tomatoes (I use Muir Glen, as they are organic)
• 1 14.5 oz can of tomato sauce or tomato puree (same deal, Muir Glen…but any kind you like will do)
• 3 cloves garlic (peeled and minced)
• 1 small-medium red or yellow onion (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. oregano
• 1 tsp. basil
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• Olive oil

(Though many of the herbs listed above would taste amazing fresh, I use dried spices and crush them in the palms of my hands to release more flavor. If you have Celiac, make sure you read the labels on your spices, as oftentimes spices are packaged in facilities that handle wheat, as I mentioned above. I personally stick with the “Simply Organic” brand that I’ve found at Sprouts and Whole Foods.)

Instructions:

In a large skillet, add olive oil and your chopped onion and sauté over medium-high heat. Let the onions brown – about 7-10 minutes. When they have browned, you can add your minced garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes.

Reduce your heat to medium. Add your spices and stir into the onion and garlic. Once incorporated, add your tomato sauce and diced tomatoes. Stir together and cook for about 5 minutes. Taste to see if the sauce needs anything else…sometimes it may call for more salt, etc. If so, add a touch more, stir, and try again until you’ve reached your desired taste. Simmer on low for an additional 5 minutes.  That’s it! Remove from heat and let cool before transferring to a jar, or serve immediately over gluten free pasta or dish of your choice. I’ll be blogging about making gluten-free turkey-meat balls soon, and this will be a great sauce to make with meatballs.