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Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 10:15 am
by MickeysBackyard
Does anyone have a recommendation for pasta sauce you use all of the time? I've yet to find a recipe or jarred sauce I really like "out of the box" and usually end up "stir frying" my cooked pasta and the sauce to concentrate the flavors (and increase the calorie density- grrr). I tried the Engine 2 sauces that I think are ok, but really quite watery.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 11:17 am
by sirdle
MickeysBackyard wrote:I tried the Engine 2 sauces that I think are ok, but really quite watery.

If haven't tried this, but what if you mixed the E2 sauce with a can of no-salt diced tomatoes? Or some tomato paste?

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:34 pm
by Lyndzie
We’ve been using Prego Lower Calorie lately. It’s high in sodium and has sugar, but is reasonably priced and widely available. ALDI also has two organic varieties that are oil free and cheap.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 12, 2019 12:37 pm
by michaelswarm
Can adjust to suit your tastes. You can adjust the thickness by how much you reduce. Thicker has more flavor. Because vegetables have such low calorie density to begin with (tomatoes about 100 calories per pound), reducing by 1/2 should still only double calorie density to only 200 calories per pound. Family recipe from my mother.

Pasta Sauce
Use this basic marinara sauce for spaghetti, pizza, bread dipping, etc. Can add steamed and reduced spring vegetables to make primavera sauce. When tomatoes are abundant, we make this sauce almost weekly. The fresh ingredients nearly fill my small 4 qt pressure cooker. The finished sauce makes 6 cups (1.5 qt).

MAIN
- 1/2 onion
- 1 sm or 1/2 lg carrot, sliced
- 1 sm-med zucchini, peeled and sliced
- 20-30 plum tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 cup water

SPICE
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4 tsp salt

Add all ingredients to pressure cooker with 1/2 cup water, cover and bring to pressure. Turn off heat and allow to release pressure. Blend steamed vegetables in high speed blender. Because contents are very hot, take care to not fill more than half, and gradually increase speed from low to high. Process in batches. Pour pureed sauce into large saucepan on hot plate at low heat. Simmer slowly, just under boiling, to reduce volume by roughly half. Allow to cool and transfer into containers for refrigeration or freezing.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:34 pm
by Hal
Scarpones Tomato Puree (crushed tomatoes) , makes the richest thickest sauce for spaghetti. All others pale (literally) by comparison, or at least in my area. I use a lot so i stopped using cans are get it by the bottle.

Stir in crushed garlic and basil flakes to taste. Drain spaghetti and smother noodles with sauce. Heat in micro for ~3 minutes, to fuse the spices and cook the garlic into the sauce a bit.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sat Oct 19, 2019 2:58 pm
by Jack Monzon
Trader Joe’s has a spaghetti sauce that is McDougall-compliant.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Sun Oct 20, 2019 9:26 am
by vegman
I like simple food, and as a pasta sauce often use just plain Pomi strained tomatoes. I also like it with potatoes, instead of ketchup.

I use Pomi chopped for things like soups.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 1:59 pm
by EvanG
michaelswarm wrote:Can adjust to suit your tastes. You can adjust the thickness by how much you reduce. Thicker has more flavor...

When I want to make my own, I follow this same basic procedure, but often use celery instead of zucchini. You also do not need to pressure cook. This can be cooked on a stove-top, which will reduce it as it cooks. Definitely adjust to taste with your favorite spices. Most of the time, I just use a jarred sauce if using tomato.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Tue Oct 22, 2019 6:05 pm
by AnnetteW
I recently bought the Aldi one, and it's going to be my go-to store bought sauce. Having some tonight in fact.

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Tue Nov 12, 2019 8:39 am
by haze5736
I made a batch of sauce this past Sunday that I thought came out really well. I used the ingredients below. I did not measure anything. I decided to experiment with butternut squash as a thickener instead of tomato paste since it is squash season. My wife and son thought it was great. The squash added sweetness and a really nice texture. It was almost like when we used to add butter to our sauce. I did not puree the squash. It was roasted in the oven, cut in half. It was pretty soft and disappeared pretty well into the sauce. I had to mash some clumps with the back of the spoon. Next time I will probably mash it with a fork before adding it.

28 oz can diced tomatoes
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
rosemary
thyme
oregano
basil
parsley
salt + pepper
butternut squash

Re: Pasta Sauce recommendation/recipe

PostPosted: Thu Nov 14, 2019 7:33 am
by Okra Lover
I order Delallo oil free Marinara sauce online from the company. I buy it by the case lol. It's thick and very tasty.