Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Tomato Sauce

This recipe was a total fluke - my husband and I made fresh semolina pasta the night before and had leftover noodles that we needed to use. I only had a handful of cherry tomatoes left from the farmers market, and was trying to figure out how to make some kind of sauce for the pasta. I literally just grabbed everything I had in the fridge, chopped everything up and threw it in a skillet. It turned out to be one of my favorite pasta sauces I’ve ever made! This recipe is easily adaptable, and is a great way to use up vegetables in your fridge!

INGREDIENTS: (Serves 2-3 people)

1/2 onion, finely chopped

2 carrots, finely chopped

2 celery stalks, finely chopped

2 yellow or orange bell peppers, finely chopped

Handful of cherry tomatoes

4 garlic cloves, minced

Oregano

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

Olive Oil

Salt & Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:

Heat a skillet to medium-high heat. Add a couple of tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet, then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir and let them simmer until soft. Add the tomatoes to the skillet - once they begin to burst, use the back of a spoon to crush them. After the tomatoes are crushed, add the bell peppers and some more olive oil for a base, and let everything simmer down. Add salt, pepper, and oregano to taste. Let the sauce simmer for at least half an hour.

To serve with pasta: While everything is simmering, add water to a large pot and bring to a boil. Add a couple of tablespoons of salt to the water. When the sauce is finished, cook whatever pasta you’re using until it’s just under al dente. Make sure to scoop out a little bit of the pasta water right before you drain the pasta! After you’ve drained the pasta, add the noodles to the skillet and stir. Add a splash of the pasta water - the starch will help the sauce bind to the pasta! Once the pasta is thoroughly coated, add the grated parmesan and stir well. Plate and serve immediately!

You might also like:

Previous
Previous

My Top 10 Recipes for Hosting Gatherings

Next
Next

Authentic Italian Pesto