Sure, you can buy marinara premade at the grocery store, but nothing is quite as comforting as homemade tomato sauce simmering on the stove. From a health standpoint, we also love tomato sauce because tomatoes contain the health-promoting antioxidant, lycopene, which becomes more available to your body when it's heated.
Ingredients
-
20
Roma Tomato
– or use 2-28 oz cans of peeled tomatoes
-
6
Garlic, clove
-
1/2
Onion, raw
– large, chopped
-
2
tbsp
Brown Sugar, unpacked
-
8
Basil
– leaves
-
1
tbsp
Oregano, dried
-
1
tbsp
Italian Seasoning
-
1
tbsp
Vinegar, balsamic
-
1
tbsp
Salt
-
1/2
tbsp
Pepper, sweet, raw
-
1/4
tbsp
Olive Oil
Directions
1
Score 20 Roma tomatoes (place a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato).
2
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Submerge tomatoes in boiling water for 15-20 seconds, depending on ripeness, until the skins are loosened.
3
Move the blanched tomatoes to a bowl of ice or cold water. Peel the skins off from the X.
4
Add peeled tomatoes to a pot and crush tomatoes with the blender on LOW speed for 5 seconds.
5
Add remaining ingredients to the pot — garlic, onion, brown sugar, oregano, Italian seasoning, balsamic vinegar, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
6
Bring to a boil. Turn heat down to simmer on low for 45 minutes - 1 hour.
8
Blend sauce until desired consistency. For a chunkier sauce, blend 4-5 pulses. For a smoother consistency, blend 5-10 pulses.
9
Add in 8 leaves of basil and simmer for 30 more minutes until thick.