Every year I patiently wait for the tomatoes to hang from the vines, or the boxes to show up at the Farmers' Market. To me there really is nothing better than the bounty of summer. I love to take Early Girl tomatoes and make homemade marinara. I find that adding the dates truly brings out the flavor of the tomato in a way nothing else can. Dates provide a natural sweetness and depth of flavor that will take your sauce to the next level.
A simple recipe that happens to be Whole30 and Vegan. I love to use this sauce as a base for stuffed peppers, but we know it's even better on pasta. Make a large batch and freeze for the winter months. You can't go wrong with homemade sauce.
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cups red onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, peeled and chopped
3 lbs fresh tomatoes, cored and quartered
1/2 cup water
1/2 TSP salt
1/4 TSP red chili flake
2 TSP dried oregano
1 bunch basil, tied with kitchen twine
2 pitted dates
5 - 7 oz tomato paste
Place a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat, preheat for 30 seconds. Add the olive oil and red onion, sauté until onion has softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and water. Bring heat down to low, place lid on pot and leave a little room for the steam to escape. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the seasoning, dates, tomato paste, and stir until combined into sauce. Add tied basil bunch. Cover and cook for 20 more minutes. Remove basil bunch. Add sauce in batch to a blender, making sure heat can escape during blending process. Blend until smooth. Return to pot. Season with salt to taste and add a handful of fresh basil leaves.
Serve with pasta or use as a base for my Vegan Stuffed Peppers.
Welcome to my kitchen.
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