Red Sauce with Secret Vegetables
This flavorful red sauce contains lots of delicious vegetables, enriching the taste, texture, and nutritional value of the sauce. It’s a great way to use up the leftover vegetables you have in your refrigerator – or to sneak some veggies into any picky mouths you might have in your household.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 pound each (about ½ kilo) white or cremini mushrooms, zucchini, bell peppers, and carrots, or whichever vegetables you like or need to use up
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (adjust to your preferred spice level – I use a whole tablespoon)
- 1 pound (about ½ kilo) Italian sausage (optional)
- ¾ cup (200 mL) dry white or stock
- 2 large cans (28oz or 800g each) whole San Marzano plum tomatoes, crushed with your hands before adding, or puréed in a blender
- Kosher salt to taste
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1
- Clean the mushrooms, brushing off any dirt and trimming the base of the stems. Clean the remaining vegetables and set aside (there is no need to peel the carrots).
Step 2
- Although you can finely chop the vegetables by hand, it is much faster to use a food processor. Chop or process the mushrooms and set aside. The rest of the vegetables can be chopped or processed together, and set aside in a separate bowl.
Step 3
- Using a wide, deep saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, season lightly with kosher salt, and cook until well-browned and all of the water has cooked out. Add the remaining vegetables, season again with salt, and stir. Again, cook until browned and any water has evaporated.
Step 4
- While the vegetables are cooking, brown the Italian sausage in a separate skillet. Pour off the fat, and set aside.
Step 5
- Add remaining olive oil to the pan, and add the garlic and crushed red pepper, stirring for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant. Do not allow the garlic to brown. Add the browned Italian sausage, and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and allow to cook for 2 minutes.
Step 6
- Add the tomatoes, and stir to combine. If you have fresh tomatoes sitting around that you need to use up, you can throw these in, too.
Step 7
- Simmer on medium-low, bubbling very gently (tomato sauce splatters and burns easily, so be careful to keep your pan from getting too hot).
Step 8
- Your sauce will be ready in about 30 minutes, or when most of the water is cooked off and you have a nice, thick sauce.* The longer you let it cook, the deeper and richer the flavor becomes. I like to let mine simmer gently for several hours.
Step 9
- Add salt to taste. I like a little sweetness in my sauce to offset the acidity of the tomatoes, so I usually add 1-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar. Others add a little sugar. Some add a Parmesan rind to the last stage of cooking. Fresh herbs, like basil, also add a nice flavor, so experiment and see what you like!
Step 10
- This sauce will have some texture to it, depending on how finely you have chopped your vegetables. If you prefer a smooth sauce, wait to add the meat. Purée the sauce in a blender once cooked, return to the pan, add the browned Italian sausage, and simmer gently for 10-15 minutes before serving. This sauce keeps well in the freezer for 3-4 months.
