This is a simple marinara packed with veggies (hence the Primavera)…now why would you make a homemade marinara when there is all that bottled stuff on the grocery store shelf, you ask? Quite simply, flavor, texture and nutrition…it is low in calorie and has half the sodium and who doesn’t need more vegetables in their diet. I sometimes wonder how they get so much salt in some of those prepackaged foods!
This makes a very large batch and can easily be frozen in several containers so you have fresh marinara on hand anytime!
Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves chopped
2 24 oz cans of good quality diced tomatoes (like Cento)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
Heat olive oil in large stock pot or dutch oven. Chop onion, carrots, celery and garlic. (a combination of onion, celery and carrot is called a mirepoix…your french lesson for the day!)
Add chopped vegetables to the pot. Saute until onions are translucent and carrots are tender.
Add canned diced tomatoes. Simmer for 30 minutes. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth (skip this step if you prefer a chunkier sauce or use a table top type blender for the same results…it will take several batches to complete.)
Simmer for another 20 minutes and serve! Mangia!
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