Liz’s Organic Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

I’ve made this recipe or a version of it since I was a kid.  It can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator or frozen.  There are a lot of variations to this recipe.  You can make your own tomato sauce with either canned sauce or tomato paste and fresh chopped tomatoes.  You can skip the mushrooms and meatless crumbles and just have an enhanced Marinara sauce.  You can add meatless meatballs instead of the meatless crumbles.  I like using jarred sauces because it is a little faster.  This recipe serves 8. 

Ingredients

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 stalks celery, chopped

• 2-3 carrots, chopped or grated

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 2 jars of organic marinara sauce (can use any vegan kind.  I like Classico)

• 1 pkg of meatless crumbles (I use Trader Joe’s Beef-Less Ground Beef)

                 -OR-

• 4 oz mushrooms finely chopped

• a splash of red wine (if available)

• 2 Tbsp dried parsley

• 1 Tbsp dried basil

• 2 tsp dried oregano

• 1 Tbsp brown sugar (optional)

• vegan parmesan
  

Instructions

1. Saute onion and mushrooms (if using) until almost caramelized.  Add garlic and celery.  Saute an additional 2 minutes.  Add marinara sauce, meatless crumbles (if using), carrots, wine, and spices.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until carrots are just a little soft.

2. Use this sauce over your favorite pasta and top with vegan parmesan cheese.  Delicious!

*The spice palette can be modified if you like more or less oregano and also depending on the flavoring of the sauce you choose.