“Nomato” Sauce

Homemade “Nomato” Sauce

One of the things that made me saddest about discovering a sensitivity to tomatoes was the idea of no more spaghetti or pizza. Well, I can still have them, but I don’t want to rely on cream sauces for my fix. As I started to look for recipes that did not have nightshades in them, I came across a concept called “Nomato” Sauce – or a marinara sauce without tomatoes. I just had to try it, but I didn’t want to spend money on the product and I wasn’t crazy about any particular recipe I found. So instead, I combined the recipes, read the reviews, and added in my personal tastes to make my own version. The best part? If you are on the elimination diet, this recipe is good for all stages of it!

Know that this does not taste like tomato sauce. I am sorry. I wish it did, but it does not. However, it does have a similar texture and spice profile. It tastes good. It can be used as a replacement for tomato sauce in any recipe as long as you keep that in mind. You may find it a bit bland; I was looking for something neutral that can be doctored for the recipe and tastes of consumer. For example, I liked it just fine on my pizza, while Will added many herbs, spices, and even some citric acid. The basic idea behind this can also be used to make ketchup and barbeque sauce as well, something I will be looking into later on down the line.

Now, on to the recipe:

I like to get out all of my ingredients before starting a recipe

Nightshade-Free Marinara Sauce
Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion (or 2 small)
3 ribs celery
3 cloves garlic
6 carrots, peeled
1 medium beet, peeled
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup fresh basil
Salt to taste

Everything chopped and organized by when it goes into the pot

Instructions

1. Chop all the vegetables, including the basil.
2. Heat oil in a 6-quart pot. Saute the onions and celery for about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic and saute another minute.
4. Add carrots and beets, stir everything together, then add the water and bay leaf. Salt and other dried spices may also be added if desired.
5. Simmer covered for about 25 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Stir occasionally.
   

   Everything simmering away

6. Add chopped basil and cook another 5 minutes.
7. Remove bay leaf and puree sauce in a blender until desired consistency.
8. Serve, refrigerate up to a week, or freeze until ready to use. Can be used on pizza, pasta, chili, or any other place you would use tomato sauce. Enjoy!