Kimberly,
You’ve known me for a very long time so you know that I’m a snob when it comes to Italian cuisine. I refuse to set foot in an Olive Garden, no one can make a cannoli shell better than my mother, and cheese does not come out of a green can… ever. So, trying to find a marinara sauce recipe that doesn’t call for sugar is tough. Everyone wants a quick sauce and the only way to get rid of the acidity from the tomatoes quickly is to add in sugar. So not necessary if you have the patience. A good sauce is a bit of a time commitment but so worth it in the end.
I found a recipe from Bon Appetit that is simple, vegan and not a grain of added sugar in sight. Only five ingredients not counting salt and pepper and it makes an amazing sauce. Three things you do need to know: 1. Use only San Marzano tomatoes. They are more expensive, but so worth it. 2. Use good quality olive oil and only fresh garlic and basil. Dried will only disappoint you. 3. You’ll need to cook it more than the 1 hour that the recipe calls for. We simmered ours for about 2.5-3 hours. The longer it simmers, the thicker it gets and the sweeter it gets; thus the reason you don’t need added sugar. We also make a lot and freeze it in portions and then just defrost it in the refrigerator, or on the stove, or in the microwave to use for a last minute pasta dinner, vegetable lasagna or, what I did last week, eggplant rollatini. I used the recipe from Forks Over Knives but made two tweaks to it – I ditched the nutritional yeast (not a fan) and swapped out the millet for Israeli couscous.
I hope you try it. It is the closest I can get to a good Italian red sauce without adding meat.
Carolyn
carbloversgovegan.com 