Pasta with Chunky Tomato Sauce

A vegetarian pasta sauce that gets its body from vegetables, not meat. Two cups of sliced mushrooms, celery, green pepper, and a generous heap of onion cook down into a thick, chunky base before the tomatoes even go in. The sauce option of water instead of olive oil means this can be completely fat-free if you want it that way.

Three forms of tomato go into this pot: fresh chopped tomatoes for texture and brightness, tomato sauce for body, and tomato puree for depth. That triple-tomato approach builds a sauce with more complexity than any single tomato product could deliver on its own. The fresh tomatoes keep their shape slightly during the 30-minute simmer, which is where the “chunky” comes from.

Cook the onions first for a full five to six minutes before adding the other vegetables. Onions need more time to release their sugars and soften. Adding everything at once means the garlic burns before the onions are ready.

Thirty minutes uncovered is the right call. The sauce needs to reduce and thicken. A covered pot traps moisture and gives you a thin, watery sauce that slides right off the spaghetti.

Kitchen Tips

• If using water instead of oil, keep the heat moderate. Water evaporates faster than oil and you can scorch the onions
• Use the ripest fresh tomatoes you can find. Out-of-season hothouse tomatoes add nothing. If it’s winter, swap for a second can of good canned tomatoes
• Remove the bay leaf before serving. It’s done its job and biting into one is unpleasant
• This sauce freezes well for up to three months. Make a double batch

Variations

• Add a pinch of red pepper flakes with the herbs for gentle heat
• Stir in a handful of sliced black olives or capers in the last five minutes
• Use the sauce as a base for baked ziti or lasagna layered with ricotta