Vegetable Pasta Sauce

The clever trick in this chunky vegetable sauce is the chickpeas. Blended right in with the tomatoes until coarsely chopped, they melt into the sauce to add body, a subtle nuttiness and a hit of plant protein, so a meatless sauce eats every bit as hearty as a meat ragu.

From there it’s a garden’s worth of vegetables: zucchini, sliced mushrooms and grated carrot, simmered down with onion, garlic and a generous cup of dry red wine that cooks off into deep, savory richness. Fresh basil, oregano, parsley and a pinch of crushed chile round out the flavor.

A long, uncovered simmer is what pulls it together, concentrating the tomatoes and softening the vegetables into a thick, spoonable sauce. Ladle it over any pasta you like, with a shower of Parmesan if you’re not keeping it vegan.

Kitchen Tips

• Blend the chickpeas and tomatoes only until coarsely chopped, not smooth. You want texture, not baby food.
• Let the red wine simmer uncovered so the alcohol cooks off and leaves just its savory depth behind.
• Simmer uncovered the full hour. That’s what thickens the sauce and concentrates the flavor.
• Add the fresh herbs toward the end so they stay bright. Dried herbs can go in earlier.

Variations

• Stir in white beans or lentils in place of the chickpeas for a different body.
• Add eggplant, bell pepper or spinach for even more vegetables.
• Spoon it over pasta, polenta or baked potatoes, or use it as a base for lasagna.