Easy Italian Mushroom Spaghetti Sauce
Submitted by wdanieloffroad
Easy Italian mushroom spaghetti sauce built from fresh roma tomatoes, tomato paste, and four herbs, simmered with plenty of mushrooms. Vegetarian as-is, or add meatballs or browned beef.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
40 minREADY
75 minGood marinara is about layers, and this one stacks three forms of tomato: fresh roma tomatoes for brightness, tomato sauce for body, and a hit of paste for deep, concentrated flavor. Sliced mushrooms add an earthy, almost meaty backbone.
Start by softening garlic, onion, and mushrooms in oil, taking the onion only to translucent and never letting it brown, which keeps the sauce sweet rather than bitter. Then the tomatoes and a quartet of herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary) go in to simmer.
Left to cook down, it turns rich and savory. Keep it vegetarian over spaghetti, or simmer in meatballs or browned ground beef.
Chef Tips
- Cook the onion just to translucent, never browned, or the sauce picks up a bitter edge.
- Simmer it low and slow; the longer it goes, the deeper and rounder the flavor.
- Using both fresh and canned tomatoes is the trick to a sauce that tastes layered, not flat.
Variations
- Stir in a splash of red wine or a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity.
- Drop in a Parmesan rind while it simmers for savory depth, then fish it out.
- Blend it smooth for a silkier sauce, or leave it chunky and rustic.
Ingredients
Directions
Slice the tomato and mushrooms and set aside.
Chop the onion and garlic; heat 1 large sauce pan oil and add first the garlic, then the onion, and mushrooms.
Cook with a lid on until tender over medium heat.
After the onion turns translucent, not browned, add tomato, cook over medium heat for 5 min then add the remaining ingredients, and simmer with your favorite meatball or browned and drained ground beef.
Serve over spaghetti noodles and with garlic bread.
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