Grape Tomato Pasta Sauce
Fresh, simple, and easy, this Grape Tomato Pasta Sauce is an easy homemade marinara that's loaded with flavor and ready in less than a half hour. Serve this oil-free marinara fresh on your favorite pasta or freeze it for later. This sauce is healthy, fat-free, and delicious with store-bought or homegrown grape or cherry tomatoes.
Equipment
- 1 Chef's knife Any sharp knife will do, but if your knives aren't super sharp and are squishing the tomatoes, try a serrated blade.
- 1 Blender An immersion blender will also work.
Ingredients
- 2 Cloves Minced Garlic, or use 2 teaspoons jarred minced garlic or 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic (if using the spice, add when you add the tomatoes)
- 2 Pounds Grape Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes will also work
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil, use fresh if preferred, about 1 tablespoon
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano, or swap both for Dried Italian Seasoning
- 1/2 Cup Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of (preferably no-salt-added) chickpeas, see notes section for substitution
- 1-2 Teaspoons White or Yellow Miso Paste, to taste, see notes for substitution
Instructions
- Heat a large nonstick pot over medium high heat. After about a minute, add the garlic. I like to cook without oil, so I add a tablespoon or two of water every so often so nothing sticks.
- After 1 minute, add the sliced tomatoes and dried herbs, plus another 1-2 tablespoons water. Lower the heat to medium low and add the aquafaba.
- Place the lid on the pot and cook covered for 5-10 minutes. Your goal is to simmer the grape tomato marinara until the tomatoes burst. If you are impatient, you can use the back of a wooden spoon to carefully burst tomatoes, but let them cook for at least 5 minutes first. Be careful, because the juice is hot and can spray.
- After all the tomatoes have burst, remove the lid and allow the sauce to cook uncovered for 5 additional minutes.
- Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender (or you can blend in the pot with an immersion blender). Add the miso paste and blend on high until smooth (or leave as chunky as you prefer). If you don't want to blend at all, whisk the miso with 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl, then add to the pot and stir.
- Serve immediately with your favorite pasta or let cool for 30-45 minutes and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Video
Notes
- Aquafaba: This is what the liquid from a can of chickpeas is called (or the liquid leftover if you cook your chickpeas from dried). You can use water if you're unable to obtain aquafaba, but the sauce will have less body. This is what I use to give our oil-free pasta sauce that thickness and texture that we expect from a marinara.
- Yellow or White Miso Paste: This is to replace the salt in the recipe, but I also love the little hint of umami flavors. Per Dr. Michael Greger of NutritionFacts.org, the soy in miso has a protective effect so the sodium in miso paste will not affect us negatively. Please feel free to omit or use a pinch of salt (or if you eat the potassium chloride salt substitute) if that is what you prefer. If leaving out entirely, try adding a splash of balsamic vinegar after removing from heat.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 cupCalories: 43kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 2.2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 53.5mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 2.5gSugar: 5.5gVitamin A: 80.2IUVitamin C: 26.43mgCalcium: 27.7mgIron: 0.7mg
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