Delicious tomato sauce you can make in your crock pot

This is my Crock Pot Tomato Sauce. I adapted it from a recipe I saw online somewhere forever ago. My nearly three-year-old daughter loves it and it's hearty enough that my carnivorous hubby-to-be doesn't notice when it doesn't have meat. But you can totally add meat to it later, especially if cooking for vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike.

And it is SUPER easy. Most of the prep can be done the night before so you can get up and dump everything in the crock. Feel free to customize as needed or wanted.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 large(ish) carrots, chopped
• 4 large(ish) celery stalks, chopped
• 2 medium(ish) green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons(or so) olive oil
• 1 can tomato paste
• 6 ounces(or so) of liquid(your choice, it's for deglazing)
• 3 cans diced tomatoes
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons Italian Seasoning

Instructions:

1. Sauté all the veg in the olive oil until soft.
2. Add tomato paste and cook for a little while.
3. Deglaze with liquid (I've used wine, beef broth, water, and veggie stock)
4. Simmer until thick and bubbly.
5. While that simmers, put tomatoes and seasonings in the crock pot.
6. Add veg mix and cook on low for six hours.

We take out the bay leaves and puree it before serving. But if you like a chunkier sauce, just leave it. Meat can be cooked separately and added as needed/wanted.

After dinner, let it cool to room temperature and bag it up to freeze. It can be used for pasta, pizza, lasagna, or anything that needs a tomato sauce really.

Recent Comments

• Heather: I've also put beets, broccoli, green beans, and peas in this. I make some for my mom every month for… [Link]
• justanothersciencenerd: You're a veggie ninja! [Link]
• Sylvia: I'd recommend a less juicy tomato (plum types, such as Roma or Plum Regal tend to be good for this,… [Link]
• LXV: While wine is traditional I don't see why you couldn't use beer. I'd think something malty like Newcastle Brown. Then… [Link]
• Heather: Never tried beer. Must experiment now!!! [Link]

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