The statement “it’s all in the sauce” is absolutely true when the subject is spaghetti. Good spaghetti sauce makes good spaghetti, so it’s important to find those sauces that best enhance the pasta. Whether you’re looking for an easy sauce, a cheesy sauce, or a healthy sauce, finding one that tastes good is what’s important.
Here is a spaghetti sauce or marinara that is easy and healthy. Some of its sweetness comes from the natural sugars in the grated carrots. Since carrots are high in Vitamin A and beta carotene, the health benefits from this marinara are increased. (Vitamin A is good for eyesight; beta carotene is good for eyes, skin, fighting infections and a slew of other benefits.) Combine this with the Vitamin A and Vitamin C from the tomatoes, and it’s clear that marinara can be a very healthy spaghetti sauce.
Don’t overlook the importance of good pasta as well. There are so many great-tasting whole wheat pastas on the market these days that it’s easy to find one that suits your particular taste. A delicious and healthy choice is Barilla Plus, which also contains protein, Omega-3, and fiber. For those who need or want to control their carbohydrate intake, try Dreamfields. It is made with fewer digestible carbs and has the fiber content of the whole wheat pastas.
Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- Olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 pound sweetened Italian sausage, bulk or taken out of the casing
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1 large can of tomato puree (29 ounces)
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 tsp. basil
- 2 tsp. oregano
- Angel hair pasta of choice (you will not need a whole package – about 2/3 of the package will do)
Directions for Making Spaghetti Sauce Recipe
Coat the bottom of a large skillet or pot with olive oil. Cook the chopped garlic and chopped onion – stirring occasionally – until the onion is tender. Add the sweet Italian sausage, breaking it up as it cooks so that it is crumbly. Cook until the sausage is thoroughly browned – drain it well.
Add the grated carrots to the sausage and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato puree, the red wine, the basil and the oregano. Simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes. If the sauce gets too thick, add a little beef or chicken broth to thin it.
Cook the pasta 2 minutes less than directed on the package. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the marinara. Continue cooking the pasta in the marinara for at least 2 to 3 more minutes. (This allows the sauce to cook into the pasta -- it makes it so good!) Serve warm sprinkled with grated Parmesan cheese and a loaf of crusty bread.
Sherry Smith-Noble - Sherry Smith-Noble is well-known for her culinary skills. Her life-long passion for cooking and baking led to the founding of Eutopian ...
