spaghetti sauce

[judyf]

CL has had several recipies for spaghetti sauce over the years. Which one is the best?
Judy

[lindrusso]

I haven't tried too many CL sauce recipes, but there is one that I really like. It is from the recipe for Fresh Tomato Lasagna. The only big thing I changed was the amount
of onions - I found that to be overwhelming - so I cut it down to one onion. Using two cans of tomato sauce made the sauce very thick and rich (although you may need to add a bit of sugar).

SAUCE:
4 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 3)
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups (about 3 1/2 pounds) tomatoes, chopped, seeded and peeled
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 (6-ounce) cans Italian-style tomato paste

Good luck!

[AD]

I can't stand onions or garlic or anything spicy; I don't even like a lot of herbs. This makes spaghetti sauce for me super easy. I just mix half a 6 oz. can of tomato paste with 1 15-oz. can of crushed or diced tomatoes, and I pour in quite a bit of dried basil which I love. You can add other herbs, spices, olive oil, or anything you like. I just microwave it a couple minutes to heat it, and I have a delicious pasta topper!

[Norma]

Could someone post the marinara sauce and meatball recipes that MPHenderson refers to from Jan/Feb 97? I only go back to Mar 97.
Thanks so much.

[MPHenderson]

I have made many a batch of Rhus' Marinara Sauce from the Jan/Feb 1997 issue. I usually make the Beef Meatballs from the same issue/article to go along with the sauce. They are yummy enough to serve to company (not that I don't serve yummy food to my family! <grin> ).

Both the sauce and the meatballs freeze well, too.

[Teresa]

Here you go:


* Exported from MasterCook *

Rhu's Marinara Sauce

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Jan/ Feb '97 Sauces/Condiments/Marinades


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
6 garlic cloves -- crushed
3/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary -- crushed
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 bay leaves
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes -- undrained and chopped
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add remaining ingredients, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serving Size: 1 cup

Source:
"Cooking Light, January/February 1997, p.107"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
Yield:
"6 cups"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 120 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (22% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 19g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 532mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 3 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : The sauce gets better after the flavors blend in the refrigerator a few days. The sauce and the meatballs should be frozen separately.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 4977 0 620 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2160 2470 0


* Exported from MasterCook *

Beef Meatballs

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Beef Jan/ Feb '97


Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 pounds ground round
1/4 cup finely shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (1
ounce)
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves -- crushed
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400º.

Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a bowl; stir well. Shape mixture into 30 (1 1/2-inch) meatballs. Place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400º for 15 minutes or until done.

Serving Size: 5 meatballs

Source:
"Cooking Light, January/February 1997, p.112"
Copyright:
"© Cooking Light"
Yield:
"30 Meatballs"
T(Baking Time):
"0:15"

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Per serving: 271 Calories (kcal); 15g Total Fat; (51% calories from fat); 24g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 73mg Cholesterol; 346mg Sodium
Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

NOTES : Because the meatballs are baked and not fried, they won't fall apart when turned over.
Nutr. Assoc. : 9018 4925 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Beth Y]

As I have mentioned many a time before on this site, our standby is the Quick and Easy Pasta Sauce. It is so easy and fast, and so good and fresh tasting, we have it all the time. Here it is:

Ultimate Quick-and-Easy Pasta Sauce
This easy-to-make sauce is so tasty and versatile, it's used as the basis of all the recipes that follow. You can substitute crushed or whole tomatoes for the diced. Crushed will give you a smooth, thick sauce; whole adds a nice chunkiness. Serve this sauce with your favorite pasta.

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine or 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley


Heat oil in a saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in wine and next 6 ingredients (wine through tomatoes), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes. Stir in parsley.
Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1 cup).

CALORIES 126 (16% from fat); FAT 2.3g (sat 0.4g, mono 1.3g, poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 4.1g; CARB 25.2g; FIBER 3.70g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 2.80mg; SODIUM 461mg; CALC 110mg


In the same issue, they listed other sauce recipes that you could make just by adding on to the above basic sauce. Our favorite is the Puttanesca, which is the above plus you toss in some capers, a little anchovy paste and some olives. I will post it below. They also had a vodka sauce and a Ariabiatta, amoung others, which are on recipe search.

Puttanesca Sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup dry red wine or 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 2 teaspoons dried basil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper


Heat oil in a saucepan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in wine and next 6 ingredients (wine through tomatoes), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes. Stir in olives and remaining ingredients; cook until thoroughly heated.
Yield: 3 cups (serving size: 1 cup).

CALORIES 139 (21% from fat); FAT 3.2g (sat 0.5g, mono 1.8g, poly 0.6g); PROTEIN 4.6g; CARB 26.1g; FIBER 4.0g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 3.20mg; SODIUM 900mg; CALC 120mg



[This message has been edited by Beth Y (edited 01-22-2001).]

[Leslie w]

While this isn't a CL recipe it is a light recipe for sauce that I've been making for years with great compliments. It not only works well with spagetti but also as a base for lasagna, pizza, you name it. You can add meatballs or sausage to it and cook them with the sauce for a great flavor. It takes me less than 10 min. to prepare and I like to let it simmer for a while on the stove. I've simmered it anywhere from 1/2 to 2 hours depending on the wateriness of the can tomatoes I use. My husband doesn't like a lot of herbs so basil is the key ingredient.
I sometimes use baking soda if the tomatoes are too acidic. I don't like sugar in my sauce.

1 med onion, chopped
3 - 4 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz) cans diced, whole, or crushed tomatoes, depending on consistency you like. I usually use 1 can diced, 1 crushed.
4 tsp dried basil, divided
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tbs olive oil

In large saute pan over med heat cook onions in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, lower heat and cook an additional min. Don't brown garlic. Add tomatoes, 2 tsp basil and baking soda (if desired). Simmer at least 15 min and up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Before serving add additional 2 tsp basil.

[Susann]

Leslie-I have never heard of putting baking soda in a spaghetti sauce-how interesting! Do you know what exactly it does to the sauce? Thanks for the info.

[Leslie w]

Susann, Baking soda takes away the bitterness but you have to be careful you don't use too much or else your sauce may taste - soapy is a good word for it. I've noticed that some tomatoes taste more acidic than others, even if I use the same brand, so I always taste the sauce first before adding it.

[Beth H]

I make a similar sauce to that posted by Beth Y -- except I use brown sugar instead of "regular" sugar. I think that adds something to the sauce.

[misstapioca]

i have made the reader recipe from dec 2000 the MARINARA SAUCE OVER ROTINI. with the capers it is good, it is very simple and easy with the suggested bread from the menu near the back. BUT i will never forget about the ultimate quick and easy pasta sauce, the puttanesca sauce. i dream about such sauces.

[Leanne]

I'll say that Beth Y's sauce recipe is almost identical to mine - so I'm sure it's good. I think red wine/red wine vinegar & a little sugar do the trick.