There’s something so comforting about whipping up your own pasta sauce from scratch, isn’t there? This recipe keeps it simple but oh-so-satisfying, with fresh ingredients like onions, garlic, mushrooms, and peppers all coming together with tomatoes and a sprinkle of herbs. The best part? It’s a sneaky way to get loads of nutritious veg into kids without them even realising it — once it’s blended, all that goodness is hidden in plain sight! Perfect for a cosy family dinner or meal-prepping for the week, this sauce is rich, flavour-packed, and endlessly customisable. Let’s get that sauce simmering!
Total Time:
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooking Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
Serving Size:
- Serves: 6–8 people, depending on portion size
Ingredients:
- 1 medium red onion
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 250g chestnut mushrooms
- ½ red pepper
- ½ green pepper
- 200g tomato purée
- 2 cans chopped tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon oil (olive oil works best)
- Herbs of your choice (basil, oregano, thyme, or a mixed Italian herb blend)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Prep the vegetables:
- Peel and finely chop the red onion and garlic.
- Finely dice the red and green peppers.
- Roughly chop the chestnut mushrooms.
- Sauté the onion and garlic:
- Heat the tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped red onion and sauté for 5–7 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes, being careful not to let it brown.
- Cook the mushrooms and peppers:
- Add the chopped mushrooms to the pan and sauté for 5–6 minutes until they soften and release their juices.
- Add the diced peppers and cook for another 3–4 minutes until softened.
- Add the tomato:
- Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavour.
- Pour in the two cans of chopped tomatoes and stir well to combine everything.
- Season the sauce:
- Add a generous pinch of salt, black pepper, and the herbs of your choice (about 1–2 teaspoons of dried herbs or a handful of fresh herbs).
- Stir well and bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer for flavour:
- Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally. This helps meld the flavours together.
- Blend the sauce:
- Once the sauce has cooked down, let it cool slightly.
- Using an immersion (hand) blender directly in the pot, blend the sauce until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the sauce in batches to a stand blender and blend until smooth.
- Final taste and texture:
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Add a splash of water if it’s too thick or simmer for a few more minutes if it’s too thin.
- Serve:
- Serve your pasta sauce over your favourite cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh herbs or grated cheese if desired.