Make-It-Mine Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
No need to buy jarred marinara sauce! Customize your own at home with your family's favorite vegetables and seasonings, then prepare it in your slow cooker for an easy weeknight meal.
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Make-It-Mine Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce
Directions
- For sauce, in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker combine tomatoes, carrots, celery, onion, and sweet pepper. Stir in tomato paste, the water, sugar, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, garlic, salt, and black pepper.
- Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or on high-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours.
- Remove and discard bay leaf. If desired, stir in fresh basil and/or oregano leaves. Working in batches, transfer sauce to a blender or food processor; cover and blend or process until smooth. Pour sauce over hot cooked pasta; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with cheese and, if desired, garnish with fresh herb sprigs.
From the Test Kitchen
*Make-It-Mine Alternate Ingredients:
Options for Diced Tomatoes with Herbs: Three undrained 14.5-ounce cans no-salt-added fire-roasted diced tomatoes or no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, cut up (omit sugar if using the stewed tomatoes)
Options for Carrots: 2 cups peeled and coarsely chopped eggplant or parsnips
Options for Celery: 1 1/2 cups sliced fennel or celeriac
Options for Chopped Onion: 1 cup sliced leeks, shallots, or green onions, or frozen small whole onions
Options for Sweet Pepper: 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh portobello mushrooms, sliced fresh button mushrooms, or roasted red sweet pepper strips
Options for Italian Seasoning: 2 teaspoons dried basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, cilantro, or fines herbes
To Store:
Spoon cooled marinara sauce into freezer containers. Seal and freeze for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.
Nutrition Facts (Make-It-Mine Slow Cooker Marinara Sauce)
- Per serving:
- 259 kcal ,
- 1 g fat
- (0 g sat. fat ,
- 0 g polyunsaturated fat ,
- 0 g monounsaturated fat ),
- 0 mg chol. ,
- 263 mg sodium ,
- 53 g carb. ,
- 11 g fiber ,
- 14 g sugar ,
- 10 g pro.