afalast Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I always put red wine in my spaghetti sauce. ALWAYS. It adds so much flavor. That being said, I obviously won't put any into my sauce tonight. (Making Everyday Paleo's Spaghetti Squash and Meatballs). Can you tell me something I could add that would keep my sauce from being too plain or "tomatoey"? I started it this morning to give the flavors of the herbs time to develop and added some whole30 approved chicken broth, but it tastes plain. And yes, there is garlic, onion, salt/pepper, oregano, basil etc. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
valw Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I add 1 Tbsp. of balsamic vinegar to my sauce and it adds a nice flavor. I also use fresh parsley along with the standard seasonings you mentioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JordanA Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I put green peppers, mushrooms and red pepper flakes I'm mine. You may have already done this, but sautéing the onion and garlic before you put it in the sauce brings out a lot more flavor. I'm assuming you also already added the ground beef or turkey? I put all that plus the seasonings you mentioned and let simmer on low for hours, tastes awesome! Wolfgang pucks jarred pasta sauce is approved and flavorful so I use that plus one can diced tomato. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afalast Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Thanks for the tips! I have some of those in the fridge/pantry and will give them a try! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirsteen Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I like a good dash of coconut aminos in mine. I also like just a dash of smoked paprika and I wholeheartedly second the balsamic vinegar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LRM Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I throw a whole, unpeeled onion into the sauce while it's cooking. My sauce is very basic: whole or crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, fresh basil, and a whole onion. Before I add these ingredients together, I brown a little minced garlic in olive oil in the bottom of the pot. I used to add a little sugar but those days are over. Cook it on a low for 4-8 hours, depending on how well you like the tomatoes cooked. The onion reduces the acid in the tomatoes and sweetens them. The basil adds a nice flavor. You can then add meat or leave it as a marinara style. Bon appetite! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Red wine vinegar provides oomph:) but I love the balsamic suggestion above. Anchovies are great too! Don't say yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1Maryann Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Don't say yuck! Yuck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaym Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Needs more crushed red pepper! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 Yuck! It's okay. No one listens to me at work either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afalast Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Haha! I think I'd be willing to have them in there, just not willing to actually deal with them myself.... But I will definitely spice it up! It turned out a lot better once I cooked the meatballs in the sauce... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel Adkins Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I throw a whole, unpeeled onion into the sauce while it's cooking. My sauce is very basic: whole or crushed tomatoes, tomato puree, fresh basil, and a whole onion. Before I add these ingredients together, I brown a little minced garlic in olive oil in the bottom of the pot. I used to add a little sugar but those days are over. Cook it on a low for 4-8 hours, depending on how well you like the tomatoes cooked. The onion reduces the acid in the tomatoes and sweetens them. The basil adds a nice flavor. You can then add meat or leave it as a marinara style. Bon appetite! I'm curious about this suggestion. Do you fish the onion out of the sauce at the end of the eight hours? Does it hold together? It's summer here at the moment and I'm looking for things to do with a pleniful tomato harvest. And a way to reduce the acidity of fresh tomato sauce would rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afalast Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Just another question.... THe dinner turned out amazing!!! I didn't miss the pasta since I really couldn't taste the squash. I had 3 golf-ball sized meatballs, plus a large helping of the squash and sauce. I'm assuming those count as my veggies for the meal? Right? I'm too full to add a spinach salad or something. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afalast Posted January 11, 2013 Author Share Posted January 11, 2013 Just to clarify, I used spaghetti squash instead of pasta tonight. Had about 2 cups of spaghetti squash in my plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roupl Posted January 11, 2013 Share Posted January 11, 2013 I LOVE San Marzano canned tomatoes for my tomato sauce. However, I am not entirely sure if they are Whole30 compliant. I haven't bothered making tomato sauce while on my Whole30, because my recipe has a touch of sugar in it to cut the acidity a little bit. I put 3/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan with 3 large garlic cloves, 4 large basil leaves, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (I like my tomato sauce spicy). The flavors infuse into the olive oil for about 20 minutes while the tomatoes are reducing in another pot. Strain the oil, add olive oil to the now reduced tomatoes, and emulsify with a hand blender. Once this mixture is combined, run through a fine mesh sieve if you desire. Suuuper simple and tasty! The garlic and basil are very pronounced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kim Christensen Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Balsamic adds so much sweetness! Yum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I LOVE San Marzano canned tomatoes for my tomato sauce. However, I am not entirely sure if they are Whole30 compliant. I haven't bothered making tomato sauce while on my Whole30, because my recipe has a touch of sugar in it to cut the acidity a little bit. I put 3/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan with 3 large garlic cloves, 4 large basil leaves, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (I like my tomato sauce spicy). The flavors infuse into the olive oil for about 20 minutes while the tomatoes are reducing in another pot. Strain the oil, add olive oil to the now reduced tomatoes, and emulsify with a hand blender. Once this mixture is combined, run through a fine mesh sieve if you desire. Suuuper simple and tasty! The garlic and basil are very pronounced. Trader Joe's has a compliant San Marzano canned tomato here in the Twin Cities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kb0426 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Just another question.... THe dinner turned out amazing!!! I didn't miss the pasta since I really couldn't taste the squash. I had 3 golf-ball sized meatballs, plus a large helping of the squash and sauce. I'm assuming those count as my veggies for the meal? Right? I'm too full to add a spinach salad or something. Thoughts? Yep, that counts! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenderbender Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I LOVE San Marzano canned tomatoes for my tomato sauce. However, I am not entirely sure if they are Whole30 compliant. I haven't bothered making tomato sauce while on my Whole30, because my recipe has a touch of sugar in it to cut the acidity a little bit. I put 3/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan with 3 large garlic cloves, 4 large basil leaves, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (I like my tomato sauce spicy). The flavors infuse into the olive oil for about 20 minutes while the tomatoes are reducing in another pot. Strain the oil, add olive oil to the now reduced tomatoes, and emulsify with a hand blender. Once this mixture is combined, run through a fine mesh sieve if you desire. Suuuper simple and tasty! The garlic and basil are very pronounced. Finally!!!!! Someone who knows how to make a good gravy!!!! Everything else everyone mentioned above is pure HERESY! Lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afalast Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 That's it. I'm buying a sieve. I needed on the other night desperately when I made butternut squash soup. I will definitely try these San Marzano tomatoes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca30 Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 Another way to cut acidity in a tomato sauce without adding sugar, grate a carrot into it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 I LOVE San Marzano canned tomatoes for my tomato sauce. However, I am not entirely sure if they are Whole30 compliant. I haven't bothered making tomato sauce while on my Whole30, because my recipe has a touch of sugar in it to cut the acidity a little bit. I put 3/4 cup olive oil in a sauce pan with 3 large garlic cloves, 4 large basil leaves, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes (I like my tomato sauce spicy). The flavors infuse into the olive oil for about 20 minutes while the tomatoes are reducing in another pot. Strain the oil, add olive oil to the now reduced tomatoes, and emulsify with a hand blender. Once this mixture is combined, run through a fine mesh sieve if you desire. Suuuper simple and tasty! The garlic and basil are very pronounced. I bought a few jars of Rao's marinara and was so in love with it, I was determined to make it myself. It is about $9 per jar. I read the ingredients and went to work. It has a very pronounced olive oil flavor. I do it EXACTLY the way you do it. I could drink the stuff. I also add a bunch of uncooked olive oil at the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nancy H. Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 In answer to you original question about wine in the sauce: have you thought of using "Free" ? It is an alcohol free wine. It comes in Chardonnay, Merlot, Red Blend, white Zinfandel, Moscato, and Brut. It is made in Napa Valley, California. The Merlot is great in a tomato based sauce. Here is the web site: http://www.frewines.com I use it a lot in my cooking. Also great for drinking. the web site shows a lot of recipes for "mock"tails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan W Posted January 12, 2013 Share Posted January 12, 2013 In answer to you original question about wine in the sauce: have you thought of using "Free" ? It is an alcohol free wine.It comes in Chardonnay, Merlot, Red Blend, white Zinfandel, Moscato, and Brut. It is made in Napa Valley, California. The Merlot is great in a tomato based sauce. Here is the web site: http://www.frewines.com I use it a lot in my cooking. Also great for drinking. the web site shows a lot of recipes for "mock"tails. Nancey, have you checked the ingredients? I went to the website but could not see much exact info. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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