Spiced Veggilicious Pasta Sauce

Sometimes, a big bowl of pasta really hits the spot.
Okay, a big bowl of pasta always hit the spot.
I love pasta. Pasta is my love. I could eat pasta every day.

What I love even more is this pasta sauce.

I made it for the first time a couple years ago with my godmother. With boiled smoked sausages. And then I made it again, and again. And then I adapted it to make it vegetarian. And then I made it again. And then I made it this week and I am sharing the recipe with you.

The ingredient list seems long but it is an easy recipe .

Ingredients:

•  2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 small white onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, pressed
• 4 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 1 can (284 ml) whole mushrooms, drained
• 1 bell pepper, coarsely chopped
• 1 can (796 ml) whole Italian tomatoes (I used with basil leaf), not drained
• 1 can (398 ml) tomato soup (I used Amy’s cream of tomato)
• 1 can (156 ml) tomato paste
• 2 bay leafs
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano leafs
• 1/2 tsp dried basil leafs
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (skip or reduce if you don’t like spicy food)
• 1/4 tsp dried sage leafs
• 1/4 tsp celery seeds
• 1/4 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 pinch sugar
• Salt, pepper to taste

Directions: Heat oil in a medium-large pot over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery and mushroom and cook, stirring frequently, until onion begins to get translucent. Add bell pepper and cook for 1-2 more minutes. Add all tomatoes, spices and sugar and stir. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, semi-covered, for 1h-1h30. Serve over pasta (I prefer long-shaped pasta with this recipe).

Serves 6

The spices give such a great taste to this sauce. The pepper flakes are a necessity for a spicy food lover like me, but adapt it to your taste! When I simmer the sauce, I leave the lid a little open (not half open). This is also the kind of dish that tastes amazing as a leftover (got to love that!).

Have a great weekend,