Basic Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

Basic Tomato Spaghetti Sauce

By Mark Fitzgerald
We have spaghetti every week.  Though we normally break out the can of spaghetti sauce and add ground beef recently we tried something different - can we make a tomato sauce without meat that we like.  It turns out that we can.

Ingredients

• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 cup red juice
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 2 14.5 cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• sprinkling of red pepper flakes

Directions

Heat up a little bit of oil in your pan and then saute your onions for 5 minutes.  Let them soften up but not necessarily brown.  Toss in the garlic powder and thyme for 30 seconds and then add the tomato paste for about 2 minutes.  Since we don't drink we make our wine substitute. Deglaze the pan with red juice and vinegar - I usually use the juice from our canned plums or cherries, though I haven't found a fruit juice that hasn't worked.  At this point you are ready to add your canned tomatoes.  Simmer for about 10 minutes and add in your olive oil and red pepper flakes.  Just before serving check your salt and pepper levels.