Healthy and Easy Tomato Pasta Sauce (Vegan)

I love pasta, and in the pasta, I used to always buy the sauces I would use. However, after discovering that pesto was actually pretty simple to make, I’ve been on a mission to invent new homemade pasta sauces. This is easy, healthy, affordable, and yummy.

This is a healthy pasta sauce recipe that is perfect on it’s own, but you can easily adapt it as a base to suit your own tastebuds!

The Recipe

Time allotment

Prep Time: 15-20 minutes

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes

Total Time: 30-40 minutes

Yield: 4 portions of tomato pasta sauce (or two if you’re me)

Cooking Utensils

Saucepan
Spatula
Cutting board
Kitchen knife
Measuring cups

Ingredients

1 onion
1-2 garlic cloves
1 cup tomato paste
1 red pepper
1 zucchini
2 cups portobello mushrooms
1 1/2 cup arugula, or spinach
1/4 cup kalamata olives
*1/2 cup red wine
- *If you are vegan, make sure to use a vegan wine! I like the red wines by “Grange of Prince Edward”
- Have extra on hand if you want a glass afterwards
Olive oil (for cooking)

Spices

1 tsp chili
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt
- Have extra salt available to cook the pasta quicker
1 tsp paprika

The ingredients for my vegan pasta sauce (not pictured, mushrooms)

Instructions

Place a filled pot of water on a stove on high heat, and add in a generous pinch of salt
Once water comes to a boil, add in your desired amount of pasta, and cook for the length of time specified on the package
1. Gluten-free pastas take longer to cook than wheat varieties
2. I recommend using fusilli for this recipe
Add olive oil to a saucepan on low-medium heat
While the saucepan is heating up, dice 1 onion and 1-2 cloves of garlic
Add the diced onion and diced garlic to the pan, and cook until they begin to brown
Cut up 1 red pepper, 2 cups of portobello mushrooms, and 1 zucchini, and add them to the pan
Add 1/2 cup of red wine to the mixture
Add in the spices (1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, 1 tsp chili, 1 tsp paprika)
Allow all of the ingredients to cook together for 4-5 minutes
Add in 1 1/2 cup arugula / spinach, tomato paste
Reduce heat to low, put a lid on the saucepan, and allow the ingredients to simmer for 5 minutes
Take the top off the pan, and stir the ingredients for another minute
Add in 1/4 cup kalamata olives, and turn the heat off
Drain the pasta, and put it in a bowl
Scoop some pasta sauce onto freshly made pasta, pour yourself a glass of red wine, and enjoy!

Helpful Tips:

Don’t drink too much wine while making the pasta sauce so it doesn’t overcook!
Mix and match the vegetables you put into the sauce based on what you like.
When I can, I enjoy buying whatever is in season at a local farmer’s market. It’s usually cheaper - and fresher!