Description
This sauce is bright and fresh! It features classic Italian flavors like capers, olives, and rich tomatoes. It goes well with pasta, good crusty bread, polenta, quinoa, or your carb of choice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- Pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional - adds a mild spice)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes OR tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 15 oz. garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/4 cup kalamata olives
- 3 tablespoons capers
- Zest of one lemon
- 1-3 tablespoons honey OR agave (*see note)
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley
- 1/4 tablespoons torn basil
Instructions
- Over medium-high, heat the olive oil in large pot or Dutch oven. Once warm, add in the onion and red pepper flakes. Cook until the onion is softened and become translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant, another 30 to 60 seconds.
- Add in the tomato paste and sauté, stirring often, for about 5 minutes or until the tomato paste is very fragrant and has darkened in color. Add in the crushed tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and one cup water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, string occasionally.
- add in the garbanzo beans, olives, and capers. Simmer, covered, for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice, honey, parsley, and basil. Serve over pasta or your favorite whole grain. Enjoy!
Notes
*The honey helps to balance out any residual acid in your tomato sauce. If your tomatoes are naturally sweet, you will need less honey. If you taste the sauce and it still seems sharp or acidic, you'll need more honey. Keep tasting and adjusting until the sauce is lightly sweet (like a fresh ripe tomato!) and well balanced.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th sauce recipe
- Calories: 206
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 974mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 37g
- Fiber: 8g
- Protein: 8g
