- 8
- 15 mins
- 70 mins
Ingredients
- 2-4 Tbsp fat of choice (I used bacon grease)
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4 ribs celery, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound carrots, chopped (about 8 average carrots, about 2 cups)
- 3 medium beets, chopped (about 3 cups)
- 4-8 cloves of garlic, pressed or finely minced
- juice of 2 lemons
- 1/2 - 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 - 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 - 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 - 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- unrefined salt and pepper to taste
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Cooking liquid. Can use all bone broth or a mixture of broth and filtered water if desired. Use only enough to just barely cover ingredients in pot; use less for a thicker, less watery sauce.
- 15-20 kalamata olives, drained
Preparation
Step 1
Cooking Directions
Heat fat of choice in a large pot over medium low heat for several minutes.
Chop vegetables and add celery and onion to pot and cook, stirring a few times, until onions are translucent.
Add beets and carrots and allow to cook several minutes longer, stirring a few times.
Add broth and/or filtered water, using just enough to cover the ingredients (or less for a thicker, less watery sauce).
Add dried herbs. I used the upper end of the suggested amounts and made a VERY flavorful sauce. You can start by adding half and adjust to taste after pureeing if you like.
Add lemon juice and bay leaves and stir well to combine everything. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover pot. Let simmer about 30 minutes, or until all vegetables are tender. Stir about halfway through cooking.
This is optional: place pot in an ice bath to cool it down before blending. I do this to avoid the leaching of chemicals from the plastic in my Ninja blender. If you do not cool your pot first, BE VERY CAREFUL to avoid splattering and follow your blender's instruction regarding blending hot liquids.
Add the secret ingredient to the pot: kalamata olives (for extra umami). Be sure to REMOVE your bay leaves, too.
Work in batches if necessary to thoroughly puree.
Taste sauce and adjust seasonings if desired.
Use in any recipe that calls for a marinara style sauce. Goes great with zoodles! (zucchini noodles). Bonus mini recipe below.