Nothing speaks to the term sauces like Italian cooking, and the Mediterranean diet contains a lot of Italian dishes. Italians use sauces in much of their cooking, from pasta to meat dishes. With Italian cooking, you may hear sauces called by a few different names.
Marinara
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
12 plum or Roma tomatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup celery, minced
1/4 cup basil leaves, torn
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Salt to taste
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onion, garlic, and celery and sauté for 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, and parsley and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Season with salt and serve.
Per serving: Calories 169 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 18mg; Carbohydrate 11g (Dietary Fiber 3g); Protein 2g.
Red Wine Marinara
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 servings
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
8 cups plum or Roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and black olives and cook for 5 minutes.
Stir in the wine, tomato paste, parsley, oregano, and red pepper flakes.
Bring the mixture to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer for 45 minutes or until the sauce has thickened. Season the sauce with salt and pepper before serving.
Per serving: Calories 107 (From Fat 52); Fat 6g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 130mg; Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 2g.
Garden Sauce
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
8 plum or Roma tomatoes
1 carrot, julienned
2 zucchinis, julienned
1 yellow squash, seeded and julienned
1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, julienned
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil.
Blanch the tomatoes in the water for 1 minute and shock them to halt the cooking process. Remove the skins of the tomatoes and roughly chop.
Blanch the carrots in the same pot of water for 1 minute; add the zucchini, squash, and bell pepper and blanch for an additional minute.
Shock the blanched vegetables to halt cooking.
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, carrots, zucchinis, squash, and bell peppers and sauté for 3 minutes.
Stir in the wine and parsley and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low for 1 minute, add salt and pepper to taste, and serve with pasta.
Per serving: Calories 196 (From Fat 71); Fat 8g (Saturated 1g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 43mg; Carbohydrate 25g (Dietary Fiber 6g); Protein 5g.
Meat Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 46 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground beef
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried parsley, or 2 tablespoons fresh
2 teaspoons dried basil, crumbled, or 1/4 cup fresh
2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled, or 1/4 cup fresh
One 28-ounce can Italian diced tomatoes, drained
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Heat the oil in large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the ground beef and sprinkle with the salt. Cook the beef until brown about 3 to 5 minutes, breaking it up with fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate.
Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and sauté until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.
Depending on how lean your beef is, you may need to add a teaspoon of oil to the pan. Stir in the parsley, basil, and oregano and cook 1 minute. Return the beef to the skillet and stir in the tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the sauce is thick, about 45 minutes.
Per serving: Calories 232 (From Fat 125); Fat 14g (Saturated 5g); Cholesterol 51mg; Sodium 545mg; Carbohydrate 12g (Dietary Fiber 2g); Protein 16g.
Pizza Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Yield: 3–4 pizzas (4 cups, 16 servings)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the onions and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Strain the diced tomatoes and add to the saucepan, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the vinegar, sugar, thyme, parsley, and red pepper flakes and bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for 25 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Blend the sauce with a blender, stick blender, or food processor until smooth.
Cool slightly before adding to pizza dough.
Per serving: Calories 42 (From Fat 24); Fat 3g (Saturated 0g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 73mg; Carbohydrate 5g (Dietary Fiber 1g); Protein 1g.