Easy Healthy Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Pasta with tomato sauce basil and grated parmesan

Italian food is commonly thought of as unhealthy, but there are many great-tasting and healthy Italian options. Wonderful spaghetti sauce is just one of a multitude of options. Making a great-tasting spaghetti sauce that is also healthy is simple and easy to do, although it does take some time.

Ingredients

Of course knowing what ingredients to use is vital to a good sauce. -- 3 1/2 14.5 oz cans of diced tomatoes -- 1 5.5 oz can of tomato paste -- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil -- 3 tsp dried basil -- 2 tsp dried oregano -- 2 tbsp minced garlic (or about 3 large cloves) -- 1/2 cup minced onion -- Salt and pepper to taste These are the basic ingredients for a very simple and healthy Italian marinara sauce, frequently served with spaghetti. You can add any number of things to a sauce like this, depending on your tastes. Some great options include 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen chopped spinach, 1/2 cup of diced mushrooms, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, or sauteed turkey sausage.

Preparation

Making a great spaghetti sauce takes a little bit of preparation work, what chefs call "mise en place", or everything in its place. Clearing a working space and setting up small containers for your spices and individual chopped vegetables makes preparing a sauce much quicker and easier. For this recipe, combine your dried spices, salt and pepper in a small dish. Mince your garlic and onions, place them in separate dishes, then measure out your olive oil into the pan before you start cooking. Open your tomatoes and tomato paste, and combine them in a bowl ready to put in the saucepan.

Clearing a working space and setting up small containers for your spices and individual chopped vegetables makes preparing a sauce much quicker and easier.

Cooking the sauce

Start by heating the olive oil in a heavy-bottom saucepan at medium-high heat. Make sure to coat the bottom of the pan with the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and stir until the onions start to look translucent. Add the garlic, and stir until the garlic is just beginning to soften. Make sure not to burn the garlic, or your sauce has a bitter taste to it. Add the dry spices, and stir. Finally, add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and bring the sauce to a light simmer. Reduce the heat to warm-low, and simmer for at least 30 minutes stirring regularly. If you want to let your sauce cook longer, just add a little water or another can of tomatoes at the beginning, so it does not over-reduce and get too thick.

Healthy sauce

This basic spaghetti sauce or marinara is incredibly healthy, because it is low-fat and full of ingredients that actually help the body function. The only fat is extra-virgin olive oil, which is low in fat and calories. Tomatoes are a great source of lycopene that is correlated with a reduced risk of cancer. Garlic helps reduce cholesterol and may even help cure common colds and viruses. Adding vegetables or lean meats to this sauce makes it a full meal when you serve it over semolina or whole-grain spaghetti.

Making spaghetti sauce from scratch is a wonderful way to give your family a healthy, tasty meal. The ingredients are low in fat, and actually help support the immune system and may even help prevent cancer. Spaghetti sauce is easy and quick to make, and is also inexpensive to prepare. Try some homemade spaghetti sauce for dinner tonight!

This basic spaghetti sauce or marinara is incredibly healthy