Vegetarian: Pasta: Vegetarian Italian Sauce

This sauce features Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), a fat-free, high quality protein made from soy beans.

Author: CalorieKing
Date: March 22, 2012

Suggestions: If you wish, make double the quantity and freeze half for next time.

Serves: 4 person(s)
Yield: 4 x 2/3 cup servings (total recipe yield: 2.75 cups)

Preparation Time: 10 mins
Cooking Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 (13 oz) can tomatoes
1/2 cup tomato paste (5 oz)
2 cup water
2 bay leaves
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 cup Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) (about 2.5 oz)

Directions:

Place onion, garlic and oil in a heavy based saucepan. Stir-fry until soft and lightly colored.

Add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, bay leaves, sugar, nutmeg, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.

Remove from heat, stir in TVP. Cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Before serving, reheat over low heat for 20 minutes.

Microwave Directions:

Stir fry onion, garlic and oil in a microwave dish for 2 minutes on HIGH.

Remove and add tomatoes, tomato paste, water, bay leaves, sugar, nutmeg, oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cover and cook on HIGH for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to MEDIUM HIGH and cook for 30 minutes more. Remove, stir in TVP, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Before serving, reheat on MEDIUM HIGH for 10 minutes.

Variations:

Use this sauce with recipes Vegetarian Lasagna and Spaghetti with Vegetarian Italian Sauce (see recipe links).

Sodium: If desired, add 1/2 teaspoon salt. Or, for a low-sodium adaptation: Use fresh tomatoes or low-sodium canned tomatoes, and no-added salt tomato paste.

Can replace sugar with sugar substitute.

Serving suggestions are not included in the nutritional analysis.

Related Recipes:

Spaghetti with Vegetarian Italian Sauce
Vegetarian Lasagna