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Nomato sauce is a tomato-free alternative to marinara sauce, for those who need to avoid nightshades or have food sensitivities. It’s the perfect topping for pasta, pizza, and more!
Why You’ll Love It
It tastes amazing. This recipe gets its natural sweetness from carrots, and still has the Italian flavor you love, thanks to the addition of basil and oregano. The red hue comes from beets, but the beet flavor isn’t overpowering, so it still tastes similar to regular marinara sauce.
It’s made without nightshades. Nightshades are a family of plants that can be problematic for some, especially for those dealing with auto-immune conditions. These plants include tomatoes, peppers, paprika, eggplant, potatoes, and more, so this sauce is made without common tomato sauce ingredients, like bell peppers, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes.
It’s great for those following special diets. This sauce is naturally vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free, and it’s also Paleo and AIP friendly. Since it’s mostly comprised of blended vegetables and herbs, it’s a great way to add more nutrients into your life!
Ingredients You’ll Need
The carrots and beet make up the base of this nightshade-free sauce, and the onion, garlic, and herbs will help add the classic tomato sauce flavor. This recipe uses lemon juice instead of vinegar to help add a tangy, acidic flavor that the tomatoes would normally provide.
If you don’t have carrots on hand, you could also use a similar amount of pumpkin puree or butternut squash as the base of this sauce. You can also use extra veggies you have on hand, such as celery or zucchini.
How to Make Nomato Sauce
1. Saute the veggies.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet with a lid. Add in the onion and sauté until it’s soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
Add in the garlic, basil, and oregano and stir until they are fragrant, about 1 more minute.
2. Simmer.
Next, add in the carrots, beets, water, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring the liquid to a boil, then cover the pot and lower the heat, so the veggies can simmer until they are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
3. Blend.
When the vegetables are soft and easily pierced with a fork, transfer them to a high-speed blender, along with all of the liquid in the pan.
Add in the lemon juice, then secure the blender’s lid and blend until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. (You can make it silky-smooth, or a little chunky, depending on your preference.) If you prefer a runnier sauce, you can add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until you are happy with the texture.
Safety Note: When blending hot liquids, be sure to cover the vent in your blender’s lid with a thin towel, so steam can safely escape as you blend, without splattering. Otherwise, the steam pressure may build up as you blend, causing the lid to blow off of your blender– which would be a very hot mess! Bullet-style & individual cup blenders are not ideal for blending hot liquids, since there is no venting option.
4. Enjoy!
Once the soup has been blended, adjust any seasoning to taste. If the beet you used was large, you may need to add more salt (just a 1/2 teaspoon at a time) to help counterbalance the sweetness of the root vegetable.
This AIP nomato sauce recipe makes roughly 4 cups, so you can store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or, you can freeze it for up to 3 months. (Be sure to leave a little room at the top of your storage container, so it has room to expand as it freezes.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can skip the olive oil in that case and simply add all of the veggies, water, and spices into the pot. (No sauteing required!) Secure the lid and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes, then let the pressure naturally release for another 10 minutes. Then move the steam release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure in the pot. When the floating valve in the lid drops, it’s safe to remove the lid. Blend the cooked veggies as directed, and adjust any seasoning to taste from there.
You can use half the amount of red wine vinegar, if you prefer, or any other vinegar that you like. Vinegar tends to taste more pungent than lemon juice, so start with a small amount and add more, to taste.
Sure, you can use bone broth for extra minerals, or any other veggie stock you prefer. Just keep in mind that this may increase the sodium, so you might not need as much salt in that case.
Looking for more pasta sauces? Try Butternut Squash Pasta, Creamy Cajun Pasta, or Pumpkin Pasta Sauce for more delicious ideas.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 yellow onions , chopped (about 2 cups)
- 4 garlic cloves , minced
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 pound carrots , peeled and chopped
- 1 medium beet , chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- In a deep skillet (with a lid), heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add in the onion and sauté until it’s soft and translucent, about 8 minutes. Add in the garlic, basil, and oregano and stir until it’s fragrant, about 1 more minute.
- Add in the carrots, beet, water, and 1 teaspoon of salt, then bring the liquid to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until the beets and carrots are fork-tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- When the vegetables are soft, transfer them to a high-speed blender, along with all of the liquid in the pan. Add in the lemon juice, then cover the blender with a lid.Safety Note: Make sure that the steam can safely vent out of the lid, so the steam pressure won’t make the lid pop off during blending. (Cover the vent with a thin dish towel to prevent splattering.)
- Blend until the sauce is smooth, then adjust the seasoning to taste. Depending on how large the beet is that you used, you may need to add more salt. I start with a 1/2 teaspoon at a time (for a large beet you may need to add 1 extra teaspoon of salt in total) to help counterbalance the sweetness from the root veggies.
- Transfer the sauce to an airtight jar with a lid, and store it in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. This sauce makes an excellent alternative to marinara sauce, so you can use it over pasta, pizza, in lasagna, and more. The sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to a week, but you can also freeze it for up to 3 months. (Just be sure to leave some extra room at the top of the jar, to allow for the sauce to expand as it freezes.)
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Nutrition
Whether you require a nightshade-free marinara sauce, or are just looking to change up a recipe in your weekly dinner rotation, I hope you’ll enjoy this nomato sauce recipe! Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below if you give it a try.
This is ABSOLUTELY like the real thing!! I added a lot of Italian, basil, oregano, and parsley to the sauce after blending it. Then I cooked it with 4 bags of miracle noodles on low for about 30 minutes and server with Parmesan chicken. PERFECTION!!
This tastes so good!! It was sweeter than I wanted and thought it might be with so many carrots. I almost fooled my family, but the color was brighter than tomato sauce, but they liked it. It also needs a little flavor and crushed red pepper hit the spot. Definitely will make again!
Thank you for this recipe! I made it tonight and it is so delicious. Hard to believe there are no tomatoes! I’ve missed marinara, so thank you!
Haven’t tried it yet, but I’m wondering what is the serving size? The nutritional break down is great but it just says “per serving”- what is that? 1 cup? 1/2 cup? Thanks!
Hello, what if I have canned beets? How much should I use?
Hello! I’m delighted with this sauce overall! However it tastes a little sweet to me, and I’m trying to figure out what I can add to tone that down.
More lemon juice?
Yes, salt or lemon juice should help balance out any sweetness.
My Husband is a tomato sauce lover. He has tasted this sauce, and we both love it! Thank you so much for this amazing recipe.
This is FANTASTIC! I have not been able to eat tomatoes for some time and have been so depressed because I LOVE tomatoes, like I can eat them raw like an apple. The thought of eating carrots and beets as a replacement did not appeal, so I just went without. But oh man! This is really really delicious. You know when people say something tastes like the real thing, and it never does? Not the case here! I seriously could not tell the difference and neither could my picky hubby! I am making all the dishes this weekend that I have missed. Thank you, thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tomato-less sauce, Virginia. Thanks for the kind review!
I made 2 batches of this. It is so yummy. The color is nice and bright. I added a tsp of Italian seasoning, which made it taste and smell very authentic. The lemon juice is actually the most important addition. Also, I used an immersion blender to puree the sauce in the pot. First batch was served over angel hair pasta with breaded eggplant. Second batch I easily tripled, and pressure canned for later. Thank you so much for developing this wonderful recipe. My sincerest compliments.
I made this yesterday to use on the almond crust pizza and it was delicious. I’m going to make the sweet potato lasagna with what’s left. I only wish I had doubled the recipe. I love the vibrant colour too.