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.
Nomato Sauce (Tomato-less Marinara)
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.
I’ve already identified beets as one of my fodmap triggers (gas, bloating, pain) and I am looking into trying out a low-amine nightshade free tomato sauce from a low-amine recipe using cranberries for ketchup I found online.
Do you know if it matters when the beets are canned or raw? I love beets – they give me pain after eating them so I quit eating them.
Tried this as a substitute for tomato’s (tomato’s don’t go down very well for me..) this recipe is delicious I like it more than I ever liked tomato’s and it doesn’t make my stomach turn! Thank you so much for sharing this with the world!
I’ve tried it with spicy sausages and pasta it was amazing!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I have RA and have eliminated all night shades from my diet. I love spaghetti but don’t want to always have Alfredo. I can’t wait to try this.
I made this delicious pasta sauce last of the and wow!!!! it was delicious, it was just amazing😊Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
How wonderfully refreshing to have your site for recipes. As a cook learning to give up grains and nightshades was challenging. My body is transforming and the biggest difference aside from arthritis and swelling in my guts is the dramatic lessening of my allergies. Thank you for this.
This was absolutely amazing! I added extra spices and some nutritional yeast since we are big cheese and spice fans here, and I was sceptical that this would taste close totomato marinara…MIND BLOWN! This was so good that I doubt I will ever miss eating tomato marinara ever again. Thank you for such a great recipe! 🙂
So, I happen to strongly dislike beets. Does the sauce really taste like tomatoes, or does it taste like beets?
Macros for keto diet?
Can this be cooked in the instant pot
Yes, definitely! I’d probably cook it for 5 minutes at high pressure, with 10 minutes of natural release before taking off the lid.
I love this recipe! I thinned it out a bit and used some celery and ginger in place of the garlic (I can’t have garlic—allergic). The color came out spot on and I added more lemon than it called for but I love that it’s a forgiving recipe. I will definitely make it again in the future. 😊
This recipe looks great!it will be a change from my Quick Pumpkin Sauce or cashew alfredo or cheesy sauce. The pumpkin sauce is great in lasagne though.
Thank you!
DO you drain the carrot mixture before you put it in the blender?
Nope!
So. Damn. Good. Thank you! Making again tonight.
I used this sauce plus some crushed tomato and spices (because i’m not nightshade free) instead of store bought tomato sauce in Minimalist Baker’s Lentil Bolognese recipe and it was delicious.
Thank you for such an awesome and simple tomato free recipe! This was one of the best marinara sauces I’ve enjoyed!
I’m so glad to hear that!
Do you peel the beets before “chopping” them?
No, I never do!
Megan, I love your recipes. You are becoming my favorite go-to site when I’m looking for something new to feed my cravings for good food that is also good for me. And I share your recipes as well! Thank you for the great ideas — I think this one may be one of my new favorites!!!! I am a brand new health coach trying to get my website up to speed and it has a long ways to go. You don’t know it, but you have inspired me in so many ways! Thank you!
Bless you for this recipe as we use a tomato base in so many foods. This was a perfect alternative. I can’t have onion , but did add thyme and oregano. Sooo good. We
Thank you so much for this recipe! I just found out I have to remove nightshades from my diet so I’m looking for great recipes!
What can I replace the beets with. I can’t stand beets and never have been able to.
Maybe more carrots, or another root vegetable? It won’t have the same color, but could still work!
I made this tonight and it was great. Even my husband liked it and he can still eat nightshades. Had it over chicken meatballs and it really tasted like a gourmet meal. Thank you!
Made this to surprise my AIP hubby last night and it was a hit! We added lot of extra spices like Italian Seasoning, Garlic and Onion Powder. Thanks for a great recipe. Served it over zoodles with mushrooms.
SO good! I didn’t add in the beet (just didn’t get to the store for it today), and kept out the onion (another sensitivity). Cooked the carrots in my instant pot to make it a bit faster. It was really so good. So grateful for this option that doesn’t include nightshades!!
About 5 years ago I was diagnosed with acute ulcerative colitis. It came out of the blue – until I realized that it actually came as a result of not only massive stress, but also a lifetime of eating the wrong foods in abundance. I’ve been following the Paleo diet, but still having gut issues. I just read the Plant Paradox. Cut out ALL tomatoes and potatoes and like a miracle – IT WORKS!
I’m VERY excited to find new recipes with substitutes for tomatoes! I’m gonna try your Marinara sauce right away. Can’t wait for the cookbook! SO glad I found this site!
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Ohmygosh! I just finished blending up the sauce and it tastes so good! I was wondering if it would be too sweet or just unlike tomatoey marinara it would be. Yet, now I’m thinking you are a genius because this sauce tastes like a legit and delicious (also creamy!)marinara! I’m so excited to use this with some v + gf cheesy bread I’m planning to make. The extras I’ll be freezing. Thanks for this recipe!!
Love this recipe! Easy to make and a good marinara sauce replacer… I added a few more spices as well, Italian seasoning, basil, oregano and cane out great! My 11 month old loved it!! Thanks for the recipe
Has anyone ever canned this for the pantry? I have a similar recipe but I freeze it currently. Would love to know if anyone has canned it successfully and what modifications were made to do so.
Can this be used as pizza sauce?
Sure, I don’t see why not!
I was kind of skeptical of how this would taste, but it turned out to be very good! It tastes almost identical to tomato based marinara sauces!
The only thing that needed modifying was the seasoning, since it was a little bland. 1 1/2 tsp salt and heaping pinches of basil, oregano, and thyme (about 1/2 – 1 tsp each) does the trick!
Hi. I apologize if you’ve already answered this (couldn’t find an answer in the comments), but could this recipe be made in the slow cooker? Would it need any substitutions? Thanks.
We started using this on our pizza and spaghetti and it’s wonderful! My son developed an allergy to tomatoes so this is just what we needed!
Is there a version of the marinara that excludes the Carrot/celery family? Do you think I could substitute dark plums for beets? I really miss all the comfort dishes that have a night-shade base. Thanks!
If I add some extra carrots can I omit the beet and use organic beet root powder?
I can’t wait to try this! Tomatoes and sauces are one of my main triggers with gerd, and now Barrettes Esophagus. I miss my spaghetti and did an online search tonight for low acid spaghetti sauce. This came up and I’m planning on trying this tomorrow!!!
I tried this, but definitely made some adjustments. Less carrot, and when I blended I added a little: fresh basil, grapeseed oil, veggie stock, red wine and red wine vinegar. I think it’s awesome. Thanks!
I made this sauce tonight and it is delicious. If I didn’t know I would never have guessed it didn’t have tomato in it. I had a senior moment (I’m in my 70’s so I’m allowed to say that lol) and added the lemon juice twice and it still turned out awesome. I used organic beet root powder in place of the beets because I had it and didn’t want to go get beets and it worked fine it gave me a little less volume but that’s okay. Thanks for all your great recipes.
Megan this is SO fantastic!! Thank you for this recipe. I love the change in red sauce, it’s not acidic like tomato based marinara. I prefer this on my home made pizzas. (I freeze 1/2C portions to have on hand.) It is so pleasantly delightful 🙂 Thank you!! I’m going to try this in your Mexican Cauliflower Rice Casserole dish, instead of adding tomatoes.
This is the second tomato free sauce I’ve tried as my bro is nightshade sensitive, also a much simpler recipe.
I subbed the water for a home-made broth and added extra lemon and salt. I browned our meat then added the sauce and left it to mingle over low heat while the pasta cooked.
So easy and so much flavour!
Everyone enjoyed it 🙂
I am a 15 year old girl who personally does not follow the AIP diet. my mom does, because of an adverse reason to radiation treatment that my have given her a rare autoimmune disease. So i don’t need to eat all the weird food and substitutes she does. I cooked this for her with spaghetti squash and willing ate it happily as i knew there was real marinara and alfredo sauce with white real pasta in the pantry and nothing was stopping me from eating it. In fact my mom accused me of putting tomatoes in the sauce because it tasted way to close to the real thing to be true. Seriously this recipe is incredible and even my dad ate it. I cannot get over how good this was. If your gonna have it with spaghetti squash i recommend cooking the squash at 460° in the oven because that was the only time the spaghetti squash turned out well. I hope anyone who reads this tries the recipe!
Delicious recipe, thank you!
I added a little more salt plus basil and Italian spices. So good!
Would you consider this sauce “low acid”? I have GERD and am looking for an alternative for pizza sauce. Tomatoes seem to be one of the worst exacerbators.
Could the recipe be made without lemon or vinegar? Would you need to substitute a different ingredient or just as extra water? I can’t have either lemon or vinegar,
WOW!!! This was absolutely wonderful!! Life changing…my daughter has an allergy to nightshades and has not had red sauce for 3 to 4 years! She drives a hard bargain and loved it ❤️ She said it was so good she felt like she should not be eating it!! I almost cried!!! Thank you so very much!!!
Hi Megan,
This could work in the instant pot too, right? Any added advice for the instant pot?
Thanks for all your recipes…you are my go to.
Made this tonight for my daughters who are allergic to tomatoes. Very good! Tasted very similar to regular marinara. Was veryyy surprised!
Has anyone used ghee instead coconut oil? Thank you!!
Sure, I don’t see why not!
Excellent! In looking for a red pasta sauce substitute having developed nightshade sensitivites I cheered when I made this; problem solved! The beet and carrott base lends itself to preferred herbs.
One of my children are allergic to so many foods, including tomatoes. I made this for my whole family and they absolutely loved it!I’m so happy to have found this recipe. Thank you so much! I’m even more excited that there’s lots to freeze for another meal or two!
I’ve never commented on a single thing on Pinterest but had to for this recipe and will for the sweet potato lasagna. This sauce was amazing. We’ve been paleo for quite sometime and we’re not big tomato sauce fans but love all these veggies. I added fresh basil, oregano, thyme and a little chili flake. I could eat it just from the pot. Thank you for the recipe!
I finally made this but I used beet/carrot salad made with olive oil and balsamic that I had and added the rest of the ingredients. Unbelievably good. I used Nutritional Yeast on top like parmesan and spaghetti squash noodles. I’ve been missing marinara for a long time.
I made this recipe to a tee and it burnt 🙁 if anyone makes this, one cup of water for 30-40 minutes is not enough!
That’s such a shame! It worked fine for me, but I did cook it on the lowest heat setting and used a heat diffuser plate as well.