How to Make Spaghetti and Meatballs Without Tomato or Spaghetti Sauce

Fresh produce adds more flavor and texture to ordinary spaghetti sauces.

Spaghetti sauce recipes mainly call for tomato sauces and purees. Some cooks use spaghetti sauce purchased directly from the supermarket to create this classic Italian dish. What many may not know is that you can make your own spaghetti sauces without tomato or spaghetti sauce. Just going to your own garden or local produce stand will give you the ingredients you need to make homemade spaghetti in no time.

Things You'll Need

• 10 to 20 lbs. tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped onion
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 tbsp dried basil
• 2 tsp. salt
• 3 tbsp. oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 tsp. black pepper, crushed
• 2 tbsp. red peppers or green peppers
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup red wine

Instructions

1. Boil the tomatoes for one minute on a stove top. Immediately place them into a large bowl of ice water after one minute has elapsed to remove the skins. Cut the tomatoes in half and squeeze out the seeds. Place squeezed tomatoes into a colander to drain.

2. Place the drained tomatoes into a large stew pot and add two cups of chopped onion, three cloves of minced garlic and 2 tbsp. of chopped green or red peppers. Stir well to ensure all ingredients are mixed.

3. Add spices to the mixture starting with 2 tbsp. dried or freshly chopped basil, 2 tsp. of salt, 3 tbsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. black crushed pepper and two bay leaves. You can add more if you desire a bolder taste as the sauce cooks.

4. Reduce the acidity of your tomatoes by adding 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the mixture. This helps prevent the strong acid taste naturally found in tomatoes. You can also add 1 tsp. of sugar to help cut down on the acidity as well.

5. Bring the sauce to a boil on high. Be sure to stir your sauce frequently to prevent sticking. Turn down the stove heat to medium and cover the sauce with a lid. Simmer for one to two hours, until sauce is thick and the tomatoes are broken down into small pieces. Add 1/4 cup of red wine such as burgundy to the sauce during the last half hour of cooking.

6. Serve sauce hot over cooked spaghetti noodles or other pastas. You can also can or freeze extra sauce for future use.

References

• Cooks.com: Homemade Spaghetti Sauce from Real Tomatoes
• Pick Your Own.org: How to Make Spaghetti Sauce from Fresh Tomatoes