Big Batch, Slow-Cooked Spaghetti Sauce (no meat)

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil has a higher smoke point and is healthier, while canola oil is more budget-friendly.

canned tomatoes

🥗Healthier: fresh tomatoes

💰Cheaper: crushed tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes are more nutritious, and crushed tomatoes are often cheaper.

Introduce the recipe for big batch slow-cooked spaghetti sauce.

Mention that the recipe will yield about 2.25 to 2.5 gallons of sauce.

Prepare 7 cans of Pastene's Kitchen Ready Ground Tomatoes and 7 cans of tomato paste (preferably with roasted garlic, but plain will do).

Peel and finely dice a whole head of garlic or use pre-peeled garlic (about 9-10 cloves).

Heat 1 cup of Greek olive oil in a pot.

Add the diced garlic to the heated olive oil and stir, letting it cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Add the tomato paste to the pot, scraping the sides of the cans to get every last bit, and stir until combined.

Add the 7 cans of Pastene's Kitchen Ready Ground Tomatoes to the pot, mixing well after each can.

Add 1 can of water to the sauce and stir until incorporated, then add 1/2 can of water and mix again.

Add dried basil and dried oregano to the pot and stir until combined.

Add 2 tablespoons of sugar to cut the acidity of the tomatoes, followed by salt and pepper to taste, and mix well.

Let the sauce simmer on low for 5-6 hours, stirring every 15-20 minutes to prevent sticking.

After about 2 hours, add 3/4 to 1 cup of olive oil, adding more if needed, until the oil pools on top of the sauce.

If the sauce is too thick, add a bit of water to thin it out.

After 5 hours, taste the sauce and turn off the burner if satisfied, or let it simmer for another hour.

Allow the sauce to cool slightly before transferring it into various containers for storage.

Leave the lids off the containers as long as possible, refrigerate overnight, and then freeze the sauce.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary