Meatless "Meat" Sauce
Meatless Meat Sauce with Chickpeas and Mushrooms is a great vegetarian version of the savory umami rich tomato meat sauce that so many people know and love. It’s quick, easy, and as hearty and satisfying as a traditional red spaghetti sauce.
Servings 16 servings
Calories 104kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces cremini mushrooms trimmed
- 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil divided use
- Salt and pepper
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 garlic cloves minced
- 1¼ teaspoons dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 15 ounce can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Pulse mushrooms in two batches in food processor until chopped into 8- to 1-inch pieces, 7 to 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Do not clean workbowl.)10 ounces cremini mushrooms
- Heat 5 tablespoons oil in large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are browned and fond has formed on bottom of pot, about 8 minutes.6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, Salt and pepper
- While mushrooms cook, pulse onion in food processor until finely chopped, 7 to 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. (Do not clean workbowl.) Transfer onion to pot with mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.1 onion
- Combine remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes in bowl, and set aside.5 garlic cloves, 1¼ teaspoons dried oregano, ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Add tomato paste to pot and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is rust-colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and push vegetables to sides of pot. Add garlic mixture to center and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and broth; bring to simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer sauce for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.6 ounces tomato paste, 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes, 2 cups vegetable broth
- While sauce simmers, pulse chickpeas in food processor until chopped into ¼-inch pieces, 7 to 10 pulses. Transfer chickpeas to fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear; drain well. Add chickpeas to pot and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 15 minutes.15 ounce can chickpeas
- Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
Notes
Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.
Makes about 6 cups of sauce; enough to serve over 2 pounds of pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 104kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 388mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 361IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
