Mushroom Marinara Sauce

I've always wanted to make my own marinara sauce and when I recently found some quinoa pasta, I was inspired to come up with my own version. As tomatoes are rather pricey right now, I sort of cheated and used canned tomatoes instead of the fresh ones that I usually use. Easy to make and a good idea to serve with vegetables, your favorite pasta, tempeh, and of course Northeast African Millet Patties and just plain good enough to eat by the spoonful. Your friends and family will thank you. There is really no comparison between store bought sauces and homemade ones.

This one is going off to Ruth's popular Presto Pasta Event.

Mushroom Marinara Sauce with Quinoa Pasta

2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
14 ounces / 397 grams of portobella mushrooms, chopped
1 - 2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
28.5 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
14.5 can of diced tomatoes
splash of balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 teaspoon of dried pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne
salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1 teaspoon of sugar
1/4 - 1/2 cup of olives, pitted and roughly chopped
1/2 cup of goat cheese

In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add the onion to the pan and stir and fry for roughly 5 minutes. Now add the jalapenos, mushrooms, and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes, raising the heat slightly. Add the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, herbs and spices, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Simmer for 25 minutes with the lid slightly ajar, stirring often.

Add the sugar to the pot, along with the olives and simmer for another few minutes. Stir in the goat cheese or sprinkle over the dish you serve the sauce with.

I served this sauce over quinoa pasta.

Makes roughly 4 cup - 5 cups.

More sauces you will be sure to enjoy from Lisa's Vegetarian Kitchen:
Devil's Nightmare Pasta Sauce
Gingered Tomato Sauce
Hot Green Chili Sauce
Best Ever Mushroom Sauce
Homemade Pasta Sauce

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Audio Accompaniment: Evening Star by Robert Fripp and Brian Eno