So, yesterday, I was in “ant mode” and was putting up some of the harvest for winter. I have harvested tons of tomatoes this summer. We have eaten tons of tomatoes this summer. But I have been putting the sauce tomatoes into the freezer to make a big batch of our family recipe spaghetti sauce this fall. In preparation for that event, I decided to make one of the final days’ tomato harvest into a basic vegetarian spaghetti sauce that could be used as a base for a meaty sauce or used directly in a lasagna or other pasta dish. I also wanted to try out using the Instant Pot to prepare the tomatoes…no peeling or coring. So the small batch worked out for both purposes.
Let me take a moment to talk about the Instant Pot. My daughter and I decided to purchase one to share (we live in sections of the same house) after reading about it on the Skinny Taste blog. We ordered from Amazon and have been delighted with it ever since. It seems we find more and more uses for it weekly.
This is an appliance in which you can saute, slow cook, steam, or (most importantly to me) pressure cook. You can saute ingredients first then immediately begin one of the other processes. A one pot wonder! You can set it and walk away. If it is done and you are not around, it will keep the ingredients warm. Imagine. The only change I would make is to increase the size but we are cooking for a family of seven. Even then, most things fit
- 8-10 c halved or quartered fresh tomatoes or skip the first step and used 2 (28 oz) cans of tomatoes Round tomatoes will make less sauce per volume than pear shaped or Italian tomatoes. Both will work but the round ones will have more tomato liquid to cook off.
- 2 tsp Salt more if desired
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Onion, small minced
- 2-3 Tbsp Parsley minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 Tbsp Basil chopped
- 1 tsp oregano, dried
- If using fresh tomatoes, begin here. If using canned, start with the third step. Halve or quarter tomatoes, cutting off the stem. Pop those babies directly into the Instant Pot. Set the timer for 20 minutes on High. When the timer rings, let the pressure release naturally or, if you are a go-getter, release it instantly.
- Place a food mill over a large pot. Put the tomatoes through a food mill to remove the seed and skins.
- Add all ingredients to the pot. Simmer for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook off the excess liquid and thicken the sauce.
- Eat immediately or can or freeze the sauce for later.
