Tomato sauce – Dr Pippa

Kids back to school? Looking for an easy recipe? Here’s my easy Beef & Tomato Sauce which will make enough to feed a family of four twice over. Plus it’s super easy to adapt into a second meal, or alternatively freeze any leftover sauce for an night off cooking at a later date.

Perfect of young children too – for those aged under 7 months you may need to blend the sauce as the mince could be tough for those without teeth, and then serve it with large pasta as finger food.

If you don’t eat beef you can always substitute for turkey mince, or if you’re vegetarian use Quorn mince, or if you are vegan try using 125g red lentils and 125g green lentils with an addition 200-300ml water.

Serves 8 adults

Ingredients

2 large onions
3 sticks of celery
4 cloves of garlic
1.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
150g mushrooms
500g minced beef
2 tbsp tomato puree
800g tinned tomatoes – option to use peeled tomatoes or passata if serving to young babies

Method

Blend the onions, celery and garlic together in a food processor.
Add the blended vegetables to a large saucepan and cook with the oil for 5 minutes.
Chop or blend the mushrooms and add to the pan. Cook together till dry.
Push the mixture to the edge of the pan and add the minced beef in the centre so it sears. Flip to sear the second side before mixing into the vegetables.
Add the tomato puree and tinned tomatoes. Mix well.
Simmer for 30 minutes till cooked through.

Delicious served with cooked pasta and peas. Option to serve with cheese on the top.

Leftovers? Why not try turning this sauce into one of the following for a bit of diversity:

Spaghetti Bolognese: add mixed herbs, a grated carrot and a grated courgette. Serve with spaghetti and parmesan over the top.
Chilli Con Carne: add smoked paprika, oregano, chilli, mixed peppers and a tin of kidney beans. Serve with a roasted sweet potato or steamed rice.
Cottage Pie: add carrots and peas. Top with mash in an oven proof dish and bake.

Per portion of sauce: 172kcal/ 7.0g fat/ 1.8g saturated fat/ 7.0g carbohydrates/ 2.3g fibre/ 18.8g protein

Using my homegrown sun-ripened tomatoes and pairing it with pine nuts makes for the most delicious and creamy sauce, yet is completely vegan! Perfectly paired with freshly cooked pasta, you could also use it over roasted vegetables, marinated cuts of meat, fish, or tofu, or spread it over freshly toasted bread to make a quick bruschetta.

Any left overs can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week, or frozen for up to 3 months.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 large onions, finely diced
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
500g tomatoes, roughly diced
1 bunch of fresh basil, leaves and stalks
50g pine nuts

Method

Cook the onions and oil together over a low heat till the onions become translucent and soft.
Add the tomatoes and roughly chopped basil stalks, bringing to a light boil over a medium-low heat. Keep cooking till the volume has reduced by a third and the mixture becomes thicker, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, lightly toast your pine nuts under the grill for a few minutes, turning frequently to prevent them from burning. Keep them lightly golden to retain their natural sweetness.
Add the basil leaves and pine nuts to the tomato mixture and blend till smooth.

Per serving: 163kcal/ 13.0g fat/ 1.2g saturated fat/ 8.3g carbohydrates/ 2.4g fibre/ 3.4g protein

Tag: Tomato sauce

Easy Beef & Tomato Sauce

Tomato and Pine Nut Sauce