Nomato Sauce (Nightshade-Free Tomato Sauce Alternative)
PALEO II GLUTEN FREE II VEGAN II DAIRY FREE II SOY FREE II NUT FREE II TOP 14 FREE II SESAME FREE II NIGHTSHADE FREE II EGG FREE II FISH FREE II SHELLFISH FREE
This is a fantastic fake tomato sauce that you won't believe doesn't contain any tomatoes. If you, like me, are unable to consume deadly nightshades, you may have missed out on dishes like pizza, bolognese, lasagna, and curries. But not anymore! This sauce is not only delicious but also anti-inflammatory and packed with antioxidants and nutrients.
Notes on ingredients & substitutions
Butternut squash
If your in the USA, feel free to swap the squash for pumpkin puree instead, I know how much you guys LOVE pumpkin puree. It’s a great alternative to butternut squash.
Beetroot
Always fresh over the cooked vacuum-packed variety you can find in the supermarket's salad department. However, if this is all you can get, add it to the sauce at the end when you blend it.
Balsamic vinegar/ lemon
Use either. If you have an intolerance to yeast, use the lemon instead.
Stock/ bouillon
Try these brands of stock:
Yeast-free, Gluten-free, Vegan - Marigold brand ( contains potato starch)
Organic gluten-free, yeast free, stock by River Cottage Hughs classic vegetable stock
Homemade AIP/Paleo-friendly vegetable stock - Take a look at this recipe
Homemade AIP/Paleo-friendly chicken stock - Take a look at this recipe.
Homemade top 14 free stock - Take a look at this recipe but omit the celery.
Onions & garlic
I always use fresh garlic because it tastes so much better than store-bought lazy garlic. If you cannot eat onions or garlic, replace them with chopped fennel instead.
Ingredients
Tips
After you have pureed the sauce, you should adjust its thickness to your liking. You can either use extra vegetable stock to thin it out. Or, if you’re planning to use it as a tomato-free pasta sauce, you can thin the sauce with some of the pasta water.
You can also add spices like cumin, or dried basil or oregano to the sauce when you sweat the onions and garlic, and then finish with fresh basil.
Try adding fresh basil, coriander or rosemary to the sauce while pureeing. Or you could add chopped olives or anchovies to the sauce, too, for extra va va vroom.
Storage & reheating
I always make a double batch and freeze them in small containers so I always have nomato sauce at hand. However it will keep really well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Other similar recipes - Nightshade free, Gluten free & Dairy free
Take a look at my popular article, The Ultimate Beginners Guide to a Nightshade-free diet.
45 mins prep & cooking time
Step by Step
Recipe
4 tbsp olive oil
2 onions or 380g peeled & chopped
dried basil/ oregano/ marjoram * optional
4 cloves peeled garlic
400 g peeled butternut squash cut into 2cm cubes
400 g carrot peeled & roughly chopped
225 g beetroot peeled & chopped
2 pint/1136 ml ( just over a Litre) vegetable stock ( made with 2 stock cubes or 2 tsp powdered bouillon)
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
cumin * optional
Method
Sweat the onions and garlic with the olive oil on a medium heat till soft and slightly golden brown. If using dried herbs or spices add them at this stage.
Add the rest of the vegetables & sweat for a further 5-8 minutes. This brings out the flavour of the vegetables..Add salt & pepper
Add the stock and simmer till the vegetables are soft. ( please do not boil this to death, the vegetables just need to be soft enough to blitz).
Once cooled pop the sauce into a liquidizer with either the balsamic or lemon juice and blend till smooth.
If you need this sauce to be thinner just add more vegetable stock.
Use this sauce in place of tomato sauce on your pizza, in bolognaise, lasagne or a curry.
Nightshade free recipe cookbook
If you are looking for more nightshade-free recipes, This cookbook is a game-changer for those following a nightshade-free diet. Avoiding these nightshade foods can be challenging, but this book offers a solution with its 16 mouthwatering recipes that recreate popular dishes like pizza, Bolognese, Thai curries, and chips without any nightshade ingredients.
Say goodbye to the struggle of finding nightshade-free options and hello to a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-cook nightshade-free diet.
Not only are these recipes free from nightshade vegetables and the nightshade family, but they're also dairy-free and gluten-free, with many vegan, soy-free, top 14 allergen-free, sesame-free, and paleo options. Indulge in your favourite flavours without the nightshades and embrace a nightshade-free lifestyle that's both satisfying and healthy.
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