Veggie-Packed Tomato Sauce

INGREDIENTS

Makes: 1 gallon

Olive oil

2 cups carrots, chopped

4 cups onion, chopped

2 cups red pepper, chopped

2 cups celery, chopped

5 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tablespoons oregano

2 tablespoons basil

1½ cup tomato paste

8 cups whole peeled tomatoes

2 cups water

Salt

Pepper

PREPARATION

# In a large pot at medium-high heat, add the olive oil and carrots to the pot. Cook the carrots for about 10 minutes until they start to brown slightly.

# Next add the chopped onion, red bell pepper, celery, garlic, oregano, basil, salt, and pepper to the pot and cook until the vegetables are caramelized and tender.

# Add the tomato paste, stir it into the vegetables, and allow the tomato paste to brown deeply. It should be very aromatic before moving forward.

# Add the canned tomatoes, bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer the sauce for at least 1 hour.

# Add the sauce to a blender in batches or use an immersion blender to puree the sauce to your desired consistency.

# Let the sauce cool completely and then pour the sauce into freezer-safe bags. Place the bags into a leak-proof container/tray, and freeze for up to one month.

# Reheat the frozen sauce with ½ cup of water in a pot until it comes to a boil and then use as desired. Enjoy!