quick meals

Today’s recipe is a real comfort food dish. Creamy carrot marinara!

Marinara is the Italian word for a simple tomato based pasta sauce. However you can also use other vegetables as well. Carrots really shine in this sauce. I cannot describe the flavor well enough to do it justice, but it is somewhat earthy, savory, slightly sweet, and very much more-ish. I also find that this carrot marinara sauce tastes almost cheesy – even though it is vegan.

Besides tasting great, a carrot based marinara sauce is quick and easy to make. The recipe is very simple, and it is basically done by the time the pasta has boiled. In other words a lovely recipe to keep up your sleeve for those evenings when you do not have a lot of time to cook – but really want to put out something delicious and interesting.

What Pasta to Use with a Carrot Marinara Sauce

You can really use any pasta in conjunction with this sauce. Whole wheat, white, penne, macaroni, spaghetti, you name it. If you have a little extra time, do eat eggs, and want to try something different, you can even try out my homemade egg noodles recipe! They are delicious, and do not require any equipment. And guess what? They are the most popular recipe on this site! : D

What to Serve with a Carrot Marinara Sauce

Personally I think the best side for a creamed carrot marinara pasta is a big crispy salad! However you can also do other vegetable sides, like steamed peas or broccoli. The green of the vegetables makes a nice contrast with the orange of the pasta.

Creamy Carrot Marinara Sauce w/ Pasta (V)

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Ingredients

• 2 large carrots +- 250 grams
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 can of whole tomatoes in sauce
• 3/4 - 1 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• For the pasta: enough pasta for 4 people, cook according to packet instructions

Instructions

1. Set a pot of paste for 4 to boil according to packet instructions.
2. Finely peel and dice your carrots and onion. If the carrots are organically grown, then you can omit peeling them, as a lot of nutrition resides in the surface layer of the peel.
3. Using a can opener and open your can of tomatoes. Separate the tomatoes and the sauce into two separate bowls.
4. Pour the 1/2 cup olive oil into a pot and bring up to heat, adding the carrots and onion.
5. Toss in the olive oil on a highish heat for a half a minute.
6. Add the 1 tsp flour and toss this in until it is a little browned.
7. Add the sauce from the canned tomatoes, as well as 3/4 cups of water.
8. Simmer the pot until the carrots are completely soft.
9. Remove the pot from the heat, add the garlic cloves, and blend well until the mix is smooth and creamy. I like to use an immersion blender for this. Just be careful of hot splats – they can happen! Feel free to add a little extra water if the sauce seems overly thick. Just be sure to add it in small increments, so avoid adding too much and making the sauce too sloppy.
10. Now add in all remaining ingredients, the whole canned tomatoes, herbs, nutritional yeast, ACV, and salt and pepper, and return to the heat for a couple extra minutes to infuse all of the flavors together.
11. Serve over the pasta and enjoy!

Creamy Carrot Marinara Sauce w/ Pasta (V) was last modified: December 7th, 2017 by Daniela Klein