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Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Crock Pot Basil Marinara Sauce



I first started talking about this homemade sauce in 2013 and I still meet people who say they make it every year when their tomatoes are growing like gang busters in the summer.  It freezes well and keeps all year long!

crock pot basil marinara sauce (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Guess what.

Today is my birthday.  I am 32.  I'll own up to it.  For some reason 32 is hitting me harder than 30 or 31 did. I didn't really care about those.....but for some reason I'm really caring about 32.  I mean, it is technically mid-thirties.  I still feel young {maybe not 21, but pretty young}, am pretty sure I could pass for 28, but this 32 stuff is for the birds.

Happy Birthday to me.

Tonight I'll be headed to dinner with the husband {without kids!!!} and I could not be more excited.  It rarely happens for us.  I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Okay, enough about birthdays, lets talk red sauce.  You know I'm a fan.  I have about 10 recipes on the blog about it {sorry, I'm obsessed}.  This one is very easy, it cooks in the crock pot all day {or night} and will yield 2 quarts and 1 pint of sauce.  Yum!


crock pot basil marinara sauce (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

Oh, and lets talk peeling tomatoes.  Instead of blanching in hot water, then an ice bath, or roasting them in the oven, I went the lazy route and took my vegetable peeler and starting hacking peeling away.  It was so easy!  I will do it this way from now on.

Slow Cooker Basil Marinara Sauce

10-12 large tomatoes - peeled and chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
7-8 fresh basil leaves
1 t. parsley
generous amounts of salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients in the slow cooker and cook on high for at least 6 hours or up to all day {I let mine go about 8 hours}.  The longer it cooks the more developed the taste.  If at the end of 8 hours the sauce seems to thin to you, take off the cover and keep cooking letting it reduce.  Or stir in a slurry of 2 T. cornstarch to enough water to make a paste.  This will help to thicken it a bit.

Ladel into mason jars and allow to cool.  Leave at least 1 inch of space towards the top of the jar to allow for expansion in the freezer.  Once cool, top with the seal and lid and freeze.  Will stay fresh in the freezer for 3-6 months.

Foods to use it in/on?  As a base sauce for lasagna or spaghetti, in minestrone soup, in pizza, calzones or a dipper for bread sticks.

I used one jar of it for dinner the next night - the sauce in an upcoming recipe - Stuffed Red Pepper Bake. It is very versatile!


crock pot basil marinara sauce (sweetandsavoryfood.com)

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Until next time.....

crock pot basil marinara sauce (sweetandsavoryfood.com)


Would you like to comment?

  1. Happy birthday! My husband and I were just talking about age last night on our walk. I think it's best just to ignore the number and go by how you feel :) haha, lame, but true!

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  2. Steph@Been There Baked ThatAugust 13, 2013 at 7:20 AM

    Happy Birthday, I'm glad to hear you and the hubby will be enjoying a nice dinner together! This sauce looks really good! I've heard all about biscoff spread but never tried it either. I don't think I've ever looked for it in stores yet, what area of the store would you find it in?

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  3. I see it in Aldi's....but have seen it in Wal-Mart too:)

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  4. Working on a cruise ship is where I met my husband. What happens behind the scenes is pure entertainment with a side of interesting. Will have to look for the show!

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  5. Happy birthday!!! Spreads like Biscoff are about $8 in Canada! I'd say if it's under $4 that's a bargain, and you should try it. Someone in your house will surely like it, but likely everyone will :-) Groceries are SO expensive in Canada, it's ridiculous!

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  6. Happy birthday Ally!! Have a fun dinner out, sans kids. :D Since my husbands colon cancer surgery, his tastes have changed - he no longer likes red sauce - and he's Italian!

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  7. I just picked some garden fresh tomatoes and basil! I'll try this tonight :)

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  8. Happy belated birthday!! Hope you enjoyed your day! I don't make homemade sauce as much as I should because I don't want to be a slave to staying in the house watching it on the stove. This is the perfect solution! I can't wait to try it!

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  9. Julia @ A Cedar SpoonAugust 14, 2013 at 9:24 AM

    Making anything, especially sauce and chili in the slow cooker are my favorite!! So easy and brings out the flavors. Happy belated birthday!!

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  10. Such an easy red sauce. Thanks for sharing it on the Tuesday Garden Party.

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