Veggified Spaghetti Sauce

prep time:: 0 ~15 minutes
total time:: 30 min

About 4 servings

In college I would go to the store, buy a bunch of veggies and toss in with store bought sauce to make it ’healthier’. Over time I started doing the same ones, and people generally say it is a nummy combo. Just about everything is optional except the sauce, so if there is something you don’t like, just put in more of the other stuff!

ingredients

In the order they are used:
1 chopped sweet yellow onion
1/2 chopped red bell pepper
Olive oil (just a smidgon to saute in)
Spaghetti noodles (however much you want)
6 or so chopped baby portobello mushrooms
3 roma tomatoes
1 jar of store bought sauce (I dig Newman’s Cabernet Marinara)
2 minced cloves of garlic
Couple handfuls of baby spinach
Splash or two of red wine (optional - I only add it if I’m having wine with dinner anyway)
Sprinkle of Parmesan
Italian seasoning (to taste)
Cayenne pepper (to taste - a little goes a long way!)
Twist or two of fresh cracked black pepper

directions

1
Uncork your red wine if you want to add it and have it with dinner. Any kind of red works fine. Chop the onion and red bell pepper. Place in a sauce pan over medium with a bit of olive oil to get them sauteing, then put on another largish pot for the noodles and get the water boiling. You can add a bit of oil or salt to the water if you like, generally I do neither. When it boils, toss in the noodles and boil them to your preference. If the timing is off you can rely on the sauce to keep the dinner hot enough (the sauce goes so quickly it hasn’t ever been an issue for me), or briefly toss them back into the hot water before serving to get them toasty again! (Downside - 2 draining sessions. Boo to more work!)
2
Chop the mushrooms and add them when the onions and peppers have already been on for a couple of minutes. When the veggies are just about where you like them (I call it good when the onions are getting nice and translucent but nowhere near caramelizing) add in the sauce and roma tomatoes.
3
While the new additions are warming up, mince the garlic and wash the spinach. When the sauce is simmering or close to it, add the rest of the ingredients and add more if you feel it needs it. I just follow my taste buds!
4
Serve when the noodles are ready, with or without Parmesan or fancy green bits of your seasoning of choice on top.

notes

You can add another jar of sauce to make it go further. Kyle digs meat in it too, so sometimes we'll brown 1/2lb of hamburger with the onions and pepper.

Source: Shanna Hartley