Easy Veggie Loaded Pasta Sauce

The sauce may be made ahead of time and frozen. It can be used in lasagna, on top of zucchini noodles or pasta. My family’s favorite is zucchini lasagna or zucchini noodles + red lentil noodles. If I want to really stock my freezer, I double this recipe and freeze in quart containers. Nothing beats having homemade sauce at the ready. This sauce can be used in so many different ways you’ll not tire of it! It’s versatile too, allowing you to toss in any random veggies you have in the fridge.

Combine in a large saucepan and simmer uncovered: 

2 large cans (28oz each) Peeled tomatoes

4 cans tomato sauce-8 oz each

2 teaspoons salt

3 teaspoons dried oregano 

2 teaspoons onion salt (can substitute onion powder and increase salt a dash)

In a separate pan sauté until golden:

2 cups minced onions

6 cloves minced garlic

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

2 bell peppers, diced

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup carrots, diced

Once sautéed add to the tomato sauce. You can use this same pan for browning the meat below. 

In this pan brown: 

2 lbs ground beef

2 tsp salt

Cook until meat loses its pink color. Drain and add to the tomato sauce above. Simmer about 2.5 hours.