Pasta with Garden Sauce

The secret to an unforgettable pasta sauce isn't a long list of fancy ingredients—it’s just a little bit of time. This Easy Garden Sauce takes simple pantry tomato staples and elevates them with a bounty of fresh vegetables and a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity. By letting it simmer uncovered for 40 minutes, the flavors concentrate, creating a thick, glossy sauce that clings perfectly to every single strand of pasta.

Level: Easy	Prep:	Yield: 8 servings
Total: 1 hour	Inactive:	Serving Size:

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion (about 1 cup), chopped
• 1 bell pepper (about 1 cup), diced
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1 bay leaf
• 16 ounces of tomato sauce, no added salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 pound of dried pasta (spaghetti is pictured)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (feel free to use less) for pasta water

Directions

1. In a skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for five minutes or until the onion is soft. Add mushrooms, water, garlic, oregano, basil, bay leaf, tomato puree, and tomato paste to the skillet and stir.
2. Simmer uncovered on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Add honey* to the sauce and cook another 10 minutes.
3. While waiting for the sauce, place a pot of water on high heat for pasta. When water boils, add salt and pasta, then reduce the heat to medium.
4. Boil pasta for about 10 minutes and drain.
5. Serve Garden Sauce over pasta.

Cook's Note

Spaghetti is shown, but any pasta shape will do. 

Your ingredients list calls for sugar, but the directions mention adding honey at the very end. Both work beautifully! Honey adds a lovely, subtle floral note, while granulated sugar keeps it classic. Whichever you choose, adding it during the final 10 minutes of simmering perfectly cuts the acidity of the tomatoes without making the sauce overly sweet.