Did you know that some vegetables are healthier when cooked? Even though raw tomatoes and raw red peppers provide more vitamin C, when cooked, they have significantly higher levels of antioxidants. Cooked tomatoes have higher levels of lycopene than raw ones, and carotenoids and ferulic acid go up when red peppers are cooked.
This Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce is easy-to-make, vegan, versatile, and an excellent addition to a healthy diet. You can use it in different recipes ranging from simple pasta and pizza dishes to other recipes like stuffed portobello mushrooms and chicken parmesan.
Roasted Tomato and Red Pepper Sauce Recipe
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 55 min | Yields: 1 1/2 cups
+ 1 red bell pepper, deseeded and cut into quarters
+ 2 medium tomatoes, cut into halves
+ 2 tbsp olive oil
+ 1 small onion, thinly sliced
+ 3 garlic cloves, minced
+ 1/4 tsp dried oregano
+ 1/4 tsp dried thyme
+ 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
+ sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To roast the pepper and tomatoes: Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Brush a baking sheet with olive oil, lay pepper, and tomatoes and brush them with olive oil. Roast for 20 minutes, then give them a turn and roast for another 20 minutes. Carefully place roasted veggies on a bowl, cover with a plate and let steam for about 15 minutes. Remove tomato and pepper skin and cut into small pieces.
In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil. Add onion and saute for 2 minutes, until transparent. Stir in garlic, roasted veggies, and season with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove saucepan from heat, add basil leaves and, with the help of a hand mixer or food processor, mix well until smooth. Re-heat before serving and enjoy!
| calories | carbs | fat | protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 1.2 g | 1.2 g | 0.2 g |
