Tomato Gravy | Chunky Vegetables

A shallow white bowl filled with pasta and gravy on a grey napkin with a bowl of gravy in the background

Tomato Gravy | Chunky Vegetables

Tomato gravy is a bold and versatile sauce made with rich tomatoes and simple seasonings, perfect for pairing with pasta, meatballs, or hearty casseroles. This comforting, zesty sauce brings depth and warmth to any dish, making it a staple for easy, flavorful meals.

Course Sauce

Cuisine Italian

Keyword red gravy, spaghetti sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 20

Servings cups

Calories 158kcal

Author Elaine Benoit

Equipment

Dutch oven

Ingredients

1 onion (large, chopped in chunks)
1 red bell pepper (large, chopped in chunks)
10 ounces portobello mushrooms (package of sliced baby Bellas)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic (minced)
28 ounces diced tomatoes
12 ounces tomato paste
water (1 3/4 cans full - use tomato paste can)
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
pepper to taste
1 bay leaf

Instructions

Heat a Dutch oven or stockpot on medium heat. Add olive oil and once that heats up, add the onion and bell pepper, and sauté for 10 minutes.
1 onion, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 red bell pepper
Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes
10 ounces portobello mushrooms, 3 cloves garlic
Add diced tomatoes, paste and 1 3/4 cans of water (use the paste can). Stir and until the paste dissolves.
28 ounces diced tomatoes, 12 ounces tomato paste, water
Add herbs, bay leaf, salt, bay leaf, and pepper.
1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, 1 bay leaf
Once mixture comes to a boil, lower to simmer and cook for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes.
Ladle on pasta. Smile, and enjoy.

Notes

Calorie calculations are for the gravy alone, not the pasta.

Helpful tips

- This is a vegetarian sauce, but if you want extra protein, add your choice of ground meat. I usually go with a mixture of pork and beef.
- My mother used to make her gravy with green bell peppers; I prefer red bell peppers, so choose which one you prefer.
- I use Vidalia onions since I like the sweetness, but if you prefer yellow onions, go for it.
- When you add tomato paste, you must add water to thin it out. The trick is finding the right amount to add. Remember, you can always add more, but you can't take it out.
- When I add the water, I use the tomato paste can to measure it. It also helps clean the can of residual paste.
- Hubby loves when I add extra oil to sauté the vegetables because it makes the gravy velvety. Use what you are comfortable with. Two tablespoons is a good place to start.
- This recipe is not Southern tomato gravy, which is made in a skillet and consists of diced tomatoes, all-purpose flour, bacon grease, chicken broth, and salt and pepper. It is also usually dolloped on homemade biscuits, rice, grits, and other Southern fare.

Nutrition