Print This Post
Legal notice 4-10-19: I originally named this recipe No-Mato Sauce when I published it in 2014, but have now learned that Norine’s Corp. owns the NOMATO trademark. I have no wish to cause confusion, and this sauce recipe is in no way identified with or related to Norine’s Corp. or any of its products. I have renamed this recipe No-Tomato Sauce to clear up any confusion. — Dorothy
Food allergies and sensitivities are vexing things, aren’t they?
You might love nothing more than an eggplant-tomato-sweet bell pepper ratatouille, and your friend can’t touch it because she isn’t allowed to eat nightshades.
What are nightshades? White potato, tomato, eggplant, bell peppers, tomatillos, paprika, cayenne, tobacco, etc.), which all contain a protective toxin within them to prevent bugs, insects and small animals from eating them. Those who have an intolerance to this alkaloid toxin might suffer from joint or nervous system disorders, digestive problems, and other health-related issues.
So what do you do if you crave marinara, but can’t have it because the tomatoes provoke your GERD? Or if you are hosting friends for a pasta dinner but they follow a no-tomato or no-nightshade or an AIP diet?
This No-Tomato Sauce might be able to come to your rescue.
And first things first, no, it doesn’t even taste like beets. Or pumpkin. It actually tastes kinda like tomato!
Recipe: No-Tomato Sauce (Tomato-Free Pasta Sauce)
Summary: Use this No-Tomato Sauce in all your recipes that call for tomato sauce. Slather onto pizza dough, spoon onto hot pasta or dip pita wedges.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 5 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
- 1 ½ cups carrots sliced into coins
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Pinch of sea salt- A few grinds of black pepper
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
- 1 (8-ounce) package Melissa’s Peeled & Steamed Ready to Eat Baby Beets
- Garnish: fresh chopped basil, parsley and/or oregano, to take it Italian
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Sauté onion and thyme for about 7-10 minutes, until onion starts to brown slightly, stirring often. Add garlic and sauté another minute or so.
- Add to the skillet the carrots, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper and then add just enough water to barely cover the carrots.
- Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer (covered) for 20-30 minutes until the carrots are very soft. (The carrots must be soft for the final sauce to be smooth.)
While the carrots are cooking, add pumpkin puree and beets to a blender container, put the lid on tightly and whirl until smooth. Set aside until the next step.- When carrots are done, scrape the carrot mixture and liquid into the blender with the pumpkin-beet mixture, and put the lid on and blend until smooth. If you think the mixture is too much for your blender, blend in 2 batches.
- Sauce is now done, and can simply be reheated for 2-3 or so minutes, or can be portioned and stored in the refrigerator or freezer for later use.
- Makes about 4 cups sauce.
Quick notes
The sauce will likely lose its red color the longer you cook it (beets turn brown if you overcook them), so a simple quick re-heat is best.
Recipe source
Adapted from this recipe on Angels Homestead, and she adapted it from Gluten Free Dairy Free NJ.
Secret Recipe Club
Here is a list of what I have made for the Secret Recipe Club since I joined the group. Check it out!
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Diet type: Vegan
Diet tags: Reduced fat, Gluten free
Number of servings (yield): 6
Culinary tradition: USA (Nouveau)
I found this recipe on Angels Homestead, the blog created by April (called Angel in her youth!), who writes about her family’s efforts to live a simple, frugal, self-sufficient, quiet life on a 3-acre homestead in Indiana. Due to a variety of health ailments, she now cooks grain-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free, and primarily follows the Autoimmune Protocol diet without nightshades. The AIP diet helps heal the immune system and gut.
I was exploring her blog as part of Secret Recipe Club, the Secret Santa-type group that has members privately cooking from each other’s blogs for a month and revealing the chosen blog and recipe at month’s end. Today is reveal day!
I was tempted by her Ham and Sweet Potato Hash (eggless breakfast anyone?), her Guacamole Coleslaw (are you avoiding dairy? This is for you!), or her Healthy Shamrock Shake Green Smoothie (banana, spinach, yogurt instead of the usual shake sins).
I wanted to make sure I chose a recipe of hers to highlight that shows off her creativity within the constraints of her restrictive diet. So No-Tomato Sauce it is!
Welcome to my kitchen!
At ShockD, you’ll find scrumptious, tried & true, "scary good" recipes, tips and coaching to make YOU a fabulous home cook! Don't blame me if you need a 12-step program to wean yourself away!
E-mail me: Dorothy.Reinhold@gmail.com
{ 31 comments… read them below or add one }
Next Comments →
This looks like an amazing alternative to tomato sauce (though I would be very very sad if I were allergic to nightshades)
Great SRC post!
Stephanie,
Agreed! I would be sad!
Wow! A tomato sauce without the tomatoes…it looks like a great dip! Great SRC pick!
This sauce is crazy! (A good kind of crazy) who would have thought that beets and pumpkin would make a decent “tomato” sauce! Great SRC pick!
Christine,
It IS a little bit cray!
How interesting is that?!! Looks like the real thing!
Karen,
I know, it was pretty shocking!
Just pure brilliance!! And I love the idea for a simply dip or evening dinner even if you can have tomatoes. Just perfect!!!
Kim,
It was surprisingly good with pita wedges dipped in it!
Woah… how cool! I was expecting this to be red peppers when I saw the pictures… NEVER would have guessed pumpkin and beets! Two things I LOOOVE, so this sounds awesome!
Jess,
I had not even thought of red peppers!
There are so many different allergies out there. Thankfully I do not have any food allergies that I am aware of, but I bet this sauce is delicious either way!
Erin,
I am with you on that…so thankful no allergies here!
I just made a pizza sauce with a lot of pumpkin and a little tomato, but I think your version is the real winner!
I was curious to see what you picked this month, no-mato sauce, too cute!
Happy Reveal Day!
Sally,
Love YOUR pick this month, too!
What a FAB recipe and this would be perfect for my dad who has diverticulitis and cannot eat tomatoes! GREAT SRC pick! Karen
Karen,
Oh, so glad! Hope he likes it!
What a great feature!! Love seeing all the creative ways to enjoy “favorites” when working within dietary restrictions. Happy reveal day!!
We have no allergies here but this recipe has piqued my interest so I may have to try it just to see how it turns out. Thanks for sharing at SRC
Wendy,
No allergies here either (knock wood!), but I really have sympathy for those who must say no to so many beloved foods.
Wow, so interesting! I never would have thought this had pumpkin and beets in it.
Tara,
I know! It is really surprising!
What a brilliant sauce – definitely bookmarking this for later! Great choice
How interesting! This would be great for people who can’t take the acidity of tomatoes. Great pick this month 🙂
I haven’t heard of this allergy before. I would struggle. I am intrigued by this no tomato sauce. Once my garden gets in I will be checking it out.
Great choice, Dorothy. This sauce looks like a great alternative for those with sensitivities. Thankfully I don’t, but I’d still happily gobble up a bowlful of this over my favourite pasta.
Sue
Wow, you did an amazing job with the recipe Dorothy. I like how you reduced the amount of oil, I’ll definitely have to try that next time I make it. Happy reveal day! 🙂
April,
This sauce is definitely an eye-opener! How beets and pumpkin can taste like tomatoes, I dunno, but they sort of do!
I’m sad that your website is not up any more. Really wanted to check it out!
Jessie,
We are alive and well! Browse away!
Wow! Great pick, Dorothy! It looks just like tomato sauce. I would never have guessed it was carrots, pumpkin and beets. What a great solution for folks who can’t eat nightshades.
{ 2 trackbacks }