Kitchen Hack segments are designed to simply and affordably amp up an unassuming grocery item to new yummy heights.
This week we explore the tantalizing potential bottled up in a jar of TJ's Traditional Marinara Sauce - priced at $1.29 for 18 fl.oz.
Vegetarian Bolognese
For this hack you will need:
1 18oz. jar of TJ's Traditional Marinara Sauce or any other brand or homemade sauce of your liking
cooking oil spray or tsp of butter or desired combination (I mixed in a tab of butter)
1/4 cup carrots (diced)
1/4 cup celery (diced)
1/4 cut red onion (diced)
smidge of salt 1/16 tsp ish, if that
6oz of ground meat substitute like Smart Ground or REAL ground meat of your choice
Fresh Basil
Begin by heating a frying pan with cooking oil spray over medium heat. Add diced carrot, celery, and onion. It's important not to over crowd the pan so use a 10" skillet, not your omelet pan. Sprinkle some salt over the vegetables to help draw the moisture out. We're not salting to flavor so use sparingly - there's more than enough salt in the marinara. Continue to move the diced mixture over medium heat for about 15-20 minutes. You'll see wisps of steam come off the veggies. Our goal is to cook off some of that moisture to concentrate flavor. An over crowded pan means soggy veggies.
After the veggies are cooked down add the ground protein substitute and toss. Incorporate the tomato sauce and bring the sauce to a bubbling boil then reduce heat to a low simmer immediately. Continue simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While the sauce is melding, chiffonade your basil then give three more additional cuts across the rags so that the pieces aren't stringy. You can set aside some fresh basil for garnish.
Add the basil to the simmering sauce.
Serve with your favorite pasta and enjoy!
