Name: Mom's Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy)
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 165 min
Ingredients: ½ cup chopped white onion (150 g); ¼ cup Easy No Harm Parm (or vegan parm of your choice); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 ½ teaspoon oregano (dried); 1 ½ teaspoon parsley flakes (dried); 1 teaspoon sugar; 18 oz tomato paste; 2 & ½ cans water ( if using an 18 oz can of tomato paste )

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Every time I make Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce a.k.a. Red Gravy, I’m reminded of two things simultaneously. Those two things don’t actually have anything to do with each other.

My mom making this sauce, smelling the house up good, which inspired this vegan-ized version.
The Godfather Trilogy. Part II is my favorite because I’m a sucker a good transformation story.

I cherish this recipe. Not only is it simple, but it’s also oil-free with lots of Lycopene and it’s full of rich, Old Country flavor. This sauce goes into my I could drink it — and maybe I have category. Judge not, drinking sauces and eating vegan batters make me feel alive.

“Leave the gun – take the cannoli.” Drink the sauce.

Vegan-ized Ingredients for Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy)

Vegan Parmesan

The one ingredient substitution in this recipe is parmesan cheese. This Easy No Harm Sunflower Parm is milder in flavor and finer in texture than my Garlic Shake and works well in this recipe.

For a Meaty Sauce

I usually make this as a basic, meatless sauce. If you want to make a ground beef style sauce, you can add Boca Original Veggie Crumbles or Gardein Beefless Ground to your sauce.

I use this sauce with:

Stuffed Shells and Lasagna with Green Cashew-Fu Ricotta (a.k.a vegan cashew tofu ricotta)
Banza Rotini Chickpea Pasta sprinkled with Garlic Shake
Eggplant roll-ups (recipe coming soon)
A dipping sauce for Polenta fries (recipe coming soon)

Freezing & Storing in the Fridge

I find that freezing this sauce works well. Freeze as airtight as possible to avoid freezer burn. I like thawing this for use in baked recipes. I often make a double batch so I have some left to freeze. To see double batch ingredient quantities in the recipe below, just hover over the servings and adjust it up to 20.

This is a great make-ahead item, especially because it tastes even better after it has time to sit overnight and let the flavors mingle. It’s a nice sauce to keep in the fridge and enjoy throughout the week.

Let’s make Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients for Mom's Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy) The 3 cans of tomato paste (12 oz each) are for a double batch — Ingredients for Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy) The 3 cans of tomato paste (12 oz each) are for a double batch

First, finely chop your white onion.

This is enough onion for a double batch. I wear swim goggles when I cut onion.

Next, place all ingredients in a large pot. To avoid spatter, make sure there is lots of room in the pot.

Before stirring sauce — Before stirring, for a double batch I use an 8-quart pot

Then stir all ingredients until combined and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 2 and a half to 3 hours. It’s gonna smell so good in your house.

Taste and adjust seasonings to preference if desired.

Stuffed pasta shells with Cashew Tofu Ricotta Mom's Spaghetti Sauce a.k.a. Red Gravy topped with Garlic Shake — Stuffed pasta shells with Cashew Tofu Ricotta Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce a.k.a. Red Gravy topped with Garlic Shake

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4.80 from 5 votes

Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy)

Easy but solid red sauce recipe that will make your home smell delicious and your taste buds delighted.

Course Main Course, Sauce

Cuisine Italian, Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword classic, make-ahead, no oil, savory

Prep Time 15 minutes

Simmer and Stir 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Servings cups (approximately)

Calories 68kcal

Author Plant Test Kitchen

Ingredients

½ cup chopped white onion 150 g
¼ cup Easy No Harm Parm or vegan parm of your choice
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ teaspoon oregano dried
1 ½ teaspoon parsley flakes dried
1 teaspoon sugar
18 oz tomato paste
2 & ½ cans water if using an 18 oz can of tomato paste

Instructions

Finely chop the white onion.
Place all ingredients in a large pot. Depending on how big your pot is you can double the recipe if you'd like. To avoid spatter, make sure there is lots of room in the pot.
Stir all ingredients until combined and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally for 2 and a half to 3 hours.
Taste and adjust seasonings to preference if desired.
Enjoy, store in the fridge or freeze.

Notes

Nutrition Information is approximate.

Freezing & Storing in the Fridge: I find that freezing this sauce works well. Freeze as airtight as possible to avoid freezer burn. I like thawing this for use in baked recipes, I often make a double batch so I have some left to freeze.

Make-Ahead: This is a great make-ahead item. Especially because it tastes even better after it has time to sit overnight and let the flavors mingle. It a nice sauce to keep in the fridge and enjoy throughout the week.

Vegan Parmesan: The main ingredient substitution is parmesan cheese. This Easy No Harm Parm is milder in flavor and finer in texture than my Garlic Shake and works well in this recipe.

For a Meaty Sauce: I usually make this as a basic, meatless sauce. If you want to make a ground beef style sauce, you can add Boca Original Veggie Crumbles or Gardein Beefless Ground to your sauce.

www.planttestkitchen.com

Nutrition

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If you like this recipe you might also enjoy Quick Spanish Romesco Sauce. If you want to make Stuff Shells or Lasagne check out this Cashew Tofu Ricotta and this Garlic Shake Hempseed Parm.

Did you make this Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce a.k.a Red Gravy? Any additions or substitutions? Was it delicious? Tell me about it in the comments below.

Mom’s Spaghetti Sauce (Red Gravy)