Sarah’s Allotment Pasta Sauce Recipe

About this recipe

I’ve posted a few recipes previously on my blog as I have a passion for finding healthy but deliciously easy meals. My Easy Carrot and Parsnip Soup, My Favourite Spanakopita-inspired Spinach Pie, and Slow Cooker Tikka Masala are a few examples.

My husband and I have been having lots of luck at the allotment and are currently overrun with allotment tomatoes and green peppers. Like most people, my mind immediately jumped to my favourite solution: making pasta sauce.  

I’ve noted before that I often wing my recipes – I like using what I have on hand and adjust quantities to taste – and this recipe was born in that vein. I definitely know my way around a kitchen, but I have to say, this turned out amazing.

It is, hand down, the best pasta sauce I’ve ever made. My Italian husband asked me to make it again best pasta sauce I’ve ever made.

We also were fortunate to have had family friends visiting when I made this pasta sauce. And you guessed it – we were not even through the meal when they asked for the recipe.  

All the ingredients came from our allotment but that doesn’t mean you need a green thumb to make this pasta sauce.

I made it again the next weekend (because tomato plants do not take breaks) and this time, I wrote down the general quantities to share with them – and with you!

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Allotment Pasta Sauce

The Recipe

Ingredients

• Lots of allotment tomatoes (any variety), about 20 medium to large, cleaned and de-stemmed
• 2 large green bell peppers (or 6 smaller ones), roughly chopped and cleaned
• 2 large onions, chopped into quarters
• 3 cloves of garlics, whole
• 150ml-200ml passata
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• fresh basil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar (or 2 roasted carrots) to taste

What you’ll need

• Two roasting pans (preferably tall sides for the tomatoes)
• Cast iron pan or pot
• Hand blender or blender/food processor
• Wooden spoon
• Tongs to remove tomato skins

Directions

Clean and de-stem your allotment tomatoes and throw them in a pan with high sides.  Drizzle with a few glugs of extra virgin olive oil.  Cut up the green bell peppers and do the same.

Put both the tomatoes and peppers (and carrots, if not using sugar) in the oven at 180 degree C.  

Time the bell peppers until roasted, usually 20 minutes or so, and take out when they start to colour.  Leave the tomatoes for another 20-25 minutes until the tomatoes are roasted with colour; take out.

While the tomatoes are still hot, try to remove as many skins as possible and discard.  In a cast iron pot or a pan, put in a glug of olive oil and sauté the garlic and roughly chopped onions over a medium heat until translucent and garlic is flavourful.  

Add in the roasted tomatoes, peppers, tomato passata, and tomato paste; bring to a boil, stirring to ensure it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.  Once boiled, turn down the heat to a low simmer and cover for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally (so it doesn’t burn the bottom).

After simmering, use hand mixer or blend in batches until smooth.  

Taste.  It will still be slightly to very acidic.  You can either add in roasted carrots or a 1/2 tsp of sugar (to taste) to take out the bite.  Salt and pepper to taste.  

Add fresh basil and serve with your pasta or vegetable of choice.

What’s your favourite way to eat tomato sauce? Have you tried this recipe? What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

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