This is Nora Ephron's recipe for pasta sauce. It's so simple to make and 100% delicious. It's made of carrots, celery, onions, tomatoes, and a lot of butter. The perfect combo!
My mom found this recipe in a cookbook years ago, and she's made it frequently ever since. I love the recipe because it can be made quickly and doesn't have to sit on the stove for hours. Also, you can just eyeball the ingredients without any real measurements.
This recipe pairs well with my recipe for gluten-free meatballs.
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Ingredients
- Fresh carrots
- Fresh celery
- A can of tomatoes
- An onion
- Salt
- Red pepper
- Unsalted butter
- Freshly cracked black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
In a dutch oven, warm a teaspoon of olive oil.
Add carrots, celery, the can of tomatoes, and onion to a food processer and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Make sure not to over chop the mixture.
Pour the carrot mixture into the pan and sautee for 10 minutes. Add in a stick of butter and stir until it melts.
Add in the red pepper, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
Simmer on the stove for another 15 minutes.
Serve with pasta and top with parmesan.
Hint: Do not over-process the mixture in the food processor. You want the mixture to be finely chopped instead of liquid.
Equipment
- A food processor - you need a food processor or blender for this recipe. Find the one I use HERE.
Storage
You can store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.
You can freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Top tip
Add a little extra red pepper for a spicier sauce.
Nora Ephron's Carrot Spaghetti
Equipment
- A food processor
- A dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 large fresh carrots
- 3 stalks fresh celery
- 12 ounce can of tomatoes
- ½ onion
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- A dash of freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- In a dutch oven, warm a teaspoon of olive oil.
- Add carrots, celery, the can of tomatoes, and onion to a food processer and pulse until ingredients are finely chopped. Make sure not to over chop the mixture.
- Pour the carrot mixture into the pan and sautee for 10 minutes. Add in a stick of butter and stir until it melts.
- Add in the red pepper, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Simmer on the stove for another 15 minutes.
- Serve with pasta and top with parmesan.
Notes
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
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