A rich, creamy pasta sauce with sweet onions, savory tomatoes, peppery seasonings and sharp parmesan. This sauce is versatile and easy to throw together with things you probably already have.
Have you ever noticed how much colder it feels when it’s already been warm and the temperature dips back down? I’ve been walking around for weeks without needing a coat, and it’s SNOWING today! My body is reacting like it’s sub-zero in my nearly 70º house. I’m dealing.
So on a shivery, grey day what better to warm up with than a hearty plate of gnocchi?
I got the idea for this recipe while shopping at one of my favorite health food stores after a long day out in Knoxville. I was so tired, but I really wanted to eat well that night. Knowing I had a good hour-long drive home, I was looking for convenience food, but like, good convenience food. Something I would feel good about eating and re-eating for lunch the next day.
I settled on a few different kinds of frozen ravioli you can buy in bulk—red pepper eggplant, spinach ricotta, one with sausage, I think—and some vegetables. So I just needed a sauce.
I wandered over to the refrigerated section where they have fresh sauces I always want to try, and saw this incredible-looking vidalia onion sauce that REALLY pulled me in. I could smell it. I could taste it. I was ready to drink it. But it was too expensive for me to justify at that moment.
Listen, I’m not above spending nearly $8 on a little jar of sauce I want to try, but I was already almost over my grocery budget and the ravioli was reasonable, but not exactly cheap. Plus, I knew I could make it at home. I mentally noted the color and texture of the sauce, glanced at the description on the jar and made a plan.
The best part? I already had all the ingredients. In fact I always have these ingredients, and if you cook often, you likely do too.
This sauce goes great with gnocchi texturally because while it’s thick, it’s pretty smooth. It wraps around the ravioli like the edible manifestation of a bear hug. Beyond that soft, pillowy gnocchi makes a tasty canvas for the sweet and savory flavor of this Roasted Sweet Onion Tomato Sauce.
This Sweet Onion Tomato Sauce is super easy to make, and it comes together pretty quickly. It’s going to be really great for you if you aren’t a fan of doing a lot of chopping, or if you’re just too tired to do a bunch of that tonight—which I totally get. It’s the reason I thought about buying the sauce in the first place!
The plan I made in the store was pretty simple, and I was pretty sure I could knock it out in about half an hour. I just needed to roast some sweet onions until they were a little caramelly, and incorporate them into a simple tomato sauce.
Like I said, I was pretty worn out, and besides, roasting the onions whole seemed like the way to go. So what to do? Bring out the blender. It honestly made things go so quickly. I just simmered the tomatoes while the onions were in the oven, added everything to the blender, and voila!
Beautiful sauce that tasted like a lot more work went into it.
Now for some salt, fat, acid and heat action. A little honey, red pepper flakes, white wine vinegar, basil parmesan cheese and cream go in to build a sauce that tastes like it came from a restaurant (or an $8 jar at a health food store).
Whirrrrrrr it up.
I’ve also tried the sauce with pork loin (amazing) and I’m sure it would go with chicken or steak. Probably even with some seafoods like mussels or scallops. It would work well with long noodles such as spaghetti or linguine, with ravioli or other stuffed pastas—really with just about any pasta.
I have mixed feelings on the “rules” of pasta. I get the point. Pesto goes will with pastas it can stick to rather than pool in. Pastas with hollow shapes are going to go well with sauces they can scoop up like tasty little spoons. The thing is, some people have hard and fast rules just for authenticity’s sake.
I think authenticity has a time and a place, and I can appreciate it. On the other hand, if I want bolognese sauce and only have angel hair on hand, I’m not going to the store just for authenticity’s sake. Besides, why shut down creativity or experimentation?
Personally, I think it’s worth knowing the rules—if only so you can break them mindfully.
There’s something so satisfying about knowing you made it yourself, right?
Oh, hey, and it’s Lenten Friday friendly! I swear I didn’t intend to post a chicken recipe on a Friday last time.
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Until then I’ll be here trying to warm up, and hoping all our flowers still bloom and plums and grapes still come in, unlike last year after a 75º February and a bunch of cold snaps. Give me something to look forward to here.
Melissa Opie says
This sounds AMAZING!!!
Leannda Cavalier says
Ahhh, thanks so much, Melissa! I hope you love it if you try it!! <3
Glady says
I loooove gnocchi! I will have to try this!
Leannda Cavalier says
Thanks Glady!! Gnocchi is the best, isn’t it? If you do try it, I hope you love this too! <3