The Best Veggie Lasagna: Part 1: Tomato Wine Sauce

There are hundreds of delicious tomato-based sauces intended for use in pasta dishes. I have three or four favorites-- including this simple sauce from the brilliant folks out east at the Moosewood Restaurant. I have only used the sauce in Moosewood's Veggie Lasagna, so I cannot vouch for its flavor as a simple spaghetti sauce. What I can tell you is this: once you've paired this sauce with the amazing Veggie Lasagna recipe from Moosewood, you'll never try another combo of sauce to lasagna. Simply the best!

Tomato Wine Sauce, adapted from Moosewood 

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 cup white onions, chopped (my trick is to light a candle!)

2+ garlic cloves, chopped (4-5 cloves is better)

1/4 teaspoon salt (not necessary, if you're cutting sodium leave it out entirely)

2 teaspoons fennel seed, ground

1 teaspoon dried basil (better with fresh basil)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/3 cup red wine

3 cups (1-28 ounce can) tomatoes, undrained and lightly blended/pureed

(optional: tomato paste (to thicken, add before simmering), salt and pepper to taste)

Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic. Saute on low until soft, 5-7 minutes.

Add herbs* and cook for another minute or so. Add red wine and bring mixture to a boil. Add pureed tomatoes. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. For thicker sauce, take cover off and continue simmering until sauce reaches your desired consistency.

If you're using fresh basil, add after the sauce has simmered for 20 minutes. Rule of thumb: if using dry herbs, add early enough for them to release flavor; if using fresh herbs, add towards the end of cooking so as not to lose all flavor.