Pepper and Onion Tomato Sauce

Beginner Cook - Short Cooking Time - Main Course - Vegan - Vegetarian - Gluten-Free

Pepper and onion tomato sauce is one of my favorite dishes to prepare when entertaining. The flavors are appealing to most and this particular dish is easy to adapt when catering to various dietary restrictions. What do you cook when you are hosting a dinner party for a combination of vegetarian, meat lover, and gluten intolerant friends?  I am always excited when I find a dish that caters to everyone's preferences. While this specific recipe does not contain meat or seafood, it serves as an excellent vegan base to which you can add chicken or shrimp, in turn creating a vegan and non-vegan option for your guests. In addition, this sauce pairs well with both pasta and rice, giving you an additional option for gluten sensitivities. 

Ingredients (Serves 4) 

• 1lb of fresh or frozen red, yellow, and green peppers
• 1 medium red onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 cup of olive oil
• 1.5 cups of water
• 3 heaping teaspoons of tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

Time - 30 minutes

• Preparation - 5 minutes
• Cooking - 25 minutes

Preparation

• If using fresh peppers, wash and slice the peppers
• Peel the onion and slice in half rounds
• Chop the garlic
• Place the peppers, onion, garlic, and olive oil in a large sauté pan

• Cook on medium-high heat for 15 minutes until the vegetables are softened

• Add the tomato paste, water, salt and cook for another 10 minutes. Note that depending on the tomato paste used you may need to add more or less paste to achieve the desired richness

• If preparing a vegan and non-vegan option, set aside the desired amount of sauce as the vegan option. You can then add some shrimp to the peppers and onions and cook for an additional 7 minutes. Or, if you prefer to add chicken, sauté some diced chicken in a separate pan with a small amount of olive oil. Once cooked, add to the pepper and onions. 
• Your sauce is now ready to be paired with the pasta or rice of your choosing. Enjoy!