Nomato Sauce (Tomato Sauce Alternative)
Nomato Sauce is a gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, and anti-inflammatory tomato sauce substitute that tastes just like marinara sauce! Full of antioxidants and nutrients, it’s made with simple, whole food ingredients and pairs well with pasta, pizza, and all your favorite foods.
What Is Nomato Sauce?
Nomato sauce is a type of tomato sauce…without the tomatoes. Essentially, it’s a tomato sauce substitute for those who are allergic to tomatoes, have nightshade intolerances, or maybe just want to try something new.
It has the taste and texture of traditional tomato sauce with some surprising ingredients. Even better, this easy nomato sauce recipe is:
- Full of vitamins, nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants.
- Made with minimal prep time and a total time of just over 30 minutes.
- Super versatile.
- Great to prep ahead of time and store for later.
What Is Nomato Sauce Made Of?
Unlike lots of store-bought sauces, this pasta sauce without tomatoes is made with simple, whole food ingredients. Here’s what you need:
- Olive Oil – Use extra virgin olive oil to sautée the onions and garlic, creating a sweet, caramelized flavor and a rich base for the sauce.
- Vegetables – Large onion, garlic cloves, beets, and carrots create the bulk of the sauce and provide a boost of nutrients.
- Seasonings – Italian seasoning, dried oregano, and salt create a bold, savory taste.
- Broth – Use nightshade-free vegetable broth or chicken broth to thin out the ingredients for a smooth, pourable sauce.
- Pumpkin Puree – Use canned or fresh pumpkin puree or any other squash puree (like butternut squash, kabocha squash, etc.) to add extra depth to the flavor and enhance the texture.
- Fresh Parsley – Add chopped fresh parsley for bright, pepper notes that balance out some of the savoriness.
- Lemon Juice or Balsamic Vinegar – Use one or the other or a combination of both for extra tang.
Note: Some recipes call for a tablespoon or so of red wine vinegar, which also works well to add the tang we’re looking to achieve.
- Optional Add-Ins: Pitted diced Kalamata olives, capers, or nutritional yeast make for great additions for extra flavor.
Scroll down to the recipe card below to find the complete nutritional information including calories, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, etc.
How to Make the Best Tomato Sauce Substitute
This tomato-free pasta sauce is made in a snap, using an immersion blender (stick blender) or a traditional blender. Watch this video to see how it’s done!
- Sauté. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Then, add the onions, and sauté until they’re tender and golden. Stir in the minced garlic, and continue to sauté just until it’s fragrant.
- Cook. Add the beets, carrots, and seasonings. Stir to combine, and add part of the broth. Cover the pot, and cook until the veggies are fork-tender.
Note: Most of the broth will be absorbed by this point!
- Blend. Transfer the mixture to a blender, and add the remaining broth and pumpkin puree. Blend until a smooth consistency is achieved. Then, add the remaining ingredients, and blend again until smooth.
- Simmer. Transfer the smooth mixture back to the pot, and allow it to simmer over medium heat.
Pro-Tip: For a thinner pasta sauce, increase the amount of broth used to achieve your desired consistency.
Storage Options
Go ahead and make a double batch of this quick nomato sauce recipe! It stores well and is always great to have on hand.
- To Store: Transfer the sauce to an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze: Store your AIP nomato sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month.
Meal Prep Tip: Transfer your sauce to freezer cubes, and transfer it to the freezer to solidify. Then, pop the cubes into a sealable bag. You’ll have pre-portioned nomato sauce you can just grab and go when you’re ready to cook!
How Should I Use Homemade Nomato Sauce?
Use this AIP tomato sauce alternative any way you would regular tomato sauce or even spaghetti sauce! For instance, it’s great with options like:
Photo of nomato sauce on spaghetti squash
- Gluten-Free Pasta
- Zoodles or Spaghetti Squash Pasta
- Soups and Stews
- Gluten-Free Flatbreads and Pizzas
Common Questions About This Nomato Sauce Recipe
The beets are responsible for creating a rich, tomato-like color and adding an earthy flavor. We don’t recommend replacing them, but we promise you don’t taste them! That said, if you prefer a sweeter flavor, use purple beets. Or, for a more neutral-flavored sauce, opt for golden beets instead.
Sure! Feel free to experiment with different seasonings and flavor combinations like honey, garlic powder, apple cider vinegar, and cloves to make a BBQ sauce. You could also add honey or date paste for a ketchup-inspired taste. Or, experiment with different herbs like basil, rosemary, and thyme for a unique flavor.
We haven’t tested it and can’t guarantee it will work, but please let us know how it goes if you give it a try!
More of Our Favorite
More Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this homemade nomato sauce recipe, you won’t want to miss out on more of our sauce recipes below!
Nomato Sauce Recipe (Tomato Sauce Alternative)
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 2 ¾ cups (11 servings- ¼ cup each) 1x
Diet: Vegan
Description
Use this nomato sauce for a nutritious tomato sauce alternative that’s gluten-free, dairy-free, nightshade-free, anti-inflammatory, and full of nutrients!
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté about 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown. Stir in minced garlic and sauté until fragrant or about 1 minute.
- Add in the beets, carrots, Italian seasoning, oregano, and salt and stir together. Add 1 cup vegetable broth. Cover and cook over medium heat until carrots and beets are fork-tender or about 20 to 30 minutes (the broth will almost be gone). Once cooked, transfer the ingredients in the pot to a blender. (See photos in blog post.)
- To the blender, pour remaining ½ cup broth and pumpkin puree. Blend until smooth. Alternatively, add remaining ½ cup broth and pumpkin puree to the pot and use a stick blender to blend into a puree. (For thinner pasta sauce, increase amount of broth to reach desired consistency.)
- Add the fresh parsley, lemon juice and/or balsamic vinegar, and optional add-ins, to the blender and blend again until smooth.
- Pour the sauce back into the pot (when using the blender) and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
- Store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to 1 month.
Notes
Substitute Tips – For a sweeter sauce, use purple beets. For a lighter, more neutral flavored sauce (with less pink stain), use golden beets. It is possible to make this recipe using pre-cooked beets and carrots. However, the flavor will be muted, and the sauce will be much thicker, additional broth will be needed.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: sauces
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ¼ c
- Calories: 34
- Sugar: 2.5 g
- Sodium: 96.5 mg
- Fat: 1.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 5.4 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: nomato sauce, dairy free sauce, tomato sauce alternative, anti-inflammatory sauce, tomato sauce substitute, pasta without tomatoes, nightshade free sauce
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