Summer Beet Red Sauce

Do you ever go to the store with a strict grocery list and end up buying a bunch of beets that were not on said list just because they looked gorgeous? Yeah, me too. I’ll be doing a few recipes to slowly work through my beet collection in my fridge, and this is one of them. I make red sauce essentially once a week because it is simple, versatile, and lasts about a week in the fridge with proper storage techniques. Also, the color of this sauce is beautiful and bright. This is one of the easiest ways to incorporate a more diverse range of vegetables into your daily diet.

Ingredients

• 2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
• ½ onion, chopped
• 3-5 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ yellow squash, chopped
• ½ golden beet, diced
• ¼ red beet, diced
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (can substitute any tomatoes here)
• 1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. oregano, dried
• 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Heat the oil in a pot on the stove at medium heat
2. Add the onion, garlic, bell pepper, and squash to sauté
3. Once the onions are translucent, add the beets and cherry tomatoes to sauté
4. Once the vegetables are soft, add the crushed tomatoes, sugar, and spices
5. Stir to incorporate
6. Once sauce is up t a boil, reduce heat to low to simmer for 10-30 minutes
7. Serve and enjoy