traeger smoked garden fresh spaghetti sauce 🍅🍝
We have an abundance of cherry tomatoes in our garden so what better way to use them than to make homemade spaghetti sauce! I did 3 pounds of cherry tomatoes, one sweet onion largely chopped, 5 whole cloves of garlic, and a lot of olive oil. I smoked them on a baking sheet on the Traeger for 40 minutes at 375°. I then transferred everything to my Dutch oven on a low simmer and used an immersion blender to break up all the chunks. Added a lot of salt to taste (this step is important or else it’ll taste too acidic). It turned out so good and was a great way to use up all those tomatoes!
Using fresh garden produce like cherry tomatoes brings an unmatched flavor and nutrition boost to your homemade spaghetti sauce. The technique of smoking the ingredients on a Traeger grill at 375°F for 40 minutes infuses a delightful smoky aroma that enhances the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and garlic. Incorporating a sweet onion adds depth and balances acidity. After smoking, simmering the mixture gently in a Dutch oven allows the flavors to meld beautifully. The use of an immersion blender is a smart way to control the texture, giving you the option to create a smooth or slightly chunky sauce according to your preference. Adding a generous amount of salt is crucial; it counteracts the natural acidity of tomatoes and elevates the overall taste. This sauce is a versatile base — perfect for spaghetti, but also excellent for lasagna, as a pizza topping, or a dipping sauce. Using homegrown ingredients adds a personal touch that enhances the enjoyment of your meal. Moreover, utilizing a Traeger grill not only imparts unique smoky flavors but also streamlines your cooking process by combining smoking and roasting in one step. If you have an abundance of garden tomatoes and want to preserve the taste for future use, consider freezing the sauce in portions. This approach lets you enjoy the fresh, smoky goodness of your garden throughout the year. Experiment with adding herbs like fresh basil, oregano, or rosemary to further customize your sauce. Overall, this recipe is a wonderful way to celebrate garden harvests, reduce food waste, and enjoy an authentic, flavorful Italian-inspired dish made from scratch.
