It is with great delight that I introduce guest blogger Kate.

Kate Minor is a professional photographer who works as a vegetarian food blogger and portrait and wedding photographer. She is based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota and is from the Twin Ports of Minnesota but ever since living in Japan for three years, she just can’t shake the travel bug and loves to explore new places all around the world.

Sometimes, the simplest of recipes are really the best. Delicious, healthy, and quick to throw together? Recipes like this are a dream. Especially for the nights where everybody seems to be too busy to cook. I have good news; this recipe not only is healthy, delicious, and super-fast to make, it is also made with staple items. The last time I made this recipe, I just happened to have everything already at home, so no special trip to the store was needed. Bonus!

I am someone who really loves pasta, so I typically have a few packages on hand in my pantry. I happened to use spaghetti this time, but the great thing about this pasta sauce is that it is great paired with any pasta, used in lasagna, stored in the freezer, or even mixed into a summer vegetable soup. The other night, I made a simple soup with chickpeas, mushrooms, summer squash, and zucchini. I mixed in some of this chunky pasta sauce and it was perfect!

To help speed up the process, I put the onion through the food processor. It also helps get rid of any identifiable onions for any picky eaters you may have. If you have more adventurous eaters who like some added spice and heat, try adding in some dry red pepper flakes for an extra kick!

Quick Tomato Basil Pasta

Quick Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

¼ cup olive oil
1 onion, put through food processor pulsed to a fine chop
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
salt to taste
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
fresh basil leaves

Instructions

Heat oil in a sauce pan. Sautee the onion and garlic for a few minutes until onion is translucent.
Add spices and tomatoes and stir to combine. Simmer uncovered for 5-10 minutes.
Add salt a little at a time until desired flavor is reached.
Toss sauce with prepared pasta noodles of your choice.
Garnish with fresh basil.