Creamy Tomato Sauce

🥘 Ingredients

• raw cashews ½ cup
• or shallot 2 piece
• garlic cloves 6
• ripe good-quality tomatoes 16 oz
• dried oregano 2 tsp
• sweet or hot paprika 1 tsp
• red pepper flakes ¼ tsp
• Kosher
• extra virgin olive oil 2 ½ tbsp
• nutritional yeast ¼ cup
• red wine vinegar 1-3 tsp

1. 1

   Prepare: raw cashews , or shallot , garlic cloves , ripe good-quality tomatoes , dried oregano , sweet or hot paprika , red pepper flakes , Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper, extra virgin olive oil , nutritional yeast , red wine vinegar .
2. 2

   Add the cashews to a bowl and cover with boiling water; soak them while you prep the other ingredients. Chop the shallots and garlic (no need to finely chop them). Roughly chop the tomatoes, removing any firm white center cores. In a small bowl, measure out the oregano, paprika, red pepper flakes (if using), 1 tsp kosher salt, and several cracks of pepper.
3. 3

   Heat a large frying pan or sauté pan over medium heat with 1 1/2 tbsp of the oil. Once warm, add the shallots and garlic. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes , until softened. Add the spice blend and stir constantly for 30 seconds.
4. 4

   Add the chopped tomatoes and use the juices to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Drain and rinse the cashews, then add them to the pan. Cook for 5 minutes , stirring occasionally.
5. 5

   Pour in 2 tbsp water, cover the pan, and reduce the heat to medium-low or low. Simmer until the tomatoes are very soft and breaking down, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of water.
6. 6

   Transfer the tomato mixture to a stand blender. Add the nutritional yeast, the remaining 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 cup of water, and 1 tsp of vinegar. Blend on high until the sauce is creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as you go. If the sauce is very thick, add in up to 1/4 cup of water.
7. 7

   Taste, adding salt or pepper to taste. For more richness, add more olive oil (I like it with an extra 1/2 tbsp). For more acidity, add more vinegar. If your tomatoes aren’t sweet, add a pinch of sugar.
8. 8

   Transfer sauce to a large jar or container, seal, label, and refrigerate for about 5 days.