Skip to main content

Mary Ann’s Favorite Tomato Sauce

Crystal’s Aunt Mary Ann prefers to accompany her stuffed peppers with a rich tomato sauce.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 4 cups

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups diced canned tomatoes
1/2 cup finely minced celery
1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter. Add the onion and garlic; sauté for about 8 minutes or until tender. Add the tomatoes, celery, vinegar, parsley,sugar, salt, and pepper and cook about 10 minutes. Pour the sauce over the peppers before baking.

  2. note

    Step 2

    Here’s a tip from Crystal for keeping stuffed peppers upright in the oven. When you remove the pepper tops to insert the stuffing, don’t throw them away! Instead, put the tops between the stuffed peppers for extra stability.

From The Casserole Queens Cookbook by Crystal Cook & Sandy Pollock. Copyright © 2011 by Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock; Food photographs copyright © 2011 by Ben Fink. Published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers. Crystal Cook and Sandy Pollock, the Casserole Queens, have been delivering casseroles in Austin, Texas, since 2006; they also teach cooking classes at Whole Foods stores in the area. They have been featured on Food Network's Throwdown! with Bobby Flay and Bobby Flay Radio on Sirius XM, as well as on television news and radio talk shows.
Read More
Khao niaow ma muang, or steamed coconut sticky rice with ripe mango, is a classic in Thai cuisine—and you can make it at home.
Juicy peak-season tomatoes make the perfect plant-based swap for aguachile.
With just a handful of ingredients, this old-fashioned egg custard is the little black dress of dinner party desserts—simple and effortlessly chic.
This no-knead knockout gets its punch from tomatoes in two different ways.
With rich chocolate flavor and easy customization, this hot cocoa recipe is just the one you want to get you through winter.
Roasted poblanos, jalapeños, and red onion are coated with a melty sauce—warm with the flavors of pepper jack, and stabilized with a block of cream cheese.
A garlicky pistachio topping takes this sunny summer pasta from good to great.
This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.