Want the comfort and flavor of baked pasta, without the carbs or insulin spikes? Yes please! In this recipe celery root stands in for the texture of the “pasta”. Italian sausage, mushrooms, tasty marinara sauce and some parmesan cheese on top make this a delicious option. Bonus, this might last for more than one meal.
If you have never tasted celery root you don’t know what you’re missing. This is your chance to cook outside of your box and try something new. Ta-da..enter celery root, the - “ugly fruit” of the vegetable world! I think I could live on it!
The homemade marinara sauce is easy and simple with a rich tomato flavor. This sauce can be a go-to for all your pasta-like dishes. The recipe uses canned, whole tomatoes because they have a more intense flavor than fresh tomatoes and are available all year round. They also give you a more robust flavor than either diced or pureed tomatoes in a can. Just make every effort to get cans that are in BPA-free.
Canned tomatoes actually have a lot going for them. Just like all the brightly colored vegetables, they are full of carotenoids and lycopene. One of the best sources of lycopene is tomatoes cooked with fat, which is how this marinara sauce is made.
This recipe is great right out of the oven but tastes even better after it has been sitting for a while (a few hours or a day). But don’t let that stop you from digging in!
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes (800 g)
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup (60g) plus 1 tablespoon (15g) unsalted grass fed butter, cut into small pieces (set aside 1 tablespoon)
4 large basil leaves plus 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (2.5 ml)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (2.5 ml)
2 small or 1 large celery root (about 1.5 lbs. or 570 g)
10 oz. loose Italian sausage, raw or cooked (284 g) (you can also use sausage links)
8 ounces brown mushrooms, sliced (230 g)
1/4 cup whole cream (60ml)
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (22 g)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 °F/218 °C.
The Sauce:
Pour the tomatoes into a 13×9 baking dish (or similar size). Crush and break up the tomatoes very well using your hands. Add the onion, garlic, 1/4 cup/60g butter, 4 basil leaves, oregano and salt. Mix well to combine. Roast in the oven, mixing a few times, for 35 minutes, until thick.
While the sauce roasts, prep the celery root:
Put a pot of water on to boil. Trim off the outside skin and cut it into “sheets” 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick. Rinse. Cut the sheets into “noodles” that are about 3/8” wide (9.5 mm) (like a thin French fry) then cut these in half so they’re about the size of penne pasta. Toss the celery root into a pot of boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes, just until fork tender but not mushy. Drain and set aside.
The sausage:
Cook the sausage in a wide skillet over medium-high heat until completely cooked through, if raw. Remove the sausage from the skillet and add the mushrooms with the remaining tablespoon of butter. Cook until the mushrooms are nicely browned and the moisture has evaporated. In a large bowl, mix together the roasted tomato sauce, celery root, sausage, mushrooms, 1/4 cup/60g chopped basil, and whole cream. Mix well to combine and add salt to taste. Spread the mixture out in a 2-quart/2 liter baking dish. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Bake at 425 °F/218 °C, uncovered, for 25 minutes. If you want to crisp up the top, put under the broiler for 3 to 5 minutes.