Print

Grains Marinara

Prevent your screen from going dark

Makes 4 servings 1x

Time 10 to 20 minutes with cooked grains

Units Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 1/2 pounds Roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
  • 4 cups any cooked grain, like brown rice, bulgur, quinoa, farro, wheatberries, or oat groats
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Put the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When it’s hot, add the onion and garlic, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften a bit, 2 or 3 minutes.
  2. Add the tomatoes, and once they start to cook, stir frequently until they reach the doneness you want: 2 or 3 minutes for just warm, 3 to 5 minutes for tender but intact, and up to 10 minutes for them to break down and make a sauce.
  3. Add the grain, stirring and breaking it up with the back of a spoon or a fork until evenly distributed and heated through. Taste and adjust the seasoning and serve, garnished with the basil.

– Recipe from The VB6 Cookbook

Recipe variations

Grains Salsa Rojo
Spicier, for sure. Use Cooked Red Salsa (or store-bought, if you must) instead of the tomato sauce; you’ll need 2 to 3 cups. Heat it until it bubbles steadily, then skip to Step 3.

Grains Salsa Verde
Gorgeous green color and bright, tangy flavor. Use Cooked Green Salsa—follow the variation above, only use canned tomatillos instead of the tomatoes—or store-bought, if you must, instead of the tomato sauce; you’ll need 2 to 3 cups. Heat it until it bubbles steadily, then skip to Step 3.