Vegan Red Mexican Sauce

This delicious vegan red Mexican sauce is going to blow your mind! It has lots of flavor and the perfect amount of heat. I use it as the basic tomato sauce that I add to everything, not just Mexican dishes.
I always make a big batch and store it in small containers in the freezer; this was I can add it to whatever recipe I want.

If you don’t like spicy sauces change the amount of pepper to your liking. I love some heat, especially for Latin dishes, but quite often I reduce the spiciness so I can add it to soups and stews without overpowering the dish. Even though this tomato sauce is very Mexican, I find it works perfectly with Indian curries and stews.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup Spanish onion, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 cups chopped tomatoes (4 to 6medium)
• 1 cup water or tomato juice
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• cayenne pepper to taste
• 4 to 6 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 4 teaspoons)
• fresh chopped cilantro for topping

Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized saucepan. After oil is hot, add the onion and salt, and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, or until the onion is translucent, then add cumin, chili powder, and saute for about 5 minutes more.
2. Add chopped tomatoes and cover with water or juice. Bring to a boil, partially cover, and lower heat. Simmer for 30 minutes (or even longer), then add the black pepper, cayenne, and garlic, at any time during the cooking 9the later you add the more distinct its presence). Add the cilantro at the end.
3. Using an immersion blender, puree the sauce to your liking.