Wonder no more about whether delicious oil-free marinara is possible! This fat-free tomato sauce uses the powers of white wine to infuse garlic flavor into the tomatoes, sans oil. Recipe is easily doubled or halved!
Add the minced garlic to a small bowl and cover with the white wine. Let sit for 15 minutes (or covered in the fridge for up to 24 hours for even better flavor) while you prep the rest of the recipe.
Heat your nonstick pan on medium-low heat. When warm, add the white wine and garlic mixture (it will bubble quite a bit), then immediately add the tomato puree.
Stir well, scraping any wine solids from the bottom of the pan. If using the fresh basil, gently bruise or tear it and then add it to the pan. Continue to simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have thickened and turned a richer red color, and the garlic is softened.
Remove the basil from the pan and discard, if using. Stir in the optional soy sauce if using, and season to taste with salt.
Notes
TOMATO TYPE: You should use puree from fresh tomatoes or whole canned tomatoes, or simply buy strained tomatoes with no other ingredients added. Canned diced tomatoes don't work well for this recipe because they don't break down well when cooked, and they typically have citric acid added to them, which will throw the sauce's acidity off balance.If you want your sauce to be a little bit chunky, you can set aside some of the whole tomatoes and hand-chop them. Or, if you can find canned diced tomatoes with no ingredients other than tomatoes, perhaps tomato juice, and salt - more likely to be available at natural stores - those can be used.