What makes a strongly flavored sauce (tomato gravy) that can be served with several whole foods. Tomato gravy will bring warmth to your table, whether you give it some rice (or pasta we judge not!) or chicken-fry its partner. Not only is it a simple recipe, but it is also highly adaptable based on preference. Tomato gravy sounds like a pantry friendly item you would want, particularly with its zesty base combined with it being so seasoned.
A History of Tomato Gravy
The kind of stick to your ribs comfort that only home cooked food provides, tomato gravy is a Southern cooking stalwart numero uno. During tomato abundant months in the American South, it has a high acceptance rate. In other cultures, with the inclusion of tomato-based sauce or gravy remained much prevalent in Italian or Mediterranean along with Indian cuisine also this dish changed (Eshtay).
Tomato gravy is a South classic served over grits, biscuits, right on top of fried chicken or served over rice. This was a very simple but delicious blend of tomatoes and onions with spices to form a sauce that you can pair with many different foods. But the recipe was a living document, with generations of home cooks making their adjustments garlic or sugar or maybe just a dash of vinegar.
Tomato Gravy
Tomato gravy in its face consists of tomatoes, fat oil or butter, in general and a savory seasoning basis. As I learned, the trick for great tomato sauce really is to cut the acidity of those tomatoes with some fat, but also give them depth of flavor. The guide consists of a step-by-step simple tomato gravy recipe, one that you can enjoy with several types of dishes.
Ingredients:
4 big juicy tomatoes (or 1 can of crushed tomatoes at worst)
2 Tbsp butter or olive oil
1 small onion, minced
Optional flavoring two cloves of raw garlic, chopped
1 tbsp all purpose flour (for thickening)
1 tsp sugar, optional (for acidity)
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon dried basil or Italian seasoning (optional for additional flavor)
1/4 cup of Water or vegetable broth, more if needed to reach desired consistency
Instructions For Easy Southern Style Tomato Gravy Recipe
Prepare the Tomatoes:
Tip for Preparation: If you opt to use fresh tomatoes, you’ll want to blanch them first it’ll make peeling off the skins soooo much easier. With a paring knife make a small cut in the shape of and x on the bottom end of each tomato then place them into boiling water for about 1 minute. Once the skin starts peeling, put them into an ice bath. Tomatoes peeled, deseeded and diced coarse Set aside.
Cook the Aromatics:
The butter or olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and grate in, frying until softened and translucent (5 mins) Add garlic (optional), fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the Flour:
Pour the flour onto cooked onions and garlic, stirring constantly to not get a lump. This will assist in the thickening process of your gravy. Allow the flour to cook for a few minutes more until it has began to brown, but not burn.
Add the Tomatoes:
Dump in some diced fresh tomatoes (canned tomatoes) Give it a stir and let simmer gently If it is very sour, add a teaspoon of sugar to mitigate the acidity resulting from the tomatoes.
Simmer and Thicken:
When the tomatoes begin to break apart reserve some of the water or vegetable broth to loosen up the gravy (push 1/4 cup). If you would like a thicker consistency, just simmer further to reduce the liquid or stir in just a tad more flour.
Cover for 15–20 mins stirring occasionally on low until gravy reduces to desired consistency. The slow cooking process is what builds the flavor.
Easy Southern Style Tomato Gravy Recipe
Season to Taste:
Make sure to season with a pinch of pepper and salt directly in the gravy. Optional sprinkle of dried basil, Italian seasoning or any herb or spice you prefer. You can stir in some fresh herbs (parsley, thyme) at the end of cooking to give it more aroma.
Serve and Enjoy:
The consistency and taste is now how you want to serve tomato gravy. Pour it over rice, pasta, fried chicken or biscuits for a cozy meal of your dreams. Or, you could have it as a side with some roast meat, or grilled veg.
Tips and Variations
Mix in a pinch of red cayenne pepper or finely chopped fresh chili peppers to the gravy for spicy tomato gravy.
Smoky Tomato Gravy: To make this smoky and delicious, just add a teaspoon of smoked paprika or chipotle powder while cooking the onions.
Creamy Tomato Gravy A tablespoon of heavy cream or half and half added to the car during the last few minutes of cooking will give you a creamy rich gravy.
Modification with some herbal spice e.g. oregano, thyme or rosemary and many like a Mediterranean sauce alternative Some fresh basil taken 2 minutes before serving makes taste buds sing!
What to Serve With Tomato Gravy
Tomato gravy is very versatile and goes well with a number of food items. Here are a few ideas:
When the subject of tomato gravy is raised (which happens more often than you might imagine) it usually leads to a heated discussion on how best to serve up Tomato Gravy over grits or biscuit. The gravy itself is so robust and the complete opposite of the delicacy of mild grits and flaky bits.
Comfort Food with Fried Chicken You can not get more serious comfort food than a fried chicken dish over my house made preserved tomato gravy. The chicken absorbs the gravy that makes it soft and delicious!
Pasta: Tomato gravy can be converted to an equally delicious pasta sauce in seconds. Toss it with spaghetti, penne or rigatoni for an easy peasy rustic Italian type meal.
Over Roasted Vegetables Add some tomato gravy over roasting veges like potatoes, carrots, and capsicum for a hearty veggie meal.
Conclusion
There are some traditional recipes like prepare gravy with tomato, which generations after generations has been accomplished. Its vinegary, tart flavor complements many foods and is suitable in all meals. This pleasantly versatile tomato gravy adds a little more finesse to your dishes, while still very much on the salty ngelona side it takes only three or four common ingredients, and time. Once prepared this tomato gravy will undoubtably become a kitchen staple, served over rice, grits and/or pasta.
