Pepperoni-Spiced Marinara Sauce (Vegetarian)

I know that pepperoni is not the healthiest thing in the world. That’s not breaking news.

And when we’re making pizza or calzones at home, we generally keep things vegetarian (unless I’m forced to buy a bag of ‘ronis for a client’s recipe assignment. Twist my arm!)

But the flavors of pepperoni are way too good to give up entirely. Smoky, tangy, salty, with a whisper of fennel—it’s the definition of chef’s kiss, sì?

That’s why I created this vegetarian pepperoni-spiced marinara sauce. Each spoonful tastes just like you simmered a bunch of sliced rounds in the sauce for a few hours.

But I promise you there’s no meat to be found anywhere in this recipe. Instead, a homemade pepperoni spice blend is responsible for the uncannily authentic flavor here.

What’s in the pepperoni spice blend?

To make this spice blend, you’ll need:

• fennel and anise seeds for that distinctively “Italian” herby flavor and a bit of sweetness. Don’t substitute the big star anise pods here—it’s the tiny seeds you need
• red pepper flakes for a bit of heat
• smoked Spanish paprika for, duh, smokiness
• ground mustard a little sour bite. It’s a subtle flavor but it makes a difference
• and, of course, salt and pepper. You can’t have pepperoni without salt!

Because I use fresh chopped onion and garlic in my marinara sauce, I omit them in this particular version of my pepperoni spice blend.

But if you want to play around and experiment with other ways to use this power-packed pepperoni spice, I suggest adding onion and garlic flakes or powder to your taste and see how you like it.

An inexpensive coffee grinder does the job as a spice grinder. You can also use a mini food processor in a pinch, though the seeds may not be as finely ground in this instance.

Once you have your pepperoni spice blend, it’s easy to make the sauce itself.

Sauté your base of onions and fresh garlic cloves in a generous amount of olive oil. You’ll need that extra fat and moisture to give the sauce body, since we’re not getting any fat from beef or pork here.

Once the onions and garlic are super soft and translucent—almost a spreadable paste—it’s time to add the spice blend and canned tomatoes.

For this version of marinara sauce, I use both tomato puree and crushed tomatoes for a smooth texture. If you want a chunkier sauce, feel free to substitute one of those cans with whole tomatoes and crush them by hand.

Simmer to let the flavors meld, and you’re ready to eat.

Ways to use this versatile sauce

Use this pepperoni-spiced marinara sauce in any recipe that calls for a tomato-based sauce. Start with these recommendations, and go from there.

• as a spicy pasta sauce
• as a pizza or calzone sauce—use my never-fail beer pizza dough
• as a dipping sauce for breadsticks
• spread thinly on foccacia for a pizza bread
• as a dipping sauce for fritto misto or grilled zucchini
• whisked into a pizza-inspired frittata
• as a simmer sauce for eggs in purgatory
• spread inside a grilled cheese sandwich

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Pepperoni-Spiced Marinara Sauce

Yield: 8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

This pepperoni-spiced marinara sauce is vegetarian, but has all the tangy, smoky, salty flavors of pepperoni simmered into a simple tomato sauce.

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Ingredients

Pepperoni Spice

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• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Marinara Sauce

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• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (28-ounce) can tomato puree

Instructions

Make the pepperoni spice blend:

1. Add the fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and anise seeds to a spice grinder and pulse a few times to coarsely chop.
2. Add the paprika, mustard, salt, and pepper and grind to a powder.

Make the marinara:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large (5- to 7-quart) Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pan over medium-low heat until shimmering.
2. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until the onion is very soft and translucent.
3. Stir in both cans of tomatoes and the pepperoni spice blend.
4. Cover and bring to a simmer.
5. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes. The sauce will thicken and slightly darken in color.
6. Serve with your favorite pasta, as a pizza or calzone sauce, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 98Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 199mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g

The nutritional information above is computer-generated and only an estimate.

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