The thermostat is reaching triple digits outside and you haven’t even turned the oven on yet to make lunch. Ikes. Cut back on the heat in the kitchen (and the rest of the house) by utilizing no-cook recipes this summer. This recipe for no-cook tomato sauce is raw, vegan and completely heat-free. Now, that’s cool.

You don’t have to be a raw foodist to fall in love with this no-cook marinara sauce. The flavors are amazing, bursting with deep, ripe summer sweetness and greenness. Serve it over cooked pasta if you like, or go completely raw and serve it with raw zucchini “pasta.”

No-Cook Raw Tomato Sauce

2 cups chopped tomatoes

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked 1 hour

½ cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Cooked pasta or raw vegetable “pasta,” for serving

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender; blend until desired consistency is reached (chunky or smooth).
2. Serve immediately or chill sauce 2 hours for flavors to develop.

To make raw zucchini “pasta”

Use a vegetable peeler to create long “pasta” strips by drawing the peeler down all sides of a zucchini until you reach the core. Place in a medium bowl and toss with tomato sauce.

Image: diekatrin