Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce Recipe
This Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce is a nutrient-packed and flavorful homemade sauce that cleverly incorporates a variety of finely chopped vegetables to boost your intake without compromising taste. Slow-simmered and blended to a smooth consistency, it’s ideal for family meals and perfect for freezing for convenient weeknight dinners.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: Approximately 2.6 kg (about 19 servings, 1/3 standard jar each) 1x
- Category: Main Meal
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Sauce
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tsp dried Italian herbs
- 3 celery stalks, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 medium leeks, trimmed and finely chopped
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 medium red bell peppers (capsicum), finely chopped
- 1 medium zucchini (courgette), finely chopped
Tomato & Liquids
- 4 x 400g cans (28oz total) crushed tomatoes
- 1 tbsp tomato paste (tomato puree)
- 2 cups (500ml) stock or broth (chicken or vegetable)
Instructions
- Heat oil and sauté aromatics: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onions, minced garlic, and dried Italian herbs, stirring for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
- Cook vegetables: Add the chopped celery, leeks, carrots, red bell peppers, and zucchini to the pan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the vegetables to soften without burning.
- Add tomatoes and stock and simmer: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, the tablespoon of tomato paste, and 2 cups of stock or broth. Stir everything together, bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 20 more minutes to develop flavors.
- Blend to smooth: After simmering, let the sauce cool slightly. Using a stick blender or a high-speed blender in batches, blend the sauce until it reaches a smooth consistency. Taste and season as desired, except if preparing for a baby.
- Cool and store: Allow the sauce to fully cool before transferring it into containers or zip lock bags for storage. This sauce freezes well for later use.
Notes
- Adjust the thickness by reducing the amount of stock to your preference; start with one cup and add more if needed.
- For babies or young children, use homemade stock or water to lower sodium content and avoid seasoning.
- Blending can be done with a stick blender directly in the pot or in batches if using a high-speed blender due to the large quantity.
- This recipe yields approximately 2.6 kg of sauce, equivalent to about 6-7 commercial jars. You may halve or quarter the recipe if desired.
- Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a general guideline based on 19 portions from the full batch.
Keywords: hidden vegetable pasta sauce, homemade pasta sauce, vegetarian pasta sauce, veggie-packed sauce, healthy pasta sauce, make-ahead sauce
Find it online: https://cheframi.com/hidden-veg-pasta-sauce-recipe/
