
6 Veggie Hidden Pasta Sauce
6 Veggie Hidden Pasta Sauce
Sarah Butler
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Servings
3-4
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
25 minutes
Fussy eaters, I think most households can relate and it can cause much stress at dinnertime.
Whether due to texture aversions, strong preferences, or reluctance to try new foods, picky eating can make mealtimes stressful. The difficulty often lies in balancing their preferences with nutritional needs, requiring creativity and patience to navigate, but I have my secret sauce to share with you.
This sauce has received rave reviews and reduced mealtime stress in so many homes. The trick is to blend the vegetables into a smooth, flavorful base, making them virtually undetectable in dishes like pasta and used a pizza base, fussy eaters enjoy meals they love without realizing they’re consuming nutrient-rich ingredients. And the grown up’s love it too!
This approach encourages gradual exposure to vegetables, potentially easing picky eaters into acceptance of healthy foods over time. Hidden vegetable sauces transform mealtime struggles into seamless opportunities for improved eating habits.
Ingredients
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200g tomatoes quartered
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1 small white onion
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1 celery stick cubed into ½ inch pieces
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1 carrot cubed into ¼ inch pieces
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1 red pepper cubed into ½ inch pieces
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3 garlic cloves halved
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2 tbsp olive oil
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1 tbsp butter melted
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Salt and freshly ground pepper
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1 tbsp tomato purée
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A handful of fresh basil and parsley or 1 tbsp dried herbs like basil, thyme, oregano, or parsley.
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Optional extra: Dash of fresh cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 200C/180C fan/ gas 6.
Combine the tomatoes, onion, celery, courgette, carrot, pepper and garlic in a large bowl. Coat everything well with the olive oil and butter.
Season with salt and pepper.
Spread the vegetables evenly on a baking tray, spacing them out as much as possible, ensuring they don’t overlap.
Roast for 25 minutes covered in tin foil until everything is softened and a fork removes easily when inserted into them.
If they need a little more time to soften, roast for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Place the vegetables in a deep jug with the tomato purée, basil and parsley.
Blend with a stick blender until smooth.
Pour in a little water to thin the sauce if you prefer a thinner consistency.
Season to taste.
Serve with cooked pasta or use as a pizza base sauce.
Recipe Note
Tip:
Add cooked chicken or crispy bacon to this pasta sauce to get a little protein in.
I also love to spread in on top of bagels with grated cheddar and grill for a tasty after school snack.
If you have any sauce leftover, it will keep in a jam jar for 5 days refrigerated, handy to have to add to cooked pasta on those busy days!