Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce for Kids Recipe
This Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce is a nutritious and delicious way to sneak a variety of roasted vegetables into a flavorful sauce perfect for kids. Roasting the vegetables enhances their natural sweetness while blending them into a smooth sauce makes it appealing for even picky eaters. Made with garlic, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash, bell pepper, tomatoes, mushrooms, and seasonings, this sauce is simple to prepare and pairs wonderfully with any pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: About 4 cups of pasta sauce, enough for 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 1 head garlic, unpeeled
- 2 large carrots
- 1 small yellow squash
- 1 small zucchini
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 6–8 fresh Roma tomatoes
- 1/2 medium onion
- 4–6 oz white mushrooms
Seasonings and Oil
- 2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for the garlic
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Heat the oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Use two sheet pans if your pan is small.
- Prepare Garlic: Cut about 1/4 inch from the top of the garlic head. Drizzle it lightly with olive oil and wrap tightly in foil. Set aside to roast with the vegetables.
- Chop Vegetables: Cut carrots, squash, and zucchini into even sticks by quartering lengthwise and halving crosswise. Halve the bell pepper and discard seeds. Slice tomatoes in half top to bottom. Halve large mushrooms if needed. Leave onion half intact.
- Toss Veggies: Place all chopped vegetables on the prepared sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Toss well to coat everything evenly.
- Roast Vegetables and Garlic: Add the foil-wrapped garlic to the sheet pan with the veggies. Roast in the oven for 35-45 minutes until vegetables are soft, stirring halfway through. Rotate sheet pans if using two.
- Blend Sauce: Transfer all roasted vegetables to a high-speed blender. Unwrap roasted garlic and squeeze the softened cloves from their skins into the blender. Blend until smooth. Add a little water or broth if the sauce is too thick.
- Serve: Serve the hidden veggie sauce warm with your favorite cooked pasta.
Notes
- Roasting the vegetables brings out natural sweetness, making the sauce tastier for kids.
- Adjust the thickness of the sauce by adding water or vegetable broth while blending.
- Use a high-speed blender for the smoothest texture, especially for younger children.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Feel free to add extra herbs or a pinch of red pepper flakes for more flavor if desired.
Keywords: hidden veggie pasta sauce, kids pasta sauce, roasted vegetable sauce, healthy pasta sauce, vegetable sauce, Italian sauce, roasted garlic sauce
Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/hidden-veggie-pasta-sauce-for-kids-recipe/
