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–+ servings
mason jar filled with veggie pasta sauce on a wooden tray

Hidden Veggie Pasta Sauce

Amanda
This simple hidden veggie pasta sauce is packed full of flavor. Loaded with your favorite fresh garden vegetables, this light and easy sauce is perfect for pasta! 
5 from 11 votes
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Sauces
Cuisine Italian
Servings 32 servings
Calories 34 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 medium red bell pepper
  • 1 medium orange bell pepper
  • 1 medium zucchini
  • 1 medium yellow summer squash
  • 3 medium tomatoes
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ½ teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 28 ounces canned tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ cup grated pecorino romano cheese

Instructions
 

  • Roughly chop all of the vegetables and set aside.
  • Heat a large skillet or pan on the stove top over medium heat with the olive oil.
  • Add in all of the chopped fresh vegetables and cook for 10-15 minutes until the vegetables are slightly softened. 
  • Reduce the heat to medium low and stir in the tomato sauce. Allow the sauce to simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are completely softened and easily mashed.
  • Puree the sauce in a blender, working in batches if needed, to the desired consistency.
  • Add the blended sauce back to the pan and mix in the garlic powder and cheese.  
  • Use the sauce immediately or cool and store for later use.

Notes

  • Cut all of the fresh vegetables into similar sized pieces for even cooking. Cut them smaller to reduce cooking time.
  • Use a high powered blender to help blend the sauce super smooth. Make sure to start on low speed to prevent it from exploding out the top of the blender.
 

Substitutions and Variations

  • Veggies - Add carrots, kale, eggplant, spinach or other squash varieties.
  • Tomato Sauce - Store bought or homemade marinara sauce could also be used.
  • Fresh Herbs - Add fresh basil, oregano or parsley at the end, right before blending to add extra flavor. Dried herbs, like Italian seasoning, can be used, but should be added at the beginning when cooking the fresh vegetables.
  • Spicy - Dice up 1-2 fresh jalapeños and cook them with the other veggies.
  • Vegan - Omit the pecorino romano cheese.
 

Storage Suggestions

  • This sauce produces approximately 2 quarts of sauce. Make sure to cool completely before storing it in airtight containers for use later. It will keep for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator and up to 3 months in the freezer.
  • For easy use and quick defrosting, store the sauce in smaller quantities. Typically 1 ½ cups of sauce is used for 1 pound of pasta..
  • Frozen sauce should be defrosted in the refrigerator or in a large bowl of cool water.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 34kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 1gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 2mgSodium: 187mgPotassium: 160mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 467IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
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