Pasta with Hidden Veg Sauce
A kid-friendly pasta dish with a smooth, flavorful sauce made from carrots, zucchini, and tomatoes—delicious, comforting, and secretly healthy.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time35 minutes mins
Course: Main Course
Keyword: cream-based pasta, easy dinner recipe, pasta dinner recipe, quick and easy, quick dinner recipe, quick pasta recipe
Servings: 4
- 8 oz pasta penne, rotini, or spaghetti
- 2 carrots chopped
- 1 zucchini chopped
- 1/2 onion chopped
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Parmesan cheese optional
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped carrots, zucchini, onion, and garlic, and sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the diced tomatoes and cook for another 10 minutes, until the mixture is bubbling and the vegetables are very tender.
Transfer the cooked mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender directly in the pan. Blend until completely smooth.
While the sauce is cooking, boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain the pasta and set aside.
Toss the cooked pasta with the blended sauce, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired.
Storage: Store the sauce or pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stove or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if needed.
Top Tips: Blend thoroughly to hide all veggie bits. Add more tomatoes if you prefer a thinner sauce. Use a high-speed blender for the smoothest texture.