Getting more vegetables into your meals has never been easier-or tastier! This hidden veggies pasta sauce is a game-changer for families, picky eaters, or anyone looking to pack a nutritional punch into their favorite pasta dishes. Loaded with a medley of blended vegetables, it's smooth, flavorful, and secretly healthy.
While most of us happily enjoy veggies in dishes like Pesto Roasted Vegetables and Vegetable Orzo Soup, there's always room to add even more nutrients. That's where this hidden veggies tomato sauce recipe comes to the rescue.
This vegan sauce is incredibly versatile-perfect for tossing with spaghetti, layering in lasagna, spreading on pizza or adding to vegan pizza rolls. It's just as flavorful and satisfying as our Neapolitan Pizza Sauce Recipe, and no one will guess it's packed with hidden veggies.
Plus, it's fantastic for meal prep and works wonderfully as a nutritious and fibrous addition to kids' vegan lunchboxes, giving you an easy way to keep their meals balanced and delicious when they are not at home.
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Why I Love This Recipe
- Ideal for picky eaters, those with a sensitivity to veggie textures, or anyone wanting to add more veggies to their meals.
- Most people focus on protein or carbs, but fiber often gets left out of the conversation. This tomato sauce offers a delicious way to boost fiber intake without even trying!
- This recipe is great for busy weeknights, and it is meal prep friendly, so it's great for storing, freezing, and packing into lunches - check out the recipes in 20+ Vegan Lunch Box Ideas for more inspiration.
Ingredients
This is what you'll need to make this sauce. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Cream: It is optional to make this a creamy tomato sauce. Use coconut milk, cashew cream, or a thick plant-based milk like oat milk for best results.
- Veggies Broth: I love using Better Than Bouillon paste in my recipes because it adds a rich, concentrated flavor that's easy to customize for a rich flavor.
- Sugar: The sugar is optional but does cut back the acidity of the tomatoes. Adjust to your liking.
Variations
- This sauce is versatile and works well with other veggies like cauliflower. Stick to soft, mild veggies for the best results.
- Roast the veggies instead for a deeper, roasted flavor.
- Like in my Best Vegan Lasagna, red lentils disappear in a sauce like this. Add about ¼ cup when you add the veggie broth. It thickens up the sauce, so you will need to add a bit more broth to the sauce - about ¾ cup will do the trick.
- Blend the sauce lightly for a chunkier texture. You can also use a food processor to shred or chop the veggies so finely they are hardly detectable in the sauce and you can skip the blending. This is perfect for rustic pasta dishes.
- Simmer some tofu crumbles, TVP, or other plant-based meat crumbles after pureeing the sauce for a 'meat sauce.'
How To Make Hidden Veggies Pasta Sauce
For those who like a preview, this is what you'll be doing in the pics below. See the recipe card for complete details.
Step 1: Sauté the Base: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Cook the Vegetables: Stir in zucchini, eggplant, carrot, spinach, and red bell pepper. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften slightly and the spinach wilts.
Step 3: Add Tomato Paste and Seasoning: Mix in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning, cooking for 2 minutes.
Step 4: Add Liquid: Then, add chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, sugar, and a bay leaf. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered, allowing the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften.
Step 5: Blend the Sauce: Use an immersion blender or transfer to a regular blender in batches to puree the sauce until smooth. Return it to the pot.
Step 6: Optional - Add the cream and mix well. Heat for a minute or two if the cream has cooled down.
Top Tips
- Cut the vegetables into uniform sizes, making the carrots slightly smaller to ensure even cooking.
- There's no need to fully soften the veggies while sautéing, but you'll want to cook them long enough to release their flavors and begin to tenderize as they'll finish cooking in the liquid.
- I've had my fair share of blender mishaps, so here's a tip: never fill the blender more than ½ to ¾, especially with hot liquids. For added safety, cover the lid with a kitchen towel and hold it down firmly with your hand to prevent spills or splatters.
Serving Suggestions
- Toss with your favorite pasta for a quick, wholesome meal.
- Use as a flavorful base for Best Vegan Lasagna With Tofu Ricotta or baked ziti.
- Spread on your 100% Biga Neapolitan Pizza Dough for a veggie-packed pizza night.
- Serve as a dipping sauce for garlic bread or veggie sticks.
- Use as a sauce for stuffed peppers or eggplant for a creative twist.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store the sauce in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze in portioned containers or freezer-safe bags, leaving room for expansion, and store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
- Reheating: Warm the sauce on the stovetop over low heat or in the microwave at 50%, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of water or broth if it thickens too much.
Recipe FAQS
Yes. This sauce is incredibly versatile and perfect for experimenting with different vegetables. Cauliflower and yellow squash are great choices, each adding its own unique flavor and nutrients. However, I avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes, as they can make the sauce too thick, and watery options like cucumber may dilute the flavor. Similarly, I skip pungent or too-fibrous vegetables like asparagus, as they can overpower the sauce's mild and balanced flavor. If you focus on soft, neutral veggies like pumpkin or butternut squash that blend well, they won't overwhelm it.
Fresh tomatoes work well in this recipe. Blanching and peeling is recommended for a smoother sauce but it is optional. If you choose to use them, about five to 10-12 Roma or plum tomatoes should do the trick.
Make some fresh pasta in the morning and then layer it in a thermos with vegan meatballs for a cozy lunch option. You can also use it as a pizza sauce on mini pita or tortilla pizzas that are easy to pack and eat cold or warm. Tip: To keep the pasta warm, use a high-quality thermos, fill it with boiling water, close the lid, and let it sit for 5-10 minutes while you prepare your pasta.
Got a minute? I'd love for you to comment and rate Hidden Veggies Pasta Sauce. Your feedback is invaluable-did you love it? Did you make any fun twists? Let me know how my directions worked for you so I can keep improving my recipes. Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube for inspiration.
Recipe Card
Hidden Veggies Tomato Sauce
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion roughly chopped (~150 grams)
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium zucchini roughly chopped (~230 grams)
- 1 small eggplant ~230 grams
- 2 medium carrots roughly chopped (~150 grams)
- 1 cup spinach
- 1 red bell pepper roughly chopped (~150 grams)
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1 26-ounce carton crushed tomatoes or san marzano tomatoes
- 1 cup vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional, to balance acidity
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ cup coconut milk unsweetened oat milk, or cashew cream (optional for creaminess)
Instructions
- Sauté the Base: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and garlic, cooking until fragrant and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the Veggies: Stir in the zucchini, eggplant, carrot, spinach, and red bell pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the spinach is wilted. The vegetables don't have to be completely softened as they will continue to cook in the liquid.
- Incorporate Tomatoes: Add the tomato paste and Italian seasoning and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add in the chopped tomatoes, vegetable broth, salt, pepper, sugar, and bay leaf.
- Simmer: Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 30 - 50 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the vegetables to soften further. The longer it cooks, the more flavor it develops.
- Blend Hidden Veggies: Using an immersion blender or transferring to a regular blender in batches, blend the sauce until smooth. Return the sauce to the pot.
- Finish with Creaminess (Optional): Stir in coconut milk, plant-based milk, or cashew cream for a richer, creamier sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve: Toss the sauce with your favorite pasta or use in any recipe calling for a red sauce. Sprinkle with fresh basil or vegan parmesan if desired.
Reg says
This Hidden Veggies Pasta Sauce is a simple, flavorful way to pack more vegetables into meals without anyone noticing. Perfect for pasta, lasagna, or even as a pizza sauce. It’s an easy win for weeknight dinners—give it a try and let me know what you think!