Hidden veg pasta sauce

If you want to sneak some extra portions of vegetables into your kids, this hidden veg pasta sauce is the perfect recipe. It’s such an easy recipe, kids can even help to make it.

Hidden veg pasta sauce is a great way of sneaking some extra veg and nutrients into your kids.

I don’t know about you, but I’m always trying to get some extra portions of vegetables into my little ones. As much as I’d like to think I can keep presenting them with carrots or broccoli on the side of their plate for them to eat, sometimes it’s nice to avoid the battle and just sneak a few into their dinner which is why this hidden veg pasta sauce is perfect.

I prefer to make our own sauces, as we’ve all heard about the levels of sugar that can find their way into shop bought jars of sauce and they really don’t have to be difficult or too time consuming. This one is great, because as well as tomatoes, it hides away carrots, celery, leek and peppers, so as well as being quick, easy and tasty, it’s really good for you. You can also add other vegetabls you have lying around – things like courgette, or butternut squash would also work in it.

If you want a quick midweek meal, this can be made as a big batch at the weekend, and kept in the fridge for a few days, or freeze it for up to three months. It’s also perfect for babies and toddlers if you freeze it in individual portions in ice cube trays.

We normally just serve it with pasta, but it also works as a pizza sauce if you make your own pizzas.

How can kids help to make this hidden veg sauce?

If you want to get your kids involved in making the sauce there are few easy jobs they can help with. Once kids are old enough to be trusted with small knives and peelers they can help prepare the vegetables for the sauce. Younger children, might be able to help peel the onion if you give it a start. It’s a way for them to get involved without using anything sharp.

Again, older children can help add the ingredients to your pan, and stir them together. But the favourite job for both of my kids is getting to use the stick blender to blend it smooth.

Other pasta recipes for kids

If your children enjoy this hidden veg pasta sauce, they might enjoy making and eating some of our other easy pasta recipes:

Creamy Italian sausage pasta
Chicken and red pesto pasta
Roasted red pepper pasta
Creamy lemon chicken pasta
Sausage pasta
Slow cooker bolognese
Bacon mac and cheese
Homemade pasta

Useful equipment

You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this hidden veg pasta sauce
Chopping board
Saute pan
Measuring spoons
Wooden spoons
Stick blender

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Time: 40 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Serves: 6

Ingredient

1 large onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 sticks of celery
1 leek
3 carrots
2 peppers
2 tins of chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp caster sugar
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

How to make hidden veg sauce

Prepare the vegetables for your hidden veg sauce

Depending on their age your kids can help with preparing different vegetables. If they are younger get them to help peel the onions, garlic and carrots. If they are a bit older they can help chop the peppers, carrots, leeks and celery.

Cook the vegetables

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion, garlic, celery, leek and carrots for 10-15 minutes until they have softened.

Add the peppers to your pan and cook for another 10 minutes or so.

Finally, get your kids to help add the tins of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Give everything a stir, cover and leave to simmer for at least 20 minutes.

Once it’s ready, remove from the heat and use a hand/stick blender to puree the sauce until it is smooth.

Serve with pasta or use as a topping on some homemade pizza.

Hidden veg sauce

cookingwithmykids

If you want to sneak some extra portions of vegetables into your kids, this hidden veg pasta sauce is the perfect recipe.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Calories 83 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 1 large onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 leek
• 3 carrots
• 2 peppers
• 2 400g tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

 

Prepare the vegetables

• Peel and chop the onion and garlic, and chop the other vegetables into small pieces.
  

Cook the vegetables

• Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan and gently cook the onion, garlic, celery, leek and carrots for 10-15 minutes until they have softened.
• Add the peppers to your pan and cook for another 10 minutes or so.
• Add the tins of tomatoes, sugar and vinegar. Give everything a stir, cover and leave to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
• Once it's ready, remove from the heat and use a hand/stick blender to puree the sauce until it is smooth.

Keyword vegetarian

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