Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce

5 from 74 votes

A delicious veggie pasta sauce, crammed full of 6 different vegetables. Perfect for picky eaters or just a great way to add more veg to your family's diet. No added salt or sugar. Great for a pasta sauce or for topping pizzas. It can also be used to replace a can of chopped tomatoes in most recipes.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Meal

Cuisine: Sauce

Servings:

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Amy

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions ,finely chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
3 celery stalks ,trimmed and finely chopped
2 medium leeks ,trimmed and finely chopped
2 medium carrots ,peeled and finely chopped
2 medium red bell peppers (capsicum) ,finely chopped
1 medium zucchini (courgette) ,finely chopped
2 28oz cans (4 x 400g cans) crushed tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste (tomato puree)
2 cups (500ml) stock/broth (chicken or vegetable) *SEE NOTE 1

Instructions

Heat the oil in a LARGE saucepan, over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and mixed herbs and stir for a couple of minutes.
Add the remaining vegetables (celery, leeks, carrots, capsicum, zucchini) and cook, covered, over medium-low heat for around 20 minutes. Continually check and stir the vegetables, you want them to soften but not burn.
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and stock (SEE NOTE 1). Stir until combined. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer for a further 20 mins.
Allow to cool slightly and then blend until smooth (SEE NOTE 2). Taste and season accordingly (do not season if making for a baby).
Allow to fully cool before pouring the sauce into containers/zip lock bags for storing. (SEE NOTE 3)

Video

Notes

Depending on how thick you like your pasta sauce you may wish to reduce the amount of stock used. Start with one cup and add more if needed. Use homemade stock (or water) if serving to a baby / young child to reduce sodium levels.
You can blend using a stick blender or high-speed blender. If using a blender you will have to do this in batches due to the volume of sauce.
This recipe makes A LOT of sauce. (Around 2.6kg which is roughly the equivalent of 6-7 commercial jars of pasta sauce.) The reason I make so much is so I only have to make it occasionally and can freeze the remaining sauce for quick and easy weeknight meals. If you prefer you could half or even quarter the recipe.

Nutritional information is an ESTIMATE only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator. Facts should be used as a guide only. Facts are based on the recipe making 19 portions (each portion being around ⅓ of a standard-sized jar of pasta sauce)

Nutrition