Skip to content

Vegetarian, Busy evenings

Pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce

Pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce is a complete meal for 4 people, ready in 35 minutes, very easy to make, for about €1.30 per person. The trick is blending the carrot, zucchini, onion and tomato sauce until perfectly smooth, so the vegetables disappear from sight and taste.

A tomato sauce where zucchini and carrots hide in plain sight, blended smooth so kids eat their vegetables without even noticing.

Pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce
Total time
35 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€1.30
Calories per person
430 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Fall, Winter, Summer, Spring
The kids
They generally like it

This looks like an ordinary tomato sauce, but it hides a good amount of carrots and zucchini, gently cooked down and then blended until they vanish completely. The result keeps the color and taste of a classic tomato sauce, just a touch sweeter from the carrots, lifted with parmesan and basil.

This is the dinner for nights when you don't have the energy to negotiate with kids who pick vegetables out of their plate. Everything happens in the pot, before the meal even starts, and everyone clears their plate without a fuss. Keep this one in your back pocket year round, for weeknight dinners or a quick Sunday night save.

The ingredients

4 people

Pantry

  • Pastaoften in the pantry 350 g
  • Crushed tomatoesoften in the pantry 800 g
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Fruits and vegetables

  • Zucchini 2
  • Carrots 2
  • Onion 1
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Basil 1 sprigs

Dairy

  • Grated parmesan 50 g

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the carrots, zucchini and onion into small pieces.

    Small dice cook faster.

  2. Sauté the onion, carrots and zucchini in the oil with the garlic. 8 min

    Cover halfway, they'll soften gently in their own steam.

  3. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, let simmer, then blend. 20 min

    A pinch of sugar fixes the acidity if needed.

  4. Cook the pasta in salted water, then drain. 10 min

    Save a bit of the cooking water.

  5. Toss the pasta with the sauce and serve with parmesan and basil.

    A small knob of butter in the sauce rounds it out.

Our tips to get it right

  • Cut the vegetables into evenly sized pieces so they all cook at the same pace before you blend them.
  • Blend the sauce while it's still hot, it smooths out much more easily than once it has cooled down.
  • For an even silkier sauce, stir in a splash of pasta cooking water right before blending.

The variations

  • Swap the zucchini for red bell peppers for a sweeter, more colorful sauce.
  • Stir cooked red lentils into the sauce for a protein boost, while keeping the dish vegetarian.
  • For younger kids, use small pasta shapes like ditalini, easier for little hands to eat alone.

What to serve it with

  • A simple green salad
  • Bread for mopping up sauce
  • An extra drizzle of olive oil

Storage

The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container, ideally stored separately from the pasta. It freezes well for up to 3 months in individual portions. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of water if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you use fresh tomatoes instead of canned crushed tomatoes?

Yes, use about 2.2 pounds of ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded. Let them simmer a bit longer so they release their water and soften fully before blending.

How do you make the sauce smooth enough that kids won't notice the vegetables?

Blend the hot sauce with an immersion blender for a full minute, until perfectly smooth. If small pieces remain, pass the sauce through a fine sieve.

Can you make the sauce ahead of time?

Yes, that actually works well. Make the sauce the day before, let it cool, then store it in the fridge, you'll just need to reheat it and cook the pasta at the last minute.

Can you hide other vegetables in the sauce?

Yes, a bit of pumpkin or a handful of spinach blends very well with the carrots and zucchini. Just adjust the cooking time depending on what you add.

How long does it take to make a pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce?

Count 35 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in a pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce?

About 430 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pasta with hidden vegetable tomato sauce cost?

About €1.30 per serving, or €5.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

Busy evenings and family life

See all

Recipes with carrots

See all