Veggie Tomato Pasta Sauce (Printable)

A vibrant tomato sauce packed with pureed veggies for added nutrition and rich flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped
02 - 1 small zucchini, chopped
03 - 1 bell pepper (red or orange), seeded and chopped
04 - 1 small onion, chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 celery stalk, chopped

→ Tomato Base

07 - 2 cans (14 oz each) crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
10 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
11 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
12 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
13 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar, optional to balance acidity

→ Optional Add-ins

15 - Pinch of red pepper flakes for heat
16 - Fresh basil, chopped, for garnish

# How To Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, zucchini, and bell pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes until vegetables soften.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add tomato paste and cook for 1 minute to develop flavor.
04 - Pour in crushed tomatoes and add oregano, basil, salt, black pepper, and sugar if using. Bring mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Cover and cook for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are very tender.
06 - Remove from heat and blend sauce until completely smooth using an immersion blender or countertop blender in batches.
07 - Return puréed sauce to low heat and simmer uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Serve sauce hot over pasta and garnish with fresh basil if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Vegetables hide seamlessly into silky smoothness, so even the skeptics at your table won't notice they're eating more greens.
  • The kitchen fills with this warm, honest smell that makes people ask what you're cooking before they even sit down.
  • It freezes beautifully, turning last night's sauce into next week's easy dinner.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of cooking tomato paste before adding liquid—that one minute makes the difference between a sauce that tastes fresh and one that tastes slightly raw.
  • If your sauce breaks or separates during blending, it's fine; a little whisking with a spoon once it's back on the heat brings it right back together, and most people won't notice anything was off.
  • The vegetables must be completely tender before you blend, or you'll end up with tiny specks that never fully disappear no matter how hard you blend.
03 -
  • If your tomatoes taste sour, add sugar just a pinch at a time until the sauce tastes round and balanced—different cans vary in acidity, so trust your taste buds over the recipe.
  • An immersion blender is worth its counter space for sauces like this; it's faster, cleaner, and you don't have to worry about the physics of blending hot liquid in a regular blender.
  • Fresh basil added right at the end tastes completely different from the dried herb you cooked with—don't skip it, because it's the final flavor that makes someone say, 'what is in this?'
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