Hidden Veggie Tomato Sauce (Print Version)

Tomato sauce enriched with pureed carrots, zucchini, and spinach for added nutrition and flavor.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
02 - 1 medium zucchini, chopped
03 - 2 cups fresh spinach, washed and roughly chopped
04 - 1 medium onion, chopped
05 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Sauce Base

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste

→ Seasonings

09 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
10 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
11 - 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar (optional)

→ Optional

14 - 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 - Fresh basil, for garnish

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic, sauté until softened, about 3 minutes.
02 - Add peeled and chopped carrots and chopped zucchini. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally until vegetables start to soften.
03 - Add the fresh chopped spinach and cook until wilted, approximately 2 minutes.
04 - Stir in crushed tomatoes and tomato paste until fully combined.
05 - Add dried oregano, dried basil, salt, black pepper, and sugar if using. Stir to blend flavors and bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are very tender.
07 - Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Purée the sauce until smooth using an immersion blender or transfer to a blender in batches.
08 - Return sauce to heat if necessary, adjust seasoning to taste, and stir in grated Parmesan if desired. Serve hot over pasta and garnish with fresh basil.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Your family gets an extra serving of vegetables without the texture negotiations that usually come with dinner.
  • The sauce tastes so genuinely rich and complex that nobody suspects you've blended an entire garden into it.
02 -
  • Don't skip the tomato paste—that concentrated umami is what makes this sauce taste like it's been simmering for hours instead of thirty minutes.
  • If your sauce tastes too thin after blending, simmer it uncovered for a few more minutes to let some liquid evaporate and the flavors concentrate.
03 -
  • Use an immersion blender rather than transferring to a countertop blender—it's easier, faster, and you're less likely to burn yourself with hot sauce.
  • If you accidentally make it too thick, thin it with pasta water instead of more tomatoes, which keeps the balanced flavor intact.
Go Back