Vegetarian mains
Hidden veg pasta sauce
An old trick but a classic for a reason – it works! If someone in your family struggles to try new veg or eat a wider variety, this tomato sauce might be the first step to change. It is freighted with a few complimentary passengers that enhance the flavour and boost the veg count; all without drastically changing the central flavour. The pepper and the squash bring natural sweetness and the mushroom adds savoury depth without being too overt. Leave it chunky if you want to celebrate and identify the veg or blend it smooth for maximum subterfuge.
Cook's notes
You can make a game of the meal by challenging people to guess the added ingredients. The winner is excused form all washing up duties.
Ingredients
- 1 red onion – finely diced
- 2 celery stalks – finely diced
- 80g mushrooms – finely chopped
- 1 red pepper- finely diced
- 200g squash/sweet potato/carrots – coarsely grated
- 1 garlic clove – finely chopped
- ½ tsp freshly chopped thyme or oregano leaves
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 200g stock or water
- 400g pasta
- Parmesan, or vegetarian/vegan equivalent, to serve
- olive oil
- salt & pepper
Method
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Step 1
Warm 2 tablespoons of oil in a saucepan and add the onion and celery with a good pinch of salt. Cook gently on a low heat for 8-10 minutes until starting to soften.
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Step 2
Now add the mushrooms, pepper and squash. Cook for a further 10 minutes until softening too.
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Step 3
Add the garlic, thyme, vinegar, tomatoes and water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes until you have a thick, rich sauce – adding a dash more water if it looks to be drying out at any point. While the sauce cooks down you can cook your pasta according to the cooking instructions.
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Step 4
Taste and tweak the seasoning of the sauce to your liking with salt and pepper. You can leave it chunky at this point or blend it until smooth.
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Step 5
Serve the sauce with the pasta and finish with Parmesan to serve.