Creamy Tomato Sauce with Hidden Veggies (vegan, gluten free)

A simple tomato pasta sauce with tons of hidden veggies. The tastiest and easiest way to sneak some veggies into your diet!

This simple blender sauce is made by simmering lots of delicious and nourishing veggies, then blending them until super smooth. I use my tried and true Vitamix for this sauce (and all of my blender sauces), for the best creamy texture.

You wouldn’t believe how easy it is to make a sauce from scratch like this! Once the veggies are chopped, it’s just a quick sauté, simmer, and blend. That’s it! A huge bonus: this sauce makes a lot, and is perfect for enjoying some right away, meal prepping some for the week, and/or storing some in the freezer to save time on meals later!

You guys know I love my pasta sauce recipes, and I never get tired of sharing new ones with you! Pasta is such a comforting and delicious meal to make at home, and I find there are so many ways to easily up the nutrients while still tasting delicious. This sauce has carrots, peppers, and celery hidden in it for tons of vitamins, minerals, and fiber added to the sauce. Additionally, onions and garlic also provide more than just flavor- they are sources of prebiotic fibers to add to your meals that can be beneficial for gut health!

As for the noodle, I used a gluten free chickpea rigatoni pasta here. You can really use any noodle you like, or even spaghetti squash! This recipe really just provides you with a delicious tomato sauce to use any way you’d like!

The exact Vitamix I have is linked here. It’s truly one of my most used kitchen items- it never fails me! From smoothies, to soups, to sauces like this one. It’s the best of the best!

I can’t wait to hear what you all think of this sauce! Be sure to leave a rating and comment below if you give this recipe a try. It means so much to me to hear from you guys! Enjoy! xo

Tomato Sauce with Hidden Veggies

★★★★★ 4.3 from 6 reviews

• Author: Mia Zarlengo
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 8 cups of sauce 1x
• Category: Lunch, Dinner

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Description

The best simple tomato sauce with tons of hidden veggies! Vegan, gluten free, and nut free. 

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 3 stalks of celery, diced
• 4–5 large carrots, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp Italian seasonings
• ½ tsp sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ cup dry red wine (optional, but adds some extra flavor)
• 2 (28 oz) cans whole peeled tomatoes and their juices

Optional Vegan Parmesan for Serving:

• 1/4 cup raw cashews
• 2 tbsp hemp seeds
• 1.5 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder

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Instructions

1. Heat a large pan with high sides over medium heat with the olive oil. Once hot, stir in the onion, peppers, celery, carrots, and garlic. Stir in the Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally, for 10-12 minutes, until veggies are soft.
2. Stir in the tomato paste, then allow to cook down for 3 minutes. Pour in the red wine and again allow to cook for for 3-4 minutes.
3. Stir in the tomatoes and their juices, slightly breaking up the tomatoes. Allow to simmer for at least 40 minutes
4. While veggies are simmering, make the vegan parmesan (optional). Add all parmesan ingredients to your blender and pulse until a fine crumb is created. Be sure not to over blend into a paste. Set aside in a small bowl.  
5. Carefully spoon the sauce ingredients into your Vitamix, then blend until super smooth. Depending on the size of your Vitamix, you may need to blend in batches.
6. Return blended sauce to your hot pan while you cook your pasta of choice before mixing with sauce and serving. *Note, this can also be served with any protein, veggies, or spaghetti squash instead of pasta!

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