The biggest diet mistake people of all ages make is not eating nearly enough fruits and vegetables. If you are trying to include more vegetables in your diet but don’t particularly love eating them, this Hidden Vegetable Sauce recipe is just for you!
It looks just like a conventional tomato sauce but has a much milder and more mellow flavor. Nobody (not even the kids) will be able to tell it is hiding eight different vegetables.
Hidden Vegetable Sauce recipe is delicious over whole grain pasta. It’s also delicious as a pizza topping (try this Eggplant Pizza), over baked potatoes, on top of vegetable pasta, over polenta, on top of eggs. There’s so many ways to serve the Vegetable Sauce recipe any way you might use tomato sauce.
Vegetable Sauce Recipe Hides 8 Different Veggies
I promise you cannot tell by taste, but here’s a list of the different vegetables you will find hiding in the sauce:
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Shiitake Mushroom (learn about the healing benefits of shiitake mushrooms)
- Butternut squash
- Zucchini
- Tomatoes
- Roasted red peppers
One of the best things about this recipe are leftovers! It takes about 45 minutes from start to finish to make the sauce, but you should have plenty of leftovers for the week.
How to Make this EASY Vegetable Sauce Recipe
And finally, if you do not yet own a handheld stick blender, this gadget will definitely make your life a lot easier. I use my stick blender anytime I need to puree hot soup or big batches of sauce. Using the stick blender is so much easier than waiting for the soup or sauce to cool and then batch pureeing in the blender. Of course if you do not own a stick blender you can most definitely just pour the cooled sauce in the blender and puree that way.
More Delicious Recipes with a Handheld Stick Blender
- Try this delicious Pureed Vegetable Soup loaded with hearty vegetables
- If you love a little Indian curry spice, this Creamy Coconut Curry Soup with Cauliflower is so delicious
- Carrot Ginger Soup is a perfect cold-weather recipe
Kitchen Favorites
Hidden Vegetable Sauce Recipe (with 8 Different Veggies!)
Want your family to eat more vegetables? This Hidden Vegetable Sauce is it! Nobody will ever guess it sneaks in 8 different vegetables.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 8 1x
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 8 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 3 celery stalks, chopped)
- 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
- 1 zucchini, chopped
- 1 cup frozen butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- Unrefined sea salt, to taste
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
- 1 – 28 ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 – 12 ounce roasted red peppers, rinsed and drained
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery; saute for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and saute until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butternut squash and saute until thawed, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Stir in the oregano, salt, tomato paste, coconut palm sugar, diced tomatoes and vegetable broth. Add the bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaf. Add the roasted red peppers. Use a handheld stick blender to process until smooth and creamy. Serve warm.
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LOOKING FOR MORE CLEAN EATING DINNER RECIPES?
If you liked the Hidden Vegetable Sauce recipe, be sure to check out a full month’s menu of delicious healthy dinner recipes (including weekly shopping lists!) in our Clean Cuisine Dinners digital cookbook.
Janet McGuinness
Thursday 21st of March 2024
I couldn't believe how good it tasted, I'm just venturing into vegetarian mains and this was brilliant! Didn't miss the meat at all and its so full of flavour and hearty. Just yum!
Madison Suttles
Monday 1st of April 2024
Hi Janet,
We're so happy to hear that you enjoyed our Hidden Veggie Sauce! One of our favorites here as well!
Thanks for sharing, Madison