Hidden Veggie Marinara Sauce Recipe is a secretly healthy pasta sauce made with onions, carrots, celery, mushroom, garlic, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and a few other pantry essentials. It’s 30 minutes start to finish and promises to deliver ALL the veggies to finicky eaters. Let’s just keep it our little secret.
Hidden Veggie Marinara Sauce
Not everyone loves vegetables, but everyone loves pasta!
So I came up with a homemade marinara sauce recipe that’s secretly loaded with vegetables.
The secret to anyone’s success of getting finicky eaters to eat vegetables is all in how you prepare the vegetables.
For this homemade marinara sauce, you’ll want the veggies chopped as finely as possible so they’ll cook down easily and lend to the texture of the finished product.
Mincing veggies might be the most challenging part of this recipe because not everyone has ninja knife skills.
How do you mince vegetables with a dull knife?
You don’t! You do this instead…
1. run the veggies over a box grater
2. shred the veggies in a food processor, but ONLY use the shredding disc attachment. Otherwise…baby food.
In the end, minced, sautéed veggies lend so nicely to the flavor and texture of this sauce.
Especially those mushrooms…they are my favorite meat substitute in practically any meal.
Homemade Marinara Sauce Recipe with all the veggies (the steps):
- sauté the veggies
- add the liquids and seasonings
- simmer until thickened
- serve over your favorite pasta
I know, I know. Sounds too simple…but it really is that simple!
Once you make this recipe, you’ll be a pro and wonder why you haven’t been making homemade marinara sauce with hidden veggies all these years!
Hidden Veggie Marinara Sauce Recipe Ingredients:
- extra virgin olive oil
- red onion
- garlic
- carrots
- celery
- portobello mushroom
- canned tomatoes
- tomato paste
- Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper
- (optional) crushed red pepper flakes
- bay leaf
- (optional) vodka
Tools I use for this recipe:
Want more of my easy, vegan, pasta recipes?
Try my Sesame Kale Noodles made with kale, Brussels sprouts, sesame seeds, and noodles, in a creamy tahini sauce.
Or, for a zoodle-noodle recipe, check out my Zoodle Quinoa Power Bowl For Busy People. This recipe is so delish and easy to make, it should be in my regular rotation!
Optional secret ingredient in this marinara sauce
You’ll notice that VODKA is an optional ingredient for this recipe.
Since this is not a lengthy simmer sauce, the vodka adds a certain depth of flavor in the short cooking time.
Don’t worry, the alcohol burns off during the cooking process, so you won’t get sauced, or even remotely tipsy, when you eat it 🙂
Traci Antonovich
Yields 2 quarts
Secretly healthy marinara sauce made with everyday veggies and pantry essentials.
10 minPrep Time
20 minCook Time
30 minTotal Time
Save Recipe5 based on 14 review(s)
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 cup Red Onion (minced)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 2 med Carrots (minced)
- 1 stalk Celery (minced)
- 1 Portobello Mushroom (finely chopped)
- 1 28oz can Whole Peeled Tomatoes
- 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
- 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 1/2 tsp Fresh Black Pepper
- 1 Bay Leaf
- (optional) 1/2 cup Vodka
Instructions
In a heavy saucepan on medium-high, heat OLIVE OIL until shimmering (about 2 minutes).
Add RED ONION and GARLIC; sauté until fragrant and slightly translucent (about 3 minutes).
Add CARROTS, CELERY, and MUSHROOM; sauté until softened (about 4 minutes).
Add TOMATOES, TOMATO PASTE, ITALIAN SEASONING, SALT, RED PEPPER FLAKES, BLACK PEPPER, BAY LEAF, and (optional) VODKA; bring all to boil; reduce heat to low and simmer about 20 minutes (stir as needed).
Serve over your favorite pasta, garnish with Parmesan cheese (optional), or allow to cool and store in refrigerated, airtight container up to 5 days.
Notes
Serve over your favorite pasta, garnish with Parmesan cheese (optional), or allow to cool and store in refrigerated, airtight container up to 5 days.
Traci Antonovich
About my recipes: Minimal meat & more plants!
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