Hidden vegetable tomato sauce
A simple homemade tomato sauce blended with sneaky veggies for a boost of nutrition—perfect for picky eaters and busy families
Print
Pin
Share Recipe
Servings: 12
Equipment
- 1 Blender or stick blender
Ingredients
- 600 grams Plum cherry tomatoes
- 1 Red bell pepper
- 3 Medium Carrots
- 5 Stalks Celery
- 1 Courgette
- 1 Leek
- 1 Red onion
- 1 White Onion
- 1 Bulb Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dried oregano
- 15 Grams Fresh basil
- 1 Tin Chopped plum tomatoes
- 600 ml Water
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Chop the vegetables - Peel the carrots and the garlic, remove seeds from the pepper, wash all the vegetables and roughly chop. Set aside the onions and garlic from the other veg. Don't worry too much about how you chop the veg, it is going to be blended
- Warm the pan - Add a little oil to a large pot and heat it over medium. Toss in the onions and garlic and cook until they’re soft and smelling good
- Add the veggies - Stir in the carrots, pepper, courgette, Leek, cherry tomatoes, celery and dried oregano. Sautee for 5-10 minutes until they start to soften.
- Tomatoes go in - Pour in the chopped tomatoes and water. Mix well so everything gets friendly in the pot
- Simmer - Reduce the heat, cover, and let it bubble gently for 20 minutes, until all the vegetables are nice and soft.
- Blend it smooth - Turn the heat off and add the fresh basil to the pot. Use a blender or stick blender to blend the sauce until completely smooth. This is where the “hidden” part happens — no one will ever know what’s in there!!
- Taste and adjust - Add a little salt, pepper, or water if needed. If it tastes good, take a quiet moment to feel proud.
- Serve or save - Use it right away with pasta, pizza, bolognaise etc.... or cool it and freeze for an easy future meal.
Notes
- This recipe makes approximately 2000ml of sauce.
- Use it right away for pasta, pizza, lasagne, or anywhere you’d normally use tomato sauce.
- Feel free to swap in extra vegetables you have on hand — it’s a great way to reduce waste and use slightly tired vegetables
- This sauce works beautifully as a base for meatballs, chilli, or slow‑cooker dishes.
- Chop the vegetables roughly — they’ll be blended later, so no need to be precise.
- The longer the sauce simmers, the richer the flavour becomes.
- Blend until completely smooth if you’re hiding the veggies from picky eaters.
- Add extra herbs, chilli flakes, or a splash of balsamic vinegar if you want more depth.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3–4 days.
- Freeze in portions for easy weeknight meals — it keeps well for up to 3 months.
- Defrost overnight in the fridge or warm gently on the hob straight from frozen.
- If the sauce thickens after chilling or freezing, stir in a splash of water when reheating.