Healthy Veggie Pasta Sauce (Vegan)
This delicious Veggie Pasta Sauce is made with six vibrant vegetables and blended smooth with raw cashews to make a flavorful healthy vegetable pasta loaded with incredible nutrients! It is perfect for sneaking vegetables into meals for any picky eaters! No one would ever guess this creamy pasta sauce is loaded with a hearty serving of vegetables! (This recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, and vegan)
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Servings: 6
Calories: 261kcal
Ingredients
- 5 Ripe Roma Tomatoes, cut in half about 1 pound
- 1 Large Zucchini cut into large chunks
- 1 Sweet or Yellow Onion cut into large chunks
- 2 Large Carrots cut into large chunks
- 1 Garlic bulb, top sliced off
- 1 Large Red Bell Pepper cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons Avocado Oil or cooking oil of choice
- 1/4 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
- 1.5 cup Vegetable Broth or broth of choice
- 1 cup Raw Cashews, soaked
Spices and Fresh Herbs For The Veggie Sauce
- 1.5 teaspoon Sea Salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon Dried Oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon Red Crushed Pepper Flakes, optional
- 1/4 cup Fresh Basil, packed
Optional Add-ins
- 1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese
- 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast (for vegan cheese option)
- 1/2 cup Canned Full Fat Coconut Milk to use instead of cashews
Instructions
Roast The Vegetables
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Chop the vegetables into large chunks. Add them to a parchment-lined baking dish and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Cut the top off the garlic, drizzle with olive oil, wrap it in foil, and add it to the baking sheet with the vegetables.
- Roast the vegetables in the oven for 40-45 minutes.
Soak The Cashews
- In a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add 2 cups of water (or enough water to cover the cashews).
- Bring the water to a boil. Then, pour in the raw cashews. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the cashews soak for at least 15 minutes (up to 1 hour).
Make The Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Once the vegetables are fully roasted and cool enough to handle add all of them to a blender. Squeeze out the garlic cloves and discard the skin. Drain the soaked cashews and add them to the blender. Pour in the broth, add the spices and basil, and blend until smooth.
- USE THE SAUCE AS DESIRED. Add the sauce to your favorite pasta shape and enjoy! If you need to warm the sauce, transfer it to a large saucepan over low to medium heat and simmer until warmed through.
Notes
Recipe Tips and Customizations
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- MAKE IT CHEESY. For a yummy vegetarian pasta sauce, stir half of a cup of parmesan cheese into your veggie pasta sauce. It will add a cheesy, nutty flavor that pairs perfectly with the sauce. You can also use nutritional yeast to keep this recipe vegan. Add about 2-3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast.
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- MAKE IT NUT-FREE. Add a half cup of canned full-fat coconut milk instead of cashews to make the sauce creamy but nut-free.
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- MAKE IT SPICY. For a tasty, spicy veggie sauce, add red crushed pepper flakes and a pinch of cayenne pepper. You can even roast a couple of jalapeños and blend them into the sauce.
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- TRY DIFFERENT VEGGIES. You can add eggplant, pumpkin, or butternut squash to the roasted vegetables for making the sauce. Both are tasty additions and will help make the sauce extra creamy.
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- ADJUST THE CONSISTENCY OF YOUR SAUCE. If you use a regular high-speed blender, you can make the sauce super smooth versus using an immersion blender, the sauce may be a bit chunkier. Blend the sauce to your desired consistency. Feel free to add more broth while blending to make the sauce thinner.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 20.4g | Protein: 8.2g | Fat: 17.4g | Saturated Fat: 2.7g | Sodium: 281mg | Potassium: 520mg | Fiber: 3.9g | Sugar: 8.3g | Calcium: 56mg | Iron: 3mg