Early Dinner Pasta With Hidden Veggie Sauce

Ingredients

early dinner pasta with hidden veggie sauce starts with the groceries below, plus a realistic about 30 minutes (sauce makes ahead) window.

• 1 lb penne or rotini
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1 medium zucchini, grated
• 1 red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, for serving

How to Make It

Use the simplest way through early dinner pasta with hidden veggie sauce, then add only the detail that helps kids eat.

• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and cook the onion, carrot, zucchini, and bell pepper for 8 minutes until soft.
• Add the garlic and oregano and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
• Stir in the marinara and salt, bring to a simmer, and cook 5 minutes.
• Blend the sauce smooth with an immersion blender or a regular blender so the vegetables disappear.
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta in salted boiling water until tender, about 10 minutes, then drain.
• Toss the pasta with the warm sauce and serve topped with Parmesan.

Timing Before Practice

If the sauce is already made, this is a 15-minute meal, so start when the pasta water is on.

• T-minus 30: bring the pasta water to a boil and reheat the sauce
• T-minus 15: drain the pasta and toss with sauce for early eaters
• T-minus 5: water bottles and shoes, no new cooking

Make It Ahead or Save Leftovers

The blended sauce is the whole point of making ahead and it freezes beautifully.

• Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead and refrigerate it
• Freeze sauce in 2-cup portions for future practice nights
• Reheat saucy leftover pasta with a splash of water to loosen it
• Serve with: garlic bread, steamed broccoli

Parent Tip

Grate the zucchini and carrot on the large holes of a box grater so they melt into the sauce when blended.