This recipe for Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce really packs a punch as the flavour of the vegetables is enhanced by them being roasted. It contains peppers, courgettes, tomatoes and onions. I used cashew nuts to make the sauce creamy.
It’s important get your five servings a day of fruit and vegetables and this sauce helps with that by having several serving in one meal.
The best thing is the vegetables are hidden so its a great way to get children to eat them which is not always easy. I often grated vegetables when my children were small so they wouldn’t notice they were eating them.
If you are worried about nut allergy you can leave out the cashews and use a vegan cream instead. I used the cashews to add protein. You can also use cooked beans and blend them into the sauce to add protein if you prefer.
Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce is also great at this time of year when if growing your own vegetables, you have a glut of them. I grew the courgettes, onions and tomatoes I used in this recipe.
The recipe is very flexible as you can use whatever vegetables you want carrots, aubergines or sweet potatoes would be good too.
The recipe couldn’t be any easier. All the vegetables are roasted together on a tray in the oven then simply blended with all the other ingredients until smooth.
I love this sauce not only because it’s easy to make but it’s rich with flavor. The vegetables roast at a high temperature and caramelize. This makes them sweet and intensifies the flavour, especially the tomatoes.
Cashews make the sauce creamy and add protein but they need to be soaked first. Either soak them overnight in cold water or by pouring boiling water over the cashews and letting them sit for 1-2 hours. Drain and add to sauce.
HOW TO ROAST VEGETABLES
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas 6. Cut the the bell pepper, courgette and onion into roughly equal sized pieces.
If you use big tomatoes then quarter them, I used cherry tomatoes so I left them whole. Spread on a baking tray, toss them with a little olive oil and bake for 30 minutes.
Let them roast until the edges are ever-so-slightly charred as this will give you the best flavour.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted water. Before you drain it, set aside 1 1/2 cups of the starchy pasta water. I like to cook the pasta when the vegetables are almost done roasting.
HOW TO MAKE THE PASTA SAUCE
Transfer the roasted vegetables to a bowl and add the pepper, onion salt, mixed herbs, garlic powder, cashews and tomato puree. Pour in the milk. Blend and add the nutritional yeast.
I used a stick blender as I like a chunky sauce with bits of vegetables in it but if you want a smoother sauce, use a blender.
The sauce will be thick but you can thin it to your desired consistency with some of the water the pasta was cooked in.
When you cook the pasta don’t drain all of the pasta water: Pasta water is a great addition to the sauce. Add the water to your sauce before adding the pasta. The salty, starchy water not only adds flavor but helps glue the pasta and sauce together.
I love this Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce because it’s thick and it holds on to the pasta. There is nothing worse than runny pasta sauce that slides off your pasta. This sauce is great for all pasta dishes, pizza, a soup base or as a dip.
I like to make extra of this sauce and freeze it so I have it ready to go when I want a quick meal everyone loves. Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce can be frozen up to 4 months. Defrost overnight when ready to use
Did you make this recipe? Take a pic and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #aveggiecooks and tag @aveggiecooks__. I would love to see it!
Roast Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 70 Grams Cashew Nuts
- 3 Bell Peppers
- 2 Courgettes
- 2 Onions
- 4 Large Tomatoes
- 1 Tablespoon Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Herbs
- 1 Tablespoon Dried Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Puree
- Salt and pepper
- 200 Mils Dairy Free Milk
- 200 Mils Pasta Water
Instructions
- Cover cashews with boiling water and leave to soak for 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 220°C/425°F/Gas Mark
- Chop all the vegetables into chunks. Place on baking tray and toss in the oil.
- Roast for 30 minutes until lightly charred.
- Place in a large bowl if using stick blender or in blender jug if using blender.
- Add all the other ingredients apart from the pasta water.
- Blend until smooth. Thin to desired consistency with the pasta water.
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