This Homemade Chunky Vegetable Pasta Sauce Recipe is loaded with bright tomatoes and lots of vegetables.
This recipe makes a huge batch of pasta sauce. I love freezing batches to have on hand for healthy, quick, and easy meals.
Homemade spaghetti sauce is surprisingly uncomplicated and easy to make. This pasta sauce is filled with vegetables like carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, eggplant, onion, and tomatoes. Along with plenty of herbs and garlic for tons of flavor.
If you love simple homemade sauces try my recipe for Spinach Pesto.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- This easy homemade pasta sauce tastes so much better than jarred sauce.
- While the cooking time is long, most of it is pretty hands-off while the sauce simmers away concentrating its flavor.
- This chunky pasta sauce is a great way to add some extra garden vegetables to your family dinner.
Need more zucchini recipes? Try this Chicken, Zucchini, and Tomato Sheet Pan Meal or these Crispy Chicken Zucchini Fritters.
Recipe Ingredients
Pasta sauce can be as simple as simmering some tomatoes and maybe adding some herbs and olive oil. My goal with this sauce was to add as many additional vegetables as possible and also limit the amount of added sugar.
Carrots: Shredded carrots provide a natural sweetness to this sauce. Personal tastes and tomato acidity can vary so you may need to add a little sugar once the sauce has simmered but it will be less than the amount you would have added without the carrots.
Vegetables: My favorite vegetables to add to this pasta sauce are onions, mushrooms, eggplant, and zucchini. But feel free to add whatever vegetables you have on hand. This is a great recipe to use up your end-of-summer vegetable and herb harvest. Try adding red or green bell peppers or spinach.
While chopping all of these vegetables may seem like a lot of work the end result is completely worth it. The best part is once everything is in the pot all you have to do is stir the pasta sauce a few times while it simmers away.
Tomatoes: This pasta sauce recipe calls for 87 ounces of canned diced tomatoes as well as a can of tomato paste. I prefer the fire-roasted ones. You could also substitute canned whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, or tomato purée.
Anchovies: Anchovies add some umami flavor giving this pasta sauce a deep complex flavor and no your sauce won't taste like fish. The anchovies melt away as the sauce cooks you won't even know they were there.
Herbs: I typically use oregano, basil, and parsley. You can substitute fresh oregano, basil, and parsley for the dried herbs but you will want to double the quantity.
Baking Soda: Baking soda neutralizes acidity. Adding baking soda will change the pH of the tomato sauce, making it taste less acidic.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1: In a large stockpot, heat olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. Saute the onion, garlic, and anchovies until the onions begin to soften. Approximately 5 minutes.
Step 2: Add carrots, zucchini, eggplant, and mushrooms. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally. Approximately 15 minutes.
Tip: Caramelizing the added vegetables by slowly sauteing them over low heat will also help to sweeten the sauce. Caramelizing vegetables helps to intensify and concentrate their natural sugars.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes, herbs, and baking soda. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil stirring occasionally. Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 2 hours. The longer you let it simmer the fewer chunks there will be. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the stockpot.
Step 4: Depending on the acidity of your tomatoes you may want to add additional sweetener. You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serving Suggestions
Feel free to add some browned hamburger or Italian sausage to turn this into a Bolognese or meat sauce. Sometimes we also add chopped pepperoni to the sauce for a fun twist.
Using this sauce and these Ground Beef and Italian Sausage Meatballs to make spaghetti and meatballs is probably the easiest way to get dinner on the table quickly. I like to add a simple side salad and garlic bread.
Some nights I boil frozen ravioli instead of spaghetti noodles to change dinner up a bit. Or try this Baked Ravioli Casserole from Midwest foodie.
This sauce also tastes great in my Four Cheese Lasagna and makes a great substitute for pizza sauce.
Storage
This sauce can be refrigerated in a sealed container for up to 4 days.
To Freeze
- Pour the completely cooled pasta sauce into a zip-top bag. Make this process easier by using this bag holder to hold the bag open.
- Label the bag with the contents, date, and amount.
- Lay the bag flat in the freezer to freeze.
This pasta sauce will keep in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Thaw the pasta sauce overnight in the refrigerator and then reheat in a pot over medium heat.
Recipe FAQs
Shredded carrots provide a natural sweetness to this sauce. Personal tastes and tomato acidity can vary so you may need to add a little sugar once the sauce has simmered but it will be less than the amount you would have added without the carrots.
Caramelizing the added vegetables by slowly sauteing them over low heat will also help to sweeten the sauce. Caramelizing vegetables helps to intensify and concentrate their natural sugars.
Baking soda is a base and neutralizes acidity. Adding baking soda will change the pH of the tomato sauce, making it taste less acidic.
If you prefer a smoother sauce, use a stick blender, food processor, or blender to puree the sauce. You will probably need to do this in batches due to the large volume of sauce.
Yes, simply omit the anchovies. You may want to add a little grated Parmesan cheese to mimic the anchovy's umami flavor.
For chunky pasta sauce choose a larger noodle such as penne, riggatoni, or mostaccioli noodles. They will stand up to the chunks of vegetables.
Expert Tips
- This recipe makes a big batch of pasta sauce meant for freezing to use for quick meals in the future. I recommend only making ⅓ of the recipe if you want to use it for just one meal.
- For an extra kick of flavor, add a parmesan or romano rind to the sauce as it simmers. I keep some in the freezer just for this purpose.
- For a thicker sauce, simply continue to simmer the sauce for longer until it has reduced to your liking. Be sure to continue stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. The more it reduces, the lower the heat should be.
- Simmering pasta sauce for a long time allows it to develop a lot of flavor. If you don't feel comfortable leaving it on the stove, transfer it to a slow cooker. Cook the sauce on high for 4-5 hours.
- For a smoother sauce, puree with an immersion blender after cooking.
- Depending on the acidity of your tomatoes you may want to add additional sweetener. You can use granulated sugar or brown sugar.
More Dinner Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Homemade Vegetable Loaded Spaghetti Sauce
Equipment
- chefs knife
- stock pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- 3 large onions chopped
- 12 garlic cloves minced
- 1 2oz tin anchovies
- 32 oz carrots shredded
- 2 zucchini chopped
- 1 eggplant peeled and chopped
- 16 oz mushrooms chopped
- 6 cups tomatoes chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- In a large stockpot, heat ½ cup olive oil over medium heat for two minutes. Saute the 3 large onions, 12 garlic cloves, and 1 2oz tin anchovies until the onions begin to soften. Approximately 5 minutes.
- Add 32 oz carrots, 2 zucchini, 1 eggplant, and 16 oz mushrooms. Cook until the vegetables start to soften, stirring occasionally. Approximately 15 minutes.
- Add the 6 cups tomatoes, 1 tablespoon dried oregano, 1 tablespoon dried basil, 1 tablespoon dried parsley and 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil stirring occasionally. Once the sauce reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 2 hours. The longer you let it simmer the fewer chunks there will be. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the stockpot. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- This recipe makes a big batch of pasta sauce meant for freezing to use as a quick meal in the future. I recommend only making ⅓ of the recipe if you want to use it for just one meal.
- For an extra kick of flavor, add a parmesan or romano rind to the sauce as it simmers. I keep some in the freezer just for this purpose.
- For a thicker sauce, simply continue to simmer the sauce for longer until it has reduced to your liking. Be sure to continue stirring occasionally so that it doesn't burn on the bottom of the pan. The more it reduces, the lower the heat should be.
- Simmering pasta sauce for a long time allows it to develop a lot of flavor. If you don't feel comfortable leaving it on the stove, transfer it to a slow cooker. Cook the sauce on high for 4-5 hours.
- For a smoother sauce, puree with an immersion blender after cooking.
Nutrition
Thanks for Reading!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and rate it below! You can also snap a picture and post it on Facebook or Instagram be sure to tag me @RaspberriesandKohlrabi.
Subscribe to get more recipes and tips by email.
Dede Garcia says
Are you able to Can this recipe? Water bath? Pressure can?
Erica Schramek says
I don't do a lot of canning so I don't feel qualified to give canning advice. I divide the sauce into quart-size freezer bags and freeze it.