This mixed vegetable pasta sauce is one that I often make often during the week. It starts with a soffrito base, which is a mixture of slowly cooked onions, carrots and celery. The Italians use soffrito to add flavour to sauces, soups and stews. I like to add a bit of garlic, too. The red capsicum delivers a beautiful sweetness.
Serve the mixed vegetable pasta sauce it as it is, or add some chopped basil and toasted pine nuts. I really like my pasta sauce with a small tin of tuna mixed in, whereas my kids like it with meatballs or strips of pancetta on top. I’d recommend doubling the recipe and freezing some. It’s such a versatile sauce to have on hand, either for pasta, or to stir into a simple vegetable soup.
If you’re looking for more inspiration for pasta sauces, you might like to try making this walnut and rocket pesto: https://atamandastable.com.au/walnut-and-rocket-pesto/
Mixed Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery, washed and finely chopped
- 1 carrot, washed and finely chopped
- 2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 red capsicum, washed and finely chopped
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 x 420g tins cherry tomatoes
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a wide based pan and saute onion, garlic, carrot and celery over a medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring often until the vegetables are very soft.
- Add the capsicum and stir for another couple of minutes before adding the tinned tomatoes and 1/2 cup of water.
- Cook the sauce over a medium heat for about 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.
- Cool for 10 minutes, then puree with a hand-held blender.
- Serve immediately with pasta.
Serving suggestions
- Add a handful of toasted pine nuts, grated parmasen cheese and basil.
- Mix some tinned tuna and chopped parsely into the sauce (1 x 90g tin per serve).
- Top the sauce with grilled pancetta strips or grilled chorizo.
Hi Akilah, Glad you like it. Best wishes, Amanda