As a mom and dietitian, I’m always looking for simple ways to add more veggies into our meals without making dinnertime feel overwhelming and this Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce is one of my favorite hacks!
It’s packed with nourishing vegetables, naturally sweet from roasting, and blends completely smooth so even picky toddlers happily enjoy it. Whether I’m tossing it with pasta, pairing it with meatballs, or using it as a dipping sauce, it’s an easy, flavor-packed way to boost nutrition for the whole family.
Why You and Your Kids Will Love This Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- smooth and toddler-approved: blends completely smooth, making it perfect for toddlers who avoid chunks or visible veggies
- naturally sweet flavor: roasting brings out a mild, sweet taste from the carrots and sweet potato that picky eaters love
- veggie-packed: loaded with antioxidants, fiber, and vitamins from a variety of roasted vegetables
- versatile: works for pasta, meatballs, pizza, dipping, and more (one sauce, tons of easy meals!)
- easy to prep: just roast, blend, and you’re done
- freezer-friendly: make once and freeze portions for quick weeknight meals
- family-friendly: flavorful enough for adults but gentle enough for littles, everyone enjoys it
If your toddler seems to refuse all vegetables, using a blended sauce can reduce mealtime stress while still giving you space to work on exposure separately. You’re not “hiding” vegetables, you’re simply offering them in a form your toddler currently accepts. Continue offering visible veggies alongside this sauce in small, pressure-free portions for positive exposure over time. You can even get them to dip the buttered noodle in first!
Jump to:
- Why You and Your Kids Will Love This Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Ingredients You'll Need
- How To Make Your Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Hint For The Best Roasted Veggie Sauce
- Substitutions
- Variations
- How To Serve This Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Equipment
- Storing Your Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Tiff's Dietitian Tip
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- Easy Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce (perfect for picky eaters)
Ingredients You'll Need
Here's what you'll need to make this easy roasted veggie pasta sauce for kids:
- sweet potato: adds natural sweetness, creaminess, and vitamin A
- carrots: roast into a naturally sweet, mild flavor that toddlers love + adds fiber and color
- yellow onion: softens and caramelizes in the oven, adding depth and natural sweetness without tasting strong
- red bell pepper: provides vitamin C, color, and a slightly sweet flavor that blends beautifully into the sauce
- cherry tomatoes: roast quickly, break down easily, and add bright tomato flavor without acidity
- olive oil: helps the vegetables caramelize and adds healthy fats that support nutrient absorption
- marinara sauce (optional for added flavor and volume of sauce): creates a familiar base toddlers already know and accept, making veggie-forward sauces more approachable
- bone broth or coconut milk for creamy texture: helps thin the sauce to the perfect smooth, pourable consistency while adding extra minerals and flavor
- garlic powder: gives gentle garlic flavor toddlers accept more easily than fresh garlic, without sharpness or chunks
See recipe card for quantities.
How To Make Your Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place the sweet potato, carrot, cherry tomatoes, and red bell pepper on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.
- Step 2: Roast for 25-30 minutes, until soft and lightly caramelized.
- Step 3: Transfer the warm roasted veggies to a blender. Pour in the jar of marinara sauce (if using) and blend until completely smooth, adding a splash of water, broth, or coconut milk if needed.
- Step 4: Toss with pasta, coat meatballs, spread on pizza, or store in cubes for later. Add more liquid as needed to reach your desired consistency.
Hint For The Best Roasted Veggie Sauce
For the smoothest texture, blend the roasted vegetables while they’re still warm. It helps everything puree more easily and prevents any tiny chunks from remaining! If your sauce feels too thick, add a splash of water, milk/cream, or broth until it reaches your desired consistency. And don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the blender to get every bit of that nutrient-packed goodness.
Substitutions
This roasted veggie pasta sauce is already gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, and nut-free! Here are some swaps if you need them:
- bell pepper: swap for yellow or orange bell pepper, or use extra carrot or sweet potato if you prefer a milder flavor
- sweet potato: butternut squash or pumpkin works well and still adds natural sweetness and creaminess
- carrot: you can substitute with extra sweet potato for a similar sweet, smooth finish
- tomatoes: use canned diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or cherry tomatoes whatever you have on hand
- olive oil: any neutral oil like avocado oil works for roasting
- marinara sauce: use crushed tomatoes + Italian seasoning + a pinch of salt (optional) for a lower-sodium option, or choose a veggie-forward marinara with no added sugar if available
- beans (optional): if adding a protein boost, use lentils instead of white beans, or skip completely if you want a lighter sauce
Variations
Feel free to adjust the flavor of this roasted veggie pasta sauce by either making it more creamy or more cheesy!
- add extra veggies: toss in zucchini, cauliflower, or butternut squash and roast them with the other vegetables
- make it creamy: stir in 2-3 tablespoons of plain Greek yogurt or ricotta after blending (not before roasting) for a creamier sauce, you can even use coconut milk or cream instead of broth
- boost the protein + fiber: blend in white beans or add cooked lentils after simmering for more iron and protein
- lower the tomato flavor: use half marinara or omit all together and half broth or water if your toddler is sensitive to tomato-heavy sauces
Check out this butternut squash pasta sauce for a more cheesy sauce (perfect for mac & cheese).
How To Serve This Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
- toss with pasta (love using chickpea noodles for extra protein, fiber, and iron!)
- spoon over chicken or turkey meatballs
- use as pizza sauce
- mix into cooked rice or quinoa
- serve as a dip for grilled cheese or roasted veggies
- use in lasagna roll-ups for littles
Equipment
All you need to make this hidden veggie pasta sauce is a sheet pan for roasting the vegetables, a blender to puree everything until completely smooth, and a knife and cutting board for prep. A silicone spatula helps scrape every bit of sauce from the blender, and airtight containers make storing or freezing the sauce easy for future meals.
Storing Your Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce
This roasted veggie pasta sauce stores so well, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Once it cools, transfer it to an airtight container and keep it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. For longer storage, freeze the sauce in 1-cup portions or silicone freezer trays for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a splash of water or broth as needed to bring it back to a smooth, pourable consistency.
Tiff's Dietitian Tip
If you want to boost the protein, iron, and fiber in this sauce, blend in a can of white beans (like cannellini or great northern) before pureeing. They disappear completely into the sauce, adding extra creaminess without changing the flavor! Making it an easy way to support your toddler’s nutrition, especially if they’re hesitant about meat or other protein foods. Start with half a can if you're unsure, then increase as your little one adjusts.
FAQ
Yes! This sauce is naturally sweet and blends completely smooth, which makes it great for babies. Just choose a low-sodium marinara or use crushed tomatoes for younger babies.
Absolutely. Freeze it in 1-cup portions or ice cube trays for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or reheat gently on the stovetop.
Roasting brings out sweetness and richer flavor, which toddlers love. You can sauté the vegetables instead, but the sauce won’t taste as naturally sweet.
Simmer longer to thicken, or add a splash of water, broth, or extra marinara to thin.
Yes! Zucchini, butternut squash, cauliflower, or spinach blend seamlessly without changing the flavor much.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this roasted veggie pasta sauce:
Easy Roasted Veggie Pasta Sauce (perfect for picky eaters)
Ingredients
- 1 medium sweet potato or butternut squash peeled & cubed
- 3 large carrots peeled & chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 1 16-oz package cherry tomatoes about 2 cups
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 2-3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 24-oz jar no added sugar marinara sauce or tomato sauce (optional for added flavor and volume)
- ½ cup bone broth (ideally no salt added or low sodium) any broth or coconut milk (for creaminess), for thinning + blending
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place sweet potato or butternut squash, carrot, cherry tomatoes, and red bell pepper on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and toss with garlic powder. Roast 25-30 minutes, until soft and lightly caramelized.
- Transfer warm roasted veggies to a blender, add the jar of marinara (if using), and blend until completely smooth. Add broth or cream/coconut milk as needed for thinning.
- Optional to pour the blended sauce into a pot and simmer on low for 5-10 minutes to deepen the flavor.
- Serve with pasta, meatballs, as pizza sauce, or as a dipping sauce. Adjust thickness with broth or milk as needed.
Kaylyn says
Really yummy and quick to make! Throw it all in the oven and then blend! I added a little salt to mine but otherwise PERFECT 🙂
toddlerdietitiantiff says
I LOVE how easy this recipe is too!! Homemade pasta sauce seems intimidating until you make this one! So glad you loved it!