This Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce is made simple with tons of cut up veggies! Simply leave out the ground beef to make it vegetarian-friendly!
Let’s talk about this Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce!!!
As a mother and a food blogger, I feel it is my duty to post recipes that are misleading and deceptive. And by misleading I mean misleading…..for your kids. This recipe is chock full of veggies. Will your kids notice? Not if you cut the veggies small enough. {What a great mantra to live by!} I hate to admit this, but I love tricking kids into eating their vegetables. It brings a great joy to my heart to see them take big ol’ bites of their dinner and then say “this is good, Aunty Lo!”
Haha! Suckers!
Little do they know, I filled this spaghetti with onions, garlic, zucchini, green bell pepper, carrots and some V8 for kicks. Why not go overboard while you’re at it? {That V8 is like a little extra insurance that they are getting their veggies in…Try it!} Serve this over some whole grain pasta and you my friends have a ridiculously healthy meal.
Those little mouths won’t even know what hit ’em!
You’re welcome 🙂
Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce
This Vegetarian Spaghetti Sauce is made simple with tons of cut up veggies! Simply leave out the ground beef to make it vegetarian-friendly!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup carrot grated
- 1 small zucchini diced
- 1/4 green pepper diced
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes 1 can
- 1 can tomato paste
- 2 cups V8 juice I used low sodium
- 1 tablespoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 large bay leaf
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
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SKIP this step if you want it to be vegetarian, if not proceed: In a large skillet {with high sides}, cook ground beef over medium heat, breaking apart as you go. Once beef is cooked thoroughly, drain {and rinse under hot water--only if you're crazy about making low-fat meals...like me :)}
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Wipe out the same pan with a paper towel and heat olive oil over medium heat. Saute onions for 2 minutes. Stir in zucchini, carrot and bell pepper and saute another 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, another minute or so.
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Mix tomato paste into sauteed vegetables and then pour in remaining ingredients for the sauce. Bring to boil and then reduce to simmer.
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Cover and cook for 30 minutes or longer if need be. The sauce will thicken, so thin out with a little water if you like it runny.
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Serve with hot spaghetti and parmesan cheese.
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Katrina says
June 8, 2011 at 4:55 pmYum! This looks and sounds amazing!
Barbara Bakes says
June 8, 2011 at 12:45 pmMy kids get more veggies and don’t complain when they’re served like this too. I’ve never tried the V8 in pasta. Great idea.
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite says
June 8, 2011 at 9:23 pmI love sneaking veggies into various dishes! I’m actually going away next week on business, and I’m thinking this will be the perfect make-ahead meal for my husband!
Cookin' Canuck says
June 8, 2011 at 10:19 pmGreat way to sneak in those veggies. I love coming up with recipes made of the ingredients my kids “hate” and hearing them ask for seconds.
Erica at Phoebe Bites says
June 10, 2011 at 5:22 amThis looks really delicious! I love all the veggies in there. Will try this weekend. Thanks!
Shayna says
July 11, 2011 at 9:44 pmSUPER DELICIOUS! Lo made this for my family and everyone loved it. I’m making it again tonight. My husband is at the store picking up a zucchini as I type. Love you Lo!!
Ess says
June 1, 2019 at 9:42 pmIt does look mostly good. I’m just concerned that you have it titled “vegetarian spaghetti sauce” nd the first ingredient is ground beef, haha. I’m a vegetarian and you wouldn’t want to serve me this sauce!