Hidden-Veggie Marinara with Pasta

Ingredients

• •400 g pasta (penne, rigatoni, or spaghetti)
• •2 tbsp olive oil
• •1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
• •3 garlic cloves, minced
• •1 medium carrot, roughly chopped
• •1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
• •1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
• •2 cups baby spinach
• •796 ml canned crushed tomatoes
• •2 tbsp tomato paste
• •1 tsp dried basil
• •0.5 tsp dried oregano
• •0.5 tsp granulated sugar
• •to taste salt and pepper
• •0.5 cup Parmesan cheese, grated, to serve

Directions

1. 1Heat olive oil in a large deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat; add onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 6–7 minutes until softened.
2. 2Add garlic and red bell pepper and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
3. 3Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute until darkened slightly.
4. 4Add crushed tomatoes, dried basil, oregano, sugar, salt, and pepper; stir well and bring to a simmer.
5. 5Add spinach, stir to wilt, then reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce uncovered for 15 minutes.
6. 6Use an immersion blender directly in the pan to blend the sauce completely smooth — or carefully transfer to a blender in batches.
7. 7Cook pasta in well-salted boiling water according to package directions; reserve 0.5 cup of pasta water before draining.
8. 8Toss drained pasta with the sauce, adding a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed.
9. 9Serve topped with grated Parmesan.

💡 This sauce also works brilliantly with grated zucchini or butternut squash stirred in at the tomato paste stage — both disappear completely into the sauce. Make a large batch and freeze in portions; it lasts up to 3 months and defrosts perfectly for a lightning-fast weeknight dinner.

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