So rich and creamy, you won’t believe this pasta sauce is packed with healthy veggies! Perfect for meal prep, make the sauce ahead of time and use it for quick weeknight dinners.
We’re sharing ALL the details on prep and ingredients below, but you can skip straight to the condensed recipe by clicking HERE.
Why You’ll Love This
When I learned to cook, the first recipe I mastered was an arrabbiata sauce. I have always loved pasta. I grew up on pasta and marinara, and now, as a distance runner, I make pasta every week to fuel for long runs. On my plant-based food blog, Chef Kate F, my most popular recipes are pastas. I’m so excited to share this roasted vegetable pasta sauce with you because it’s perfect for meal prep on busy weeks and sneaks in loads of veggies for a nutrient boost!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Garlic and shallots: These savory aromatics add depth of flavor.
- Cremini mushrooms add a rich, umami taste. You can also substitute oyster, shiitake, or portobello mushrooms.
- Baby heirloom tomatoes: Tomatoes create a savory and subtly sweet tomato-based sauce. You can also use cherry or grape tomatoes.
- Carrots and red bell pepper add hints of sweetness, enhance the color, and sneak in extra vitamins.
- Olive oil helps the veggies caramelize to maximize flavor and bring out their natural juices.
- Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes: Salt and pepper enhance flavor, while red pepper flakes (optional) add heat.
- Maple syrup adds extra sweetness to balance the acidity of the tomatoes.
- Balsamic vinegar adds complexity and a hint of tanginess.
How to Make The Sauce
First, preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
1. Prep the veggies. Use your thumbs to slide off the outer layers of the garlic bulbs. Pull apart the cloves and leave them in their peel. Then, peel and chop the shallot into halves or quarters. De-stem the mushrooms and chop them into halves or quarters, depending on their size. Halve the tomatoes. Chop the carrots and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Spread all of the veggies out onto a large baking sheet. Use two sheet pans if needed.
2. Roast the veggies. Drizzle the pan with three tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper. Roast the veggies for 25 minutes. Stir the veggies, then cook for an additional five minutes or until they are fragrant and caramelized.
3. Blend the sauce. When done roasting, carefully remove the garlic cloves from the pan to cool. Use a large spatula to transfer the veggies and their juices to a high-speed blender. Add red pepper flakes, if desired (for heat). Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. When cool enough to touch, remove the garlic cloves from their shells. Some may have opened up, but others may require a sharp knife to cut the ends off. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the blender. Blend until smooth.
Let the sauce cool, then store in glass jars until ready to use. Or warm the sauce in a large skillet with cooked pasta until ready to serve.
Expert Tips
- Taste and adjust. Once the sauce is blended, taste and adjust for salt, sweetness, tanginess, and heat. You can always add more salt, a pinch of sugar, more vinegar, or red pepper flakes.
- Skip the roasted garlic. While the roasted garlic adds so much rich and deep flavor, peeling the cloves adds a bit of prep time. If you wish to save time, you can always add two raw garlic cloves to the blender instead.
- Use what you have. The vegetables listed in the recipe are a good place to start, but you can adjust them based on what veggies you need to use up or what is in season. See our variations below for more ideas!
Recipe Variations
This is a great recipe for eating with the seasons. Visit your local farmers’ market and use any vegetables you’d like! In the fall, butternut squash or pumpkin are both delicious. In the summer, opt for zucchini and yellow squash. Here are some other ideas for mixing and matching the vegetables. Keep in mind that the flavor may alter slightly, but you can always taste and adjust the sauce as needed.
- Winter squash
- Zucchini or yellow squash
- Eggplant
- Yellow onion
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
FAQs
Can I use the stovetop instead?
Yes, you can sauté the veggies if you prefer, but the roasting process is a little more hands-off, giving you time to prep other meals for the week ahead.
What do I serve this sauce with?
Serve this sauce with cooked pasta and make it a meal with warm, crusty sourdough bread and a salad, like this olive salad or this five-minute Greek salad.
How long does the sauce keep for?
You can store this pasta sauce in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Can I freeze the sauce?
Yes! Transfer the sauce to a freezer-safe bag and store for up to two months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
Enjoy this roasted vegetable pasta sauce recipe!
The Recipe
Roasted Vegetable Pasta Sauce
Equipment
- high speed blender
Ingredients
- 2 garlic bulbs
- 4 shallots
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms or oyster, shiitake, or portobello mushrooms
- 2 pts baby heirloom tomatoes or cherry or grape tomatoes
- 2 carrots
- 1 red bell pepper or orange bell pepper
- 5 tbsp olive oil divided
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes optional
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 °F.
- Use your thumbs to slide off the outer layers of the garlic bulbs. Pull apart the cloves and leave them in their peel. Peel and chop the shallot into halves or quarters. De-stem the mushrooms and chop them into halves or quarters, depending on size. Halve the tomatoes. Chop the carrots and bell pepper into bite-sized pieces. Spread all of the veggies out onto a large baking sheet. Use two sheet pans if needed.
- Drizzle the pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast the veggies for 25 minutes. Stir the veggies, then cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the veggies are fragrant and caramelized.
- When done roasting, carefully remove the garlic cloves from the pan to cool. Use a large spatula to transfer the veggies and their juices to a high-speed blender. Add red pepper flakes, if desired (for heat). Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, and the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When cool enough to touch, remove the garlic cloves from their shells. Some may have opened up, but others may require a sharp knife to cut the ends off. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves into the blender. Blend until smooth.
- Let the sauce cool, then store in glass jars until ready to use. Or warm the sauce in a large skillet with cooked pasta until ready to serve.
Nutrition
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Looking for more delicious recipes? Check out these options from our archives —Easy Spinach-Walnut Pesto Pasta, Beet Marinara with Brown Rice Pasta, and Grown-Up Spaghetti-Os.
