A delicious creamy pasta recipe with three hidden veggies blended into the sauce. An easy dinner idea to get those veggies into the kids.
Are you looking for an easy recipe to get more vegetables into your kids at dinnertime? This Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce is packed with three different veggies, roasted in the air fryer until sweet and then blended into a smooth creamy sauce.
Made in the air fryer in just 20 minutes, this family-friendly pasta sauce is perfect for picky eaters who struggle with whole vegetables on their plate.
It also packs in fibre to their diet, which is something we all need to be eating more of.
Why You'll Love This Hidden Veg Recipe
✅ Three veggies blended into a creamy cheese sauce
✅ Ready in just 20 minutes
✅ The sauce can be batch made and frozen for another day
✅ Airfryer recipe but can also be made in the oven
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How To Make Airfryer Pasta Sauce
The full recipe with all measurements etc is in the recipe card towards the end of this blog post but I've also included some step by step images here that might be helpful.
- Add tomatoes, courgette, yellow pepper and garlic to a small oven dish.
- Mix in some oil and cook in the airfryer.
- Cook some pasta on the hob and before draining it, remove 50ml of the pasta water.
- Add the roasted veggies to a food processor with the pasta water, cream cheese and grated cheese and blend.
Oven Instructions
If you don't have an airfryer you can also roast the veggies in the oven.
Cook at 200c for 20-25 minutes
Tips for Fussy Eaters
There are some flecks of green in the sauce from the courgette. If you think your kids won't like this then you can peel the courgette before cooking it to remove the green outer layer.
Blitzing the sauce in the food processor works well but the sauce is still a little "bitty" and has texture to it. If you don't think your kids will tolerate this then you can blitz in a blender instead, adding a little extra pasta water if needed.
Storing & Freezing
Leftover sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated on the hob. Once it's mixed with the pasta, I recommend to eat it straight away. If you store the pasta and sauce mixed together it will go a little dry.
The sauce also be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on the hob or in the microwave.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes you can. Instead of using an airfryer, roast the veggies in the oven for 20-25 minutes at 200c.
Absolutely! Carrots will also work well as they are naturally sweet. Also butternut squash would be a great addition. Cauliflower will work too but I would start with just a small amount as it can be a much stronger flavour for kids.
This recipe is great for batch cooking. Allow the sauce to cool then add to a freezer bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. When defrosted, heat it up on the hob until piping hot then add to cooked pasta.
More Hidden Veg Recipes
I have lots more Hidden Veggie Recipes that you might like. Even Hidden Veg Desserts like these Sweet Potato Brownies. And lots of practical Tips For Fussy Eaters here if you are struggling with picky eating.
Airfryer Creamy Hidden Veg Pasta Sauce
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Hidden Veg
- Method: Airfryer
- Cuisine: Pasta
Description
A delicious creamy pasta recipe with three hidden veggies blended into the sauce
Ingredients
- 200g courgette
- 1 yellow pepper
- 150g cherry tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 350g pasta
- 150g cream cheese
- 50g grated cheddar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the courgette and yellow pepper into pieces and add to a dish with the cherry tomatoes, whole garlic cloves and drizzle over the olive oil.
- You can also add the veg directly into the airfryer but I prefer to use a dish as it's less messy.
- Airfry at 190c for 13-15 mins.
- To roast in the oven, cook at 200c fan for 20-25 mins.
- In the meantime, cook the pasta in a saucepan on the hob according to the package instructions. When the pasta is cooked and before you drain it, remove 50ml of the pasta water and set aside.
- Once the veggies are cooked, add to a blender or food processor with the cream cheese, grated cheddar, reserved pasta water and a little salt and pepper to taste.
- Blitz until completely smooth and mix with the pasta.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Leftover sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It an also be frozen for up to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat on the hob or in the microwave.
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Laura says
Oh my what an angel you are!!!
My whirlwinds are very fussy when it comes to pasta sauce and vegetables! But this has vanished!!!! And best of all they asked for it again!!! Wow thank you
Sarah says
Omg what a saint you are. My son is 13 and is sadly over weight and it's hard to encourage him to eat better when all he eats is junk foods but now there's easy budget recipes to hide veg and he loves it. Thank you so much
Vicky says
So pleased we are able to help. Thank you for your comment. x
Sophie Barnes says
I think I must have the worlds fussiest kids EVER, which often puts me off trying new dishes with them and they are normally meet with a disappointed face and rejected, I absolutely hate food waste as well due to the current climate, we are really trying to save as much money as possible on food. But I did have a break through at weekend, as we have leftover veggies that needed using, I made this sauce and i'm delighted to say they actually liked it, Once completely cleared there plate and id say the other over half. Will defiantly be making this again.
Aiste says
Best hidden veggie paštą suitable for all family. Tried quite few recipes, this one tastes best and is so easy to make. Thank you!
Zoe says
I’ve made this a few times for my children now and they love it . I place whole sausages ontop of the vegetables in the air fryer to cook too, take them out before blending the vegetables and then cut them up and mix them through to make a sausage pasta for them. Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes
Tan says
Made this at the weekend and it went down a treat! super super easy and managed to freezer enough for another four dinners!
Tyffany says
Tasted really good and both Children eat it. Ta for the idea.
Dianne says
Hi, made this for my kids last night, a bit apprehensive if they would eat it but went ahead anyway. They didn't it it all but made a serious dent in it and both said it was good. Thanks for the idea and will defiantly cook it again.
Vicky says
This is great to hear Dianne, thank you so much for coming back to us. Please have a look at our other hidden veggie recipes.