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    Home | All Recipes | Mediterranean Vegetables

    Yummy Italian Vegetable Sauce for Pasta

    Published: Apr 2, 2021 · Modified: Jul 21, 2022 by Elle · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    A great, chunky Italian vegetable sauce, perfect to top an al dente pasta dish. Made with tasty Mediterranean vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers, this pasta sauce is ready in 30 minutes, is extremely versatile, and stores wonderfully.

    Mediterranean Vegetable sauce for pasta
    Jump to:
    • Vegetable Sauce Ingredients
    • How To Prepare Italian-style Vegetable Sauce?
    • People Also Ask [FAQs]
    • Tips and Tricks for Veggie Pasta Sauce
    • Recipe

    I won't bore you with a long story about how this recipe has been treasured for many generations in my family, as it has not.

    My mother is a great cook, the best [!], yet there are SO many things she would rather do than cook. She's the adventurous type, she loves exercising and socializing, so it's no surprise a quick and tasty recipe is actually the fruit of her dislike of spending too many hours in front of the hob, especially when the sun is shining bright outside.

    She and I always ate and still eat plenty of veggies with bell peppers, eggplant, and zucchini being summer favorites, so here I present you the perfect pasta sauce that can be eaten warm, cold, with pasta or without [try the sauce with some sliced mozzarella, yum!], and gets ready in 30 minutes flat.

    Tasty Mediterranean vegetable sauce with penne pasta

    Vegetable Sauce Ingredients

    • Zucchini, Eggplant, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes: These are the chunky veggies for this pasta sauce. Choose fresh ripe vegetables, and go for more mature tomatoes, if you have them.
    • Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Onion, Garlic: The base for the vegetable sauce. If possible use good quality EVOO, but if you don't like it or don't have it, go for flavorless vegetable oil.
    • Salt, and Pepper: To taste.
    Mediterranean Vegetable sauce for pasta with salad

    How To Prepare Italian-style Vegetable Sauce?

    1. To start, chop all of your vegetables and keep them aside.
    2. In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and, once warm, add the red onion and garlic and allow to lightly cook until the garlic loses its raw smell. This won’t necessarily mean that the onions are cooked thoroughly, but they will have the time afterward.
    3. Once the garlic is cooked add all of the other diced vegetables, salt and some ground black pepper if desired.
    onion garlic olive oil
    chopped Mediterranean veggie
    1. Mix well and cover the saucepan with a lid. Allow the veggie pasta sauce to cook on low to medium heat for about 25 minutes, keeping an eye on it and mixing when needed.
    2. Cook the pasta on the side and add it to the sauce.
    Mediterranean sauce
    Mediterranean vegetable sauce with penne

    People Also Ask [FAQs]

    How long does pasta sauce last in the fridge?

    Veggie pasta sauce can be stored in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container. Reheat it thoroughly before serving.

    How to freeze veggie pasta sauce?

    This vegetable sauce recipe can easily be frozen for up to three months. It is best to use an airtight container or sealed freezer bags. To serve, fully thaw the sauce overnight and warm up in a saucepan, adding a few tablespoons of water, or reheat from frozen in the microwave. Ensure the pasta sauce has been thoroughly reheated before serving.

    Tips and Tricks for Veggie Pasta Sauce

    • Veggies: This is a very versatile recipe that can be modified as needed. Should you have vegetables in different proportions, then use what you have, however, bear in mind that peppers are quite sweet and may need balancing out, perhaps with some parmesan cheese or crumbled feta.
    • Peppers: Although I used red peppers for this recipe, any color will work. Red and yellow will give some nice contrast, however, green peppers taste just as divine!
    • Size of Chunks: Depending on the size of chunks of vegetables, the pasta sauce will end up being smoother or chunkier, and that is all up to taste, so chop the vegetables to your preferred size.
    • Tomato Sauce or Tomato Paste: If you prefer this sauce to be more traditional, then a great addition is some tomato sauce or tomato puree. Simply add the chosen ingredients 15 minutes after the vegetables have been added, and finish cooking as instructed. This method may require 5-10 more minutes of simmering to achieve the desired consistency.
    • Spice it up: It is very easy to make this spaghetti sauce a bit different every time! Try adding some Italian spices like red pepper flakes, marjoram, basil, or thyme. For a more exotic taste, go for Mexican oregano or a little sweet paprika.
    • Have it cold: You can easily enjoy this pasta sauce on its own, while cold. Serve it with a few green or black olives, artichoke hearts, and some sliced mozzarella for the ultimate summer meal.
    • Top: Serve your penne pasta dish with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese on top!
    Vegetable sauce for pasta

    I hope this penne pasta dish has made you want to add Mediterranean veggies straight to your shopping list for the week!

    Whether you are looking for some quick dinner recipes, a way to increase your vegetable intake, or simply fancy a delicious meal, this vegetable sauce recipe is the one to try, and I hope it becomes a favorite like it has for me.

    🥗 Have a look at these delicious pasta dishes too!

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      Yummy Lemon Zucchini Pasta Sauce with Feta
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      Perfect Tomato and Tuna Pasta Recipe
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    • green bean pasta tuna spaghetti
      Easy One-Pot Green Bean Pasta With Tuna

    Recipe

    Mediterranean vegetable sauce with penne pasta

    Yummy Italian Vegetable Sauce for Pasta

    Elle
    Chunky Mediterranean vegetables cooked with garlic and onion, for the best quick and delicious pasta sauce.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 25 mins
    Total Time 30 mins
    Course Main Course, Side Dish
    Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
    Servings 4 portions
    Calories 472 kcal

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 360 g Dry Pasta
    • 2 tablespoon Olive Oil
    • 1 Garlic Clove Peeled and Thinly Chopped
    • 1 Red Onion Thinly Sliced
    • 2 Zucchini Washed and Diced
    • 1 Eggplant Washed and Diced
    • 1 Red Pepper Washed and Diced
    • 2 Large Tomatoes Washed and Diced
    • Salt to Taste

    Instructions
     

    • Put a large saucepot on medium heat with the olive oil in it and allow to warm up; once the olive oil is warm add the garlic and onion and mix well.
    • Sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper [if liked], and mix well, and allow the onion to soften.
    • Once the smell of the rawness of the garlic has gone and the onions are soft, add the eggplant, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes to the pan and mix well.
    • Add a lid on top of the saucepan and reduce the heat to medium-low; allow this sauce to cook for about 25 minutes, frequently mixing.
    • While the sauce cooks, bring some water to the boil and cook the pasta as per the instructions on the package. Penne pasta normally require 10-12 minutes to cook in plenty of salted boiling water.
    • Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and add it to the ready sauce; mix well and adjust the seasoning.
    • Serve and enjoy!

    Notes

    The vegetable sauce will keep well in the fridge for up to four days in an airtight container. 
    The sauce can be frozen for up to three months; fully thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. 
    These vegetables contain a lot of water, so if you like your sauce less liquid, keep on cooking without the lid on the saucepan to allow the water to evaporate. 
    You can add some tinned chopped tomatoes or tomato passata if you like a more tomatoey sauce; add it about 15 minutes after the vegetables have been added, and increase the cooking time by 5-10 minutes. You may need to add a bit more salt, and perhaps a pinch of caster sugar if the sauce is too tangy. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 472kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 15gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gSodium: 21mgPotassium: 970mgFiber: 9gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 1667IUVitamin C: 69mgCalcium: 61mgIron: 2mg
    Keyword Mediterranean vegetable sauce, vegetable sauce
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Lisa Fortney

      June 02, 2021 at 4:31 pm

      Incredible easy and delicious! My boyfriend and I loved it. I listened to others and made 4 portions for just the two of us and was really happy we had leftovers 🙂5 stars

      Reply
      • Elle

        June 04, 2021 at 5:15 pm

        Thank you, Lisa! I am so glad to hear you both loved it!

        Reply
    2. Jeannette

      June 02, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      Absolutely off the scale. Restaurant quality. So glad I found this recipe!5 stars

      Reply
      • Elle

        June 04, 2021 at 5:16 pm

        That's so king, Jeannette!! Thank you!

        Reply
    3. Jessica Wilson

      June 02, 2021 at 4:29 pm

      What an outstanding dish! Easy to make and so tasty! Thanks for another winning recipe, Elle!5 stars

      Reply
      • Elle

        June 04, 2021 at 5:16 pm

        Thank you, Jessica! Really appreciate your kind words!

        Reply

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    Elle Author (Spice and Life)

    Thank you for being here. If you are having a look around, it is most probably because you too love cooking with herbs and spices and are looking for your next recipe, tip, or trick.

    More about me →

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