Dinner

Super-Veg Pasta Recipe

ByHailey Reed January 12, 2026January 12, 2026

Introduction

This Super-Veg Pasta is a vibrant and hearty dish packed with wholesome vegetables and fresh flavors. It’s perfect for a comforting weeknight meal and easy to adapt for the whole family.

A white plate filled with a heap of spaghetti covered in bright red tomato sauce with chunky pieces of tomato and small bits of green herbs scattered on top. The pasta strands are lightly coated with the sauce, showing a mix of orange and red colors. A silver fork rests on the edge of the plate with its handle extending outward, and the plate is placed on a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 red peppers, quartered and deseeded
2 tbsp olive oil
1 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
1 onion, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
¼ tsp crushed chillies
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tbsp tomato purée
400g can chopped tomatoes
600ml vegetable stock
1 tsp caster sugar
Small handful basil, leaves shredded
500g bag fresh egg pasta, cooked

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the grill and place the red peppers skin-side up underneath. Grill for about 10 minutes, until the skins start to char. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, cover, and set aside to steam. Once cool enough to handle, peel off the skins and cut the flesh into strips.
Step 2: Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel, onion, and carrot, cooking for 8 to 10 minutes until softened.
Step 3: Stir in the crushed garlic, crushed chillies, fennel seeds, and tomato purée. Cook for 2 minutes to develop the flavors.
Step 4: Pour in the canned tomatoes, vegetable stock, and caster sugar. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 15 minutes until the vegetables are very soft.
Step 5: Remove a couple of spoonfuls of the sauce and set aside to keep some texture. Use a stick blender to blend the remaining sauce in the pan until almost smooth.
Step 6: Simmer the blended sauce for 5 minutes to thicken. Then stir in the reserved chunky sauce, shredded basil, and grilled red pepper strips.
Step 7: Serve the sauce hot over the cooked fresh egg pasta. Enjoy immediately.

Tips & Variations

This sauce freezes beautifully—try making a double batch to keep on hand for quick meals.
Add olives or cooked prawns to the sauce for extra flavor and variety.
If your kids prefer a smoother sauce, blend the entire mixture to your desired consistency.

Storage

Store any leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm gently on the stove or in the microwave until hot. This sauce also freezes well for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.