Ok folks, this post is about feeding the kids. Now I am not a parent, I think I am just a bit too young at this stage. But whenever I see parents trying to feed their kids healthy food, and their response to that is “ewwwww I don’t like vegetables and green food”, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that must be frustrating. And I remember doing that as a kid. So that is why I am making this recipe today. This hidden veggie pasta is a great go-to recipe for getting the kids to eat their veggies…..without them even knowing it 😉
So what makes this a hidden veggie pasta? Well, it’s simply just blending all of the ingredients through the tomato sauce. So when you serve it to the children, they will just think it’s tomato sauce. I am just mentioning this to let you to know that the quality of the food doesn’t decrease just because it’s a “children’s recipe”. This recipe is no less suitable for adults.
I am using penne pasta for this recipe. But feel free to use whatever you like. Just make sure you read the packet instructions so that you know how long to cook it for. Also, if there is something that you would like to add to the dish, (perhaps something your child loves) please do so. Remember, the beauty of pasta is that it has so much versatility. So don’t feel like you have to be 100% precise with this recipe.
I appreciate the time you have spent on the post. I hope this helps some of you out. Let me know how it goes if you wish to make it. I am constantly trying to expand in my recipe development, not only to make good recipes. But also to suit the needs of people in everyday life. So any feedback from you guys is always more than welcome.
Stay tuned, because I have a peanut butter and jam swirl cookie recipe coming your way.
Crumbed, Sausage and hidden Veggie Pasta
This hidden veggie pasta is a great way to get your kids eating vegetables, without them even knowing it 😉
Ingredients
- 500 g of penne pasta
- 4 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 kg of pork sausages sliced about an inch thick
- 1 medium carrot chopped
- 1 onion peeled and chopped
- 1/2 a stick of celery chopped
- 1/4 of a zucchini sliced
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme leaves stripped
- 400 g of tinned plum tomatoes
- 125 g of jarred roasted red peppers/capsicums
- 3-4 sprigs of basil leaves picked
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
- A pinch of sugar
- 50 g of breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- 30 g of parmesan cheese grated
- Salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions
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Put about 5 litres of water and 2 teaspoons of salt in a pot and bring to the boil.
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Once boiling, add your pasta and cook for 9-10 minutes until cooked through.
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Meanwhile, pre-heat a large pan on the stove. Once it is nice and hot, add half of your olive oil and then add your sausages (make sure you can hear the sizzle once they hit the pan). Toss/stir them around occasionally and fry for about 5 minutes.
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Once those sausages have some nice color, transfer them to a bowl and set aside.
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Get a cup and scoop out some of the pasta water in the pot. Once your pasta is cooked, drain it in a colander. Return the pasta to the pot and set aside.
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Get the pan back on the heat, then add the other half of your olive oil. Add your carrots and fry for 1-2 minutes. Then add your onion and celery and cook for another minute. Finally, add your zucchini, garlic and thyme leaves and cook for one more minute.
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Once the vegetables are tender, transfer them in a blender (a nutribullet also works well) along with your tinned tomatoes, jarred peppers, basil, tomato paste, sugar, a pinch of salt and pepper and a splash of water (75mls). Blend for about 1 minute or until smooth.
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Return the sauce and your sausages back in your pan, and then bring to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling lower the heat and simmer for a few minutes, ensuring that the sausages are cooked through. Don't forget to taste it and season accordingly.
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Get a small pot or pan on medium-high heat. Add you butter, once the butter is melted and bubbling and your breadcrumbs. Toast them until they have gone darker and more golden brown in color. Keep an eye on them though, you don't want to burn them. Turn the heat off, remove from the pan and set aside.
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Add the sauce to the pot of pasta. Mix together until well combined. Add some of the pasta water you scooped out earlier to stop the pasta from going dry.
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Transfer onto a large platter. Finish by sprinkling your toasted breadcrumbs over the top. Serve the parmesan cheese on the side so people can help themselves and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Use any pasta you want, spaghetti, linguini, spiral pasta, orzo etc.
Have an awesome day!
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Want another great pasta dish? Check out Angel hair napolitana with crispy prosciutto
Delicious looking dish.
Thanks so much! (:
I think kids or grown ups would absolutely love this Nick!! I kind of wish we were having it for dinner tonight! thanks for the recipe!
No worries and thank you! I hope they do like it (:
This looks yummy:)
Thank you very much! (:
do you deliver?! haha!
Don’t know how nice it would be if it arrives haha!
Oh yes, no need to hide the vveggies…I’d gobble this up any day 😀
Thanks Trisha!! I would never hide them if I didn’t have to (:
😀 I’m sure.. haha.. looks yummy!
😉
Looks awesome (minus the celery for me). The picture is great too, pinned and twitted!
Wow thank you so much. Greatly appreciated (:
This looks wonderful, and I love the hidden veggies!
Thank you so much! (:
Looks like a great dish! And smart, too, haha!
Thank you very much Dave! greatly appreciated (: