Simple Roasted Veggie Sauce Recipe with Tomato (2024)

Marvel in the simplicity of this delicious Roasted Veggie Sauce sauce, full of whole food ingredients and flavour. It’s gluten-free, suitable for vegans and uses only 6 ingredients. It’s super simple to throw together and I guarantee it’s worth it!

In the world of whole-food eating, finding versatile sauces that are healthy can be a game-changer. One such gem, that supports a whole food approach and the benefits for diabetes management is this Roasted Veggie Sauce Recipe.

Recognising the value of time in our busy lives, I have simplified the original recipe to reduce the cooking time. This tweak not only makes it a better option for a nutritious mid-week meal but also emphasises that great wholesome cooking should be easy!

This delicious sauce not only adds more vegetables easily to your meals but also caters to various dietary preferences, from gluten-free to vegan-friendly. Whilst it requires a little extra time because of the roasting, there is minimal intervention and preparation required by you. And the end result is so worth it. You are left with my favourite way to serve a quick pasta meal in the week, a deliciously rich tomato-based sauce full of Mediterranean flavours and nutrition.

The Diabetes Connection

For those navigating diabetes management, incorporating more vegetables into your diet is a common and effective strategy that we swear by. By letting your vegetables take the starring role in your meals will not only be beneficial for your overall health but can also help to reduce blood sugar spikes after meals(thanks to the fibre. And for type 1’s reduces the amount of insulin needed, therefore reducing your error rate.

This Roasted Veggie Sauce is an effortless way to get more veg on your plate, simply by amping up the veg in your basic tomato sauce. As someone who cares for a person living with diabetes, I can totally vouch for the incredible impact that a vegetable-rich diet can have on overall diabetes management.

Read my 12 tips for adding more plants to your diet to help you on your journey.

Why I Love Homemade Sauces over shop-bought versions

Homemade sauces can often be a healthier option than shop-bought alternatives because you have greater control over the ingredients. Opting for fresh, high-quality ingredients is an easy way to dodge the preservatives, excessive salt, and artificial additives commonly found in store-bought sauces. With the flexibility to customise recipes, it means you can also tailor sauces to meet your specific dietary needs and preferences. Additionally, the use of fresh ingredients and minimal processing means that more nutrients will remain in the sauce compared to a commercially ultra-processed equivalent.

I am a big advocate for homemade options. The main reason for this is I know exactly what is going into my food and is being served to my family. This is particularly important for helping to manage my daughter’s type 1 diabetes. Making sauces from scratch just allows me to be more accurate with carb counting and I hope I can show you that it still can be a great way to enjoy a veggie pasta sauce despite the little extra time requirements.

This particular roast vegetable sauce is:

refined sugar-free

gluten and dairy-free

suitable for vegetarians and vegans

doesn’t have any hidden processed ingredients

easy to make as it only takes 5 minutes to prepare

healthy as it uses whole foods so full of flavour

versatile as you can switch up the roasted veg used

can easily be batch-cooked for meal prep and freezing

Why roast vegetables before adding them to a sauce?

In this recipe, as with a lot of my recipes, the vegetables are roasted before adding them to the rich tomato sauce. The reason for this is that the roasting not only softens them beautifully for sauces but also works to caramelise the vegetables to enhance their flavour.

But not convinced yet?

A few more reasons to roast your veggies:

1. Improved Texture: Roasting vegetables develops texture in sauces, as it promotes the development of a slight char and caramelization. This texture not only adds visual appeal but also introduces a pleasant crunch and smokiness, complementing the sauce’s overall consistency.
2. Enhanced Flavour: Roasting vegetables caramelizes their natural sugars, intensifying their flavour. This brings out a rich, sweet undertone that adds depth and complexity to the sauce, contributing to a more robust taste.
3. Concentrated Aromas: The roasting process intensifies the aromas of the vegetables, creating a fragrant and enticing base for the sauce. These concentrated flavours contribute to a more aromatic and appetizing final dish.
4. Reduced Moisture Content: Roasting removes excess moisture from the vegetables, preventing the sauce from becoming watery. This reduction in moisture again concentrates the flavours and ensures that the sauce maintains a desirable thickness.
5. Ease of Blending: Roasted vegetables tend to blend more smoothly compared to their raw counterparts. The softened texture facilitates the blending process which is particularly handy if you have fussy eaters. Resulting in a creamier and well-incorporated sauce, like in my ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND TOMATO PASTA SAUCE
6. Versatility: Roasting vegetables allows for greater versatility in terms of flavour combinations. It opens up opportunities to experiment with different vegetables, as roasting enhances their inherent qualities and brings out unique taste profiles.

Overall, the process of roasting vegetables before adding them to the sauce is a way to significantly elevate the overall taste and appeal of your food.

What you will need to make Roasted Veg Sauce with Tomatoes

Onions

• Bring an essential flavour and gentle sweetness to any sauce

• Frozen chopped onions work brilliantly in this sauce as well as a great time-saving option

Garlic

• You can’t have a tomato sauce without this core flavour in my opinion

• Again I sometimes use frozen in this sauce

Tinned tomatoes

• When heated they release more antioxidants.

• They are a brilliant source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to many health benefits

• Also a great source of vitamin C and K

• I use either chopped tinned tomatoes or tinned cherry tomatoes

Bell Peppers

• Adds a lovely sweetness to the tomato-based sauce plus a good hit of vitamin C

• I often use red peppers but you can also opt for other colours

Aubergine

• A nutrient-dense vegetable which means that they contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals and fibre

• they also add to the Mediterranean flavours of this sauce

Balsamic vinegar

• Made from unfermented grape juice

• Adds a natural sweetness to offset the tartness of the tomatoes

Equipment Needed

Spatula / Mixing spoon

Baking Sheet

Sharp Kitchen Knife

Chopping Board

Large Saucepan

How to make Roasted Veggie Sauce

This amazing pasta sauce demands only minimal prep work, yet a bit of time lets the vegetables weave their magic, intensifying the sauce and promising to delight your taste buds.

Step 1

Firstly you will need to roast the aubergine and red pepper. Pop them both on a baking tray, prick the skin of the aubergine and leave them to roast in a preheated oven at 220c / 200c fan for around 30 minutes.

Step 2

Whilst the vegetables are roasting it is time to make the tomato sauce. On a medium heat sautee your chopped onion and garlic with a little bit of olive oilfor 5-10 minutes until golden brown.

Step 3

Add the canned tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, giving it a thorough mix. I prefer to add a bit of extra water at this stage, ensuring I rinse the cans to extract every last drop of tomato juice, typically around 1/4 of the can.

Season well with plenty of salt and black pepper. And if you want to add any extra seasoning such as herbs like oregano or basil, this is a good point to do it.

Turn the heat up high and once the sauce is starting to bubble, turn the heat down and leave the tomato sauce to simmer on a low medium heat.

Step 4

Once the vegetables are beautifully roasted and soft, place the aubergines and pepper on a chopping board to cool. Place a clean tea towel over them to sweat whilst they cool a little so you can chop them.

Once cool enough to handle, chop your slightly cooled roasted veggies into small bite-size chunks.

Step 5

Add them back into your tomato sauce and mix well to combine everything.

Step 6

The veggie sauce is now ready to serve or can be left to gently bubble away on the hob for an hour or so to intensify the flavours even further.

Check the seasoning before serving to ensure the seasoning is right for your palate

Effortless Meal Prep and storing homemade sauces

A noteworthy feature of this Roasted Veggie Sauce is its suitability for meal prep. This sauce has become a meal prep champion in my weekly routine. The ability to batch cook and freeze portions not only saves time but also ensures that a healthy and tasty option is readily available whenever you need it.

Storing in the Freezer

The best way to store homemade sauces is to use resealable freezer bags as they take up less room in the freezer. Any homemade sauce will keep for up to 3 to 4 months this way.

Storing in the Fridge

If you’re not using the sauce straight away, or I have any leftover sauce, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.

Recipe Variations and Uses

this roasted veg sauce serves as the ideal base recipe for lots of healthy meals. Feel free to explore and enhance it with a variety of additional wholesome ingredients, creating the perfect foundation to elevate your dishes.

Here are some enticing variations to inspire you:

Add

• Any fresh herbs – Adding in fresh, dried or frozen herbs amplifies this sauce
• Different vegetables – try different colour peppers, or add some extra vegetables like, courgettes, mushrooms or butternut squash
• Spices – such as paprika, curry powder or cumin depending on the taste profile you want to achieve. Or red pepper flakes for a little heat
• Spice paste – such as a chipotle for Mexican recipes, harissa or tagine paste (as below) for a more eastern Mediterranean feel
• Pesto – I sometimes like to add a sundried tomato pesto to increase the depth of the tomato sauce

Switch the Peppers

A variation I love is to use in place of the bell peppers are jarred roast peppers instead. The reason for this is that they have the best flavour and all the hard work has been done for you. They are often flame-roasted and packed in a light vinegary marinade which adds even more depth to this sauce.

My favourite jarred roast peppers are the Karyatis Roasted Red Peppers, however, a lot of the supermarkets have their own brands which tend to be a little cheaper.

Don’t like it chunky?

I love this as a chunky sauce loaded with texture but I know that’s not everyone’s preference. If you prefer a smooth sauce, are fussy eaters or want something more child friendly then this sauce is also great blitzed with a hand blender or in a large blender. Or try my easy HIDDEN VEGGIE PASTA SAUCE USING FROZEN VEGETABLES!

Serving Suggestions

This sauce is a delicious recipe and is a great roasted vegetable pasta sauce. However, it is also incredibly versatile and adaptable to taking any flavour you like to throw at it (see my variations above)

By adding some fresh basil or pesto you could make a more Italian-inspired dish and use it as the red sauce in a Lasagna. Or perhaps add plenty of oregano and feta for a beautiful Greek-inspired side dish to go with a leg of deliciously slow-roasted lamb or chicken.

Here are some other suggestions on ways to use and serve this sauce:

• As a pasta dish – Stir into your favourite pasta and sprinkle with parmesan cheese for the perfect easy pasta meal
• Spread it on your homemade pizzas for a nutritious and delicious pizza topping
• Top a roasted sweet potato with chunks for this delicious sauce
• Add to cooked rice to make a delicious tomatoey rice dish
• Enjoy it as a simple soup by adding some extra vegetable stock and blitzing it down

Diabetes Note

This Roasted Veggie Sauce is completely carb count-free. This makes it a great addition to meals for those mindful of their carb consumption, or if you are just looking for a deliciousway to add more vegetables into your diet.

There is a little sugar in balsamic vinegar (as it is fermented grapes) however, we have found that as the quantity is so small per serving we have not needed to count for this. But as always that is a personal choice and you know best what to count for.

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Simple Roasted Veggie Sauce Recipe with Tomato

Recipe by Michelle

Delicious Roasted Veggie Sauce. This simple homemade sauce uses 6 simple ingredients, is easy to prep and is full of wholesome goodness!

Course: Sauces, MainsCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Very Easy

5.0 from 2 votes

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Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

50

minutes

Total time

1

hour

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

MetricUS

• 1 medium 1 onion, chopped finely

• 2 clove 2 garlic, chopped/minced

• 2 tins 2 chopped or cherry tomatoes

• 1 medium 1 red pepper or jarred roasted red pepper

• 2 medium 2 aubergines

• 1 tbsp 1 balsamic vinegar

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 200c / 180c fan
  
• First, you will need to roast the aubergine and red pepper. Pop them both on a baking tray, prick the skin of the aubergine and leave them to roast in a preheated oven at 220c / 200c fan for around 30 minutes.
• Whilst the vegetables are roasting it is time to make the tomato sauce. On a medium heat sautee your chopped onion and garlic for 5-10 minutes until golden brown.
• Add the canned tomatoes and balsamic vinegar, giving it a thorough mix. I prefer to add a bit of extra water at this stage, ensuring I rinse the cans to extract every last drop of tomato juice, typically around 1/4 of the can.
  Season well with plenty of salt and black pepper.
  If you want to add any extra seasoning such as herbs like oregano or basil, this is a good point to do it.
• Turn the heat up high and once the sauce is starting to bubble, turn the heat down and leave the tomato sauce to simmer on a gentle heat.
• Once the vegetables are beautifully roasted and soft, place the aubergines and pepper on a chopping board to cool. Place a clean tea towel over them to sweat whilst they cool a little so you can chop them.
• Once cool enough to handle, chop your roasted vegetables into small bite-size chunks. Add them back into your tomato sauce and mix well to combine everything.
• The veggie sauce is now ready to serve or can be left to gently bubble away on the hob for an hour or so to intensify the flavours even further.

Equipment

• Silicone SpatulaBuy Here
• Baking TrayBuy Here
• Large Saucepan
• Chopping Board
• Sharp Kitchen Knife

Tips and Notes

• Don’t like your sauce chunky? Then blitz it before serving to make a deliciously smooth sauce
• See above for lots of tasty variations and serving suggestions – there is so much more to this homemade sauce than just pasta!
• Diabetes Note – This Roasted Veggie Sauce is completely carb count-free. This makes it an excellent addition to meals for those mindful of their carb consumption, or if you are just looking way to add more vegetables into your diet.

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