Roasted Carrot Pasta Sauce
This roasted carrot pasta sauce is a bright and vibrant twist to traditional pasta sauce.
I had the best time at the food blogger retreat last week! It was great meeting NZ foodies in the same digital space as me. I’ve come back super inspired for the year ahead!
Today, I’m sharing a super easy dinner meal - a roasted carrot pasta sauce. Carrots are the stars; they bring a beautiful bright orange color and a natural sweetness. They make a lovely creamy sauce, blended until smooth, and perfect to add to your favorite cooked pasta.
It’s a great alternative to traditional tomato-based sauces. I like to add red peppers in there, too, to bring more depth of flavor, but if you’re looking to make a night-shade-free sauce, it can just be left out.
The vegetables are all roasted on one tray, then popped into a blender with stock and blended until smooth. A dash of heavy cream can enrich the sauce even more, but it’s optional.
Roasted Carrot Pasta
Serves 5-6
450g /1lb fresh carrots
1 red or orange bell pepper (capsicum)
1 onion
4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, plus more for serving
Salt and pepper
360g (1 1/2 cups) vegetable broth
2-3 Tablespoons finely grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Cream (optional)
450g / 1lb dried pasta of choice
Method
Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Wash and chop the carrots into ¼ inch rounds. Peel the onion and chop it into quarters. Chop the bell pepper into quarters and remove the seeds. Arrange the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet
Add whole garlic cloves, still in their peel. Drizzle with olive oil and dot with fresh thyme leaves. Season generously with salt and black pepper.
Place the baking sheet in the oven and roast the vegetables for about 30 minutes or until they're tender and golden brown.
Once the vegetables are roasted, squeeze the garlic from its skin and discard the skin. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor. Add the vegetable broth and blend until very smooth. Taste and add a little salt or pepper if needed.
Meanwhile, according to the package directions, cook your favorite pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted water.
Transfer the sauce to a large skillet and place it over medium heat. Add the grated parmesan cheese and stir until it melts into the sauce.
Stir through the cooked and drained pasta. Add a drizzle of cream to thin out the sauce and add extra richness if you like.
Serve with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and fresh thyme.
Other recipes you might like to try!
Pesto Couscous Salad
This fresh and vibrant pesto couscous salad uses basil pesto to bring a delicious flavor. It’s tossed with pearl couscous, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, pine nuts, and lemon.
Lemon Orzo Salad With Basil and Bell Peppers
This lemon orzo salad is fresh and bright, with zingy lemon, fresh herbs, peppers, and feta cheese.