I love this easy vegetable spaghetti recipe! It tastes incredible and is loaded with over 1 ½ pounds of vegetables. This vegetarian pasta is so good that I could honestly eat it every day.
My favorite thing about this vegetarian pasta sauce is that it’s made 100% from scratch, so you know every ingredient that goes into the pan.
Our veggie pasta recipe is wonderfully adaptable, so you can use whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. It’s a great way to use those veggie scraps left in the produce drawer. We also love this easy vegetable lasagna!
Key Ingredients
- Pasta: I used spaghetti in our photos and video, but any shape of pasta will do. You can even substitute your favorite gluten-free or whole-grain pasta if you’d like to.
- Vegetables: I add over 1 ½ pounds of veggies to this pasta recipe and love a combination of zucchini, yellow squash, jarred roasted red peppers, and spinach. Other veggies work, like peas, corn, cauliflower, and cabbage.
- Onion, garlic, and tomato paste: These provide our base flavor for the vegetable pasta sauce.
- Canned whole tomatoes: I love canned whole tomatoes for this recipe. After adding them to the pot, I crush them with a spoon so they turn into a chunky sauce. Crushed tomatoes are also an option. You can also use blanched, peeled fresh tomatoes (tips for peeling fresh tomatoes are found in this recipe for red pasta sauce).
- Basil: I love fresh basil in this sauce, but other herbs work, too (parsley and mint add a different flavor but are excellent).
- Mushroom powder: Okay, now this one is optional, but for the best, most flavorful veggie pasta, I highly recommend using homemade mushroom powder. It adds a rich umami flavor to the sauce and is our secret weapon when making meatless recipes. I also use it when making mushroom pasta and spaghetti with meat sauce. You can also buy it from specialty food stores, spice shops, and online.
How to Make Veggie Spaghetti
My family loves this veggie spaghetti (even my young son). We’ll make it from scratch, but don’t worry, it’s easy and quick!
First, you’ll make the vegetable sauce. Cook your onions in olive oil until soft, then stir in the garlic, spices, and tomato paste. The tomato paste will turn from bright red to burnt orange, and that’s when you’ll toss in all your delicious veggies.
Next, add a large can of tomatoes and use a wooden spoon to break them into a chunky sauce. Add a good pinch of salt and, if you have it, some mushroom powder (highly recommended). Then, let your sauce simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, you can cook your pasta. When the pasta is cooked, your sauce should be ready, and you can toss in some spinach, fresh basil, and the cooked pasta. I love serving this veggie spaghetti with a generous amount of parmesan cheese, but you can use a more vegetarian-friendly cheese or nutritional yeast instead.
Storing Veggie Spaghetti
Leftover veggie spaghetti lasts in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also make the sauce and store it in the refrigerator for 4 days before tossing it with the pasta. Freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating and tossing with freshly cooked pasta.
More Vegetarian Pasta Recipes
- Baked Vegetable Pasta
- Veggie Lasagna Rollups
- Garlic Zucchini Noodles (low-carb)
- Creamy Vegan Mac and Cheese
Easy Veggie Spaghetti
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
We love this quick and easy vegetable pasta with over 1 ½ pounds of vegetables and a simple tomato sauce made completely from scratch. For vegan spaghetti, skip the cheese and serve with some nutritional yeast sprinkled on top. You can make the sauce up to 4 days in advance.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
12 ounces (340g) spaghetti or pasta of choice
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (140g) chopped onion
2 medium zucchini, chopped
2 medium yellow squash, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced, about 1 tablespoon
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 (28oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
One (12oz) jar roasted red peppers, drained and cut into 1/2-inch pieces, about 1 cup
2 to 3 teaspoons mushroom powder, optional
5 cups (226g) spinach leaves
Handful of fresh basil leaves, plus more for serving
Salt and fresh ground black pepper
Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for serving
Directions
- Make Vegetable Pasta Sauce
1Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet with sides over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes.
2Add the zucchini, yellow squash, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and a generous pinch of salt, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but still with some crunch, 5 to 8 minutes.
3Stir in the tomato paste and cook another minute.
4Add the roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and mushroom powder. Bring to a low simmer and cook until the liquid has thickened and reduced by half, about 10 minutes. As the sauce cooks, use a spoon to break the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces for a chunky sauce.
- Make Veggie Pasta
1While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil then cook pasta according to package directions.
2Take the sauce off of the heat, and then stir in the spinach and basil. Taste then adjust with additional salt if needed.
3Toss in the cooked pasta, and then leave for a minute so that the pasta absorbs some of the sauce and the spinach wilts. Toss again, and then serve with parmesan or nutritional yeast sprinkled on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Salting to taste: Tomato sauces usually need quite a bit of salt. If you taste the sauce and the flavor does not pop, it probably needs more salt. I use between 1 and 1 ½ teaspoons of fine sea salt when making this vegetable tomato sauce.
- Mushroom powder: I love it and highly recommend adding it to your spice cabinet! It adds a rich umami flavor to the sauce (and other dishes). Here is our homemade mushroom powder recipe, or you can buy it (I’ve seen it in specialty stores, spice shops, and online).
- Substitutes for mushroom powder: Try a dash of soy sauce or fish sauce, or chop mushrooms and add them to the pan along with the onions.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
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This was a delicious dinner. Now, I hate when people leave a review where they change everything about the recipe, but I had to make a few substitutions. I did not have any zucchini, but I did have a big pile of baby Bella mushroom so I chopped them up And use that instead of the zucchini. I also chopped up a carrot which I added along with the onions. It actually kind of looked like a vegetable meat sauce. Everything else I followed the recipe and the taste was great. Thank you
That’s awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, even with your substitutions. It sounds like you got creative with what you had on hand, and it paid off! Thanks for sharing your experience! We love hearing how people adapt my recipes to their own tastes and kitchens.
Love this. I added some pineapple chunks as well for some sweetness
Really tasty
Excellent recipe……. I just used up other veg. sitting in the fridge as well, e.g. handful of broad beans. Didnt have many peppers so added a large pinch of chilli flakes. No fresh basil, so chucked in frozen leaves. Worked just as well. Thank you!
This recipe is amazing and so simple. I’m not a fan of mushrooms, so I substituted the powder with a bit of Worcestershire sauce for that umami. It turned out perfectly and my vegetarian friend was a huge fan too!
This was amazing. This is my second time making it. First time was right on the recipe. This time I changed up veggies a bit and it was equally good. I made your mushroom powder a month ago and use it frequently. Thank you for your wonderful recipes. I love everyone I’ve tried. Keep up the great work.
This makes me so happy, Carol! I’m so happy you’ve made the mushroom powder (isn’t it good!). Thanks for coming back!
I’m going to try this recipe right now and I can’t wait to try it!! I going to make a pineapple coleslaw and Texas 5 cheese garlic bread to go with it!! yummy! I don’t have mushroom powder so I’m going to use soy sauce but I will be going to trader Joe’s to get some soon because they have the best and ONLY sweet and spicy jalapenos!! to die for!! thanks for recipe!! I can’t wait to take a pic and hashtag it for you all!!
That’s so exciting! I’m also so happy you plan to try out mushroom powder soon. So tasty!
5 STARS. Delicious and easy. Have made several times and highly recommend!
Amazing!! It’s always wonderful to hear when recipes become go-to dishes. Thanks for your support!
Another winner. I wasn’t happy with my previous veggie spaghetti recipe and wanted to try something new. Well, my previous recipe is now in the bin. This was absolutely delicious and will now be my go-to spaghetti dinner.
Stuck to the recipe pretty closely but used more squash since the ones I bought were large. Used 1 ½ jars of peppers since I increased the squash. Doubled the red pepper flakes & garlic because I like spicy and it was just the perfect amount for me. Skipped the mushroom power since nobody carries it in the smaller town I live in. But still was wonderful. I think buy some mushrooms just dehydrate them myself since I have a convection oven which should do the job I think.
This was delicious. Just a perfect combo of fresh veggies and flavors. Won’t change anything next time I make this
Wonderful! Thanks for coming back and sharing.
This was so fresh, delicious and satisfying. Will definitely be making again and again
That’s what we love to hear, Karla!
I’ve made this recipe many times. It continues to get better each time I make it. Sweet potatoes is an awesome addition.
This is truly an easy and delicious dish. I have made it many times and it always tastes great. My husband, who is reluctantly eating plant based, also loves this dish.
Hi Cindy, Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and leave a review. We are so happy that your family loves the recipe 🙂