Creamy Red Pepper & Carrot Spaghetti (creamy hidden veggie & meat sauce)

Top with burrata if you’d like to be fancy & for a more hearty option! (not pictured above but SO yum)

Creamy Red Pepper & Carrot Spaghetti

Hidden Veggie Meat Sauce

A cozy spaghetti packed with hidden vegetables blended into a silky tomato sauce. Sweet red peppers and carrots melt into the tomatoes, and a splash of cream creates a rich, velvety sauce that pairs perfectly with savory ground beef.

Ingredients

Sauce

2 red bell peppers, chopped
3 orange carrots, chopped
1 onion, divided
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (28 oz) can San Marzano tomatoes
¼ cup heavy cream
Small handful fresh basil
Small handful fresh parsley

Meat

2 pounds ground beef (93% lean recommended)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Italian seasoning, to taste
Onion powder, to taste
Garlic powder, to taste
Ground pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

For Serving

1 pound spaghetti
Fresh basil
Freshly grated parmesan

Simple Garden Salad (optional)

Butter lettuce
1 Roma tomato
½ cucumber
1 avocado
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Start the vegetable base

Chop the red bell peppers, carrots, and one onion. Divide the onion so half will be used later for the beef.

Cook the vegetables

Heat olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic, peppers, carrots, and half of the onion. Cook until the vegetables begin to soften and melt down, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes

Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

Blend the sauce

Remove the pan from the heat and carefully use an immersion blender to blend the sauce until smooth and creamy. This step is optional if you prefer a chunky sauce.

Add the cream and herbs

Return the sauce to the stove and stir in the heavy cream, fresh basil, and fresh parsley. Let the sauce simmer gently.

Boil the spaghetti

In a separate pot, bring salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti according to package instructions.

Cook the beef

In another pan, heat olive oil and sauté the remaining half of the onion until fragrant. Add the ground beef and cook until browned. Season with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, and ground pepper.

Combine the sauce and beef

Add the cooked beef mixture into the tomato sauce. Stir well and season with salt, cracked pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to taste.

Simmer

Let the sauce simmer for about 20 minutes so it thickens and the flavors come together.

Serve

Serve the sauce over hot spaghetti and top with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan.

Simple Garden Salad

Toss butter lettuce, chopped Roma tomato, cucumber slices, and avocado with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Serve alongside the spaghetti for a bright and fresh side.

A Recipe by Madeline May

Creamy Red Pepper & Carrot Spaghetti

Dinner • Pasta • Hidden Vegetables

Prep

15 mins

Cook

35 mins

Total

50 mins

Yield

6 servings

Category

Dinner

Difficulty

Easy

This cozy spaghetti hides a whole bunch of vegetables inside a silky tomato sauce. Sweet red peppers and carrots blend into the tomatoes, while a splash of heavy cream makes the sauce velvety, comforting, and perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Ingredients

Creamy Vegetable Sauce

• 2 red bell peppers, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• ½ onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 (28-ounce) can San Marzano tomatoes
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• Small handful of fresh basil
• Small handful of fresh parsley

Beef & Pasta

• 2 pounds 93% lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Remaining ½ onion, chopped
• Italian seasoning, to taste
• Onion powder, to taste
• Garlic powder, to taste
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1 pound spaghetti

For Serving

• Fresh basil
• Freshly grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Prepare the vegetables Chop the red bell peppers, carrots, and onion, keeping half of the onion separate for the ground beef.
2. Sauté Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a deep pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, peppers, carrots, and half of the onion. Cook for 6–8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften.
3. Add the tomatoes Pour in the San Marzano tomatoes, bring the mixture to a gentle boil, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Blend the sauce Remove the pan from the heat and carefully blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Leave it slightly chunky if you prefer more texture.
5. Make it creamy Return the sauce to low heat and stir in the heavy cream, basil, and parsley. Let it simmer gently.
6. Cook the pasta Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti according to the package directions. Drain.
7. Brown the beef Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a separate pan. Sauté the remaining onion, then add the ground beef and cook until browned. Season with Italian seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
8. Finish the sauce Stir the cooked beef into the vegetable sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings, then simmer for about 20 minutes so the sauce thickens and the flavors come together.
9. Serve Spoon the sauce over the hot spaghetti and finish with fresh basil and grated Parmesan.

Storage

Store the sauce and pasta separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Make Ahead

Prepare the sauce up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. Reheat gently while the spaghetti cooks.

A Note from Madeline May

Blending the sauce lets the peppers and carrots disappear into the tomato base, creating a smooth texture that works especially well for picky eaters. The cream softens the tomato acidity.

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A Recipe by Madeline May • madelinemayco.com

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