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Healthy Spaghetti-ABC-O’s Recipe

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As parents, we sometimes try to have recipes in our rotation that can be made quickly, thawed or warmed up. Once you make a batch of these ABC Os, you’ll never go back and buy the canned stuff! YUCK-O!

I have a love affair with my immersion blender. It lets me puree hot soups and hide veggies in sauces without the hassle of cooling and moving it to a blender.

As a busy mom, I don’t always have the time to wait for things to cool enough to transfer to the blender and all that. Plus, with two extremely picky eaters, tomato sauce is the easiest place to hide veggies without them noticing. Call it a nutrition packed sauce if you must, but the point is the same: lots of veggies hidden in tomato sauce kids will love and nobody complains.

See how easy it is? Seriously. Make the sauce, blend and add cooked pasta.

This recipe has been such a hit with my kids that I finally included it in our MOMables menus.

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Healthy Spaghetti-ABC-O’s Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

MOM Tip: Use leftovers for lunch. Preheat your thermos so the soup remains warm till lunch. Pack with a grilled cheese or bread roll and fruit.

  • Author: Laura Fuentes

Ingredients

Sauce Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 2 medium carrots
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped (optional)
  • 1 zucchini, chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, diced
  • 1 small onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
  • 1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes or tomato puree

Pasta:

  • 16 oz bag of ABC pasta, shells or macaroni, cooked

Instructions

Crockpot Directions:

  1. Add all ingredients in a crockpot for 4-6 hours on low.
  2. With an immersion blender, puree sauce. You might have to add a bit of water until you have the traditional sauce consistency you like.

Stove top Directions:

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, zucchini, celery, onions and garlic. Sauté until veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly.
  2. Add the tomatoes, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
  3. Remove from heat, puree with an immersion hand blender (or in a regular blender) until almost smooth.
  4. Return sauce to the heat and simmer until thick, 10-20 minutes. The longer you simmer this sauce the thicker and more flavorful it will become. You can simmer up to 2 hours

To serve: Serve pasta on a plate pour sauce over pasta. Mix well.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Family Sized: Serves 6-8

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @MOMables on Instagram and hashtag it #momables

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Reader Interactions

Comments

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Nicole Bain

    April 08, 2020 at 10:47 am

    This is delicious and toddler approved! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      April 13, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      I’m glad it was kid-approved!

      Reply
  2. Erin

    February 08, 2014 at 6:45 am

    Made this for dinner last night and my very picky three year old ate it up! This was the first time he’s eaten a red sauce. My fairly picky husband also ate it, and no one had any idea it was loaded with vegetables. A winner! Thank you so much! I’ve enjoyed all the recipes I’ve made from your site.

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      February 09, 2014 at 1:06 pm

      so glad you liked my ABC O’s! 🙂

      Reply
  3. Tammy

    September 13, 2013 at 9:05 pm

    Oh my do sorry… I just re read the above and see my questions answer…. Yes to the immersion blender! Sorry!!

    Reply
  4. Tammy Wariwanchik

    September 13, 2013 at 9:01 pm

    Silly question Laura, if doing the crock pot version, do I still use the immersion blender? I just purchased one! Can’t wait to try this!!! 🙂

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      September 13, 2013 at 10:49 pm

      yes, use an immersion blender even in the crockpot version 🙂

      Reply
  5. laura

    July 09, 2013 at 10:40 am

    If I am doing the crockpot version, do I still have to pre-cook the pasta before adding to the crockpot? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      July 09, 2013 at 2:12 pm

      Laura, you can add uncooked pasta 30 to 40 minutes before serving -although i rarely cook pasta in the crockpot because I don’t like the texture. cook it separately, and mix at the end –it’s what I would do.

      Reply
  6. Ashley

    June 17, 2013 at 2:15 pm

    Do you have any tips for freezing this? I’d love to give it to the kids for lunch once a week or so. I’m wondering how the pasta would hold up. Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      June 17, 2013 at 7:34 pm

      Ashley, all you have to do is let it cool and freeze in individual portions. To enjoy, warm and serve. If you are sending it to school, warm up the spaghetti-o’s and send in a thermos container.

      Reply
  7. Toni

    June 06, 2013 at 9:41 pm

    I really really really want to make this but I don’t use canned products. I am horrible about recipe sub. Can you help me, can I use fresh tomatoes and cook those?

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      June 10, 2013 at 10:12 am

      Toni, do you “can” your own tomatoes? meaning, in a glass jar? if so, substitute for that. I am totally guesstimating here that you will need about 2.5- 3 lbs of fresh tomatoes for a whole pot and add some water. I’m sorry I can’t be any more specific.

      Reply
  8. Dana from CT

    June 06, 2013 at 1:59 pm

    Fabulous! And it’s dairy free 🙂 My son is highly allergic to dairy and it seems all “kid food” has dairy in it. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  9. Monica J

    October 10, 2012 at 5:57 pm

    This recipe does look easy. I still love spaghetti-o’s. I’m definitely a big kid. I agree that tomato sauce is a great plcae to hide veggies. Great idea! Thanks for the tips. 🙂

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      October 11, 2012 at 9:30 am

      You are welcome Monica!

      Reply
  10. Tiffany's Toy Box

    October 09, 2012 at 6:17 pm

    THIS LOOKS YUMMMMMM-E! Great recipe, Laura!

    Reply
    • Laura Fuentes

      October 10, 2012 at 10:39 am

      thanks Tiffany!

      Reply

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