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This creamy carrot pasta sauce is a delicious way to sneak in extra veggies while serving up comfort in a bowl. It’s smooth, naturally sweet, and packed with protein and fiber for a wholesome meal the whole family will love. Perfect for busy weeknights, picky eaters, or anyone looking for a healthy twist on pasta night.
Why this Recipe Works
My family loves a good marinara, but as a pediatric dietitian, I also love playing with tomato free pasta sauces to bring more variety (and veggies!) to our pasta nights. If you haven’t tried a vegetable-based pasta sauce yet, you’re in for such a treat! It’s a delicious way to add nutrition and color to your family’s meals.
I’ve shared sweet potato sauce, green pasta sauce, and butternut squash sauce, and now it’s time for carrots to take the spotlight. This creamy carrot pasta sauce is packed with vitamins and minerals and delivers the perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors that pair beautifully with any pasta shape.
It’s a kid-friendly weeknight meal everyone can get behind, but the sauce is so versatile you can use it beyond pasta too. Plus, that bright orange color? A total win for catching your little one’s attention and getting them excited to try something new.
And if your family enjoys this vibrant veggie-forward dish, you’ll also love my veggie mac and cheese!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Carrots – you will need a pound (about 5-6 medium carrots) of firm, bright colored carrots. Here are more carrot recipes for babies.
- Onion – you can use yellow or red onion.
- Beans – white beans, such as great northern or cannellini, will work best.
- Coconut milk – adds creaminess and incredible flavor! See “Substitutions” section for alternatives.
- Tahini – complements the other flavors in the pasta sauce and adds depth and complexity. Also provided substitutions below.
Substitutions
- No coconut milk? You can use any milk of choice or even vegetable stock. The texture and flavor will change but will be delicious in its own way.
- No tahini? I’ve tried with white miso (like in this miso pasta) and it was so delicious too! Or add some tomato paste. You will need one of these to give the sauce an extra oomph.
- No white beans? Use chickpeas or even cooked red lentils or silken tofu. They will all add creaminess and a boost of protein.
Step-by-Step Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Prep the vegetables – Slice the carrots into 1/2 inch rounds and quarter the onion. Leave the garlic cloves in their skin.
Step 2: Roast the vegetables – Toss the carrots with olive oil. Take the time to rub oil all quartered onion and drizzle some over the garlic. Place on a baking tray. Roast for 25-30 minutes.
Step 3: Once slightly cooled, add all the roasted veggies (peel the garlic) to the food processor or blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
Step 4: Blend until smooth. Pour into a pan and heat over medium to medium-low heat for several minutes until heated through. Add cooked pasta. Be sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining and use it to thin out the sauce, if needed. Stir in some yogurt or cheese, like ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, or cheddar cheese.
Expert Tips
- There is no need to peel the garlic cloves before roasting as they will just pop right out perfectly caramelized and delicious once roasted. A fan of garlic? Go ahead and roast a whole head and add more to this sauce or save to enjoy throughout the week!
- Meal prep – Since roasting the vegetables is what takes the longest, feel free to prep over the weekend for a super easy weeknight meal.
- Be sure to save some pasta cooking water before draining the pasta. This starchy water really helps the sauce stick to the noodles as well as adds silkiness to the dish.
Serving Suggestions
There are SO many delicious ways to enjoy this carrot pasta sauce!
- Add flavor: Top with shredded cheese (check out the best cheeses for babies and toddlers) and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle with herbs like thyme, rosemary, or basil to brighten up the dish.
- Add texture: Try toasted nuts or seeds for a little crunch.
- Add heat: My husband loves his with freshly cracked black pepper and a drizzle of sriracha.
- Add protein: Pair it with chicken, tofu, salmon, or shrimp for a more balanced meal.
- Switch it up:
- Spread it on toast or sandwiches for a veggie-loaded spread.
- Use it as a sauce for cheese quesadillas or my high-protein pizza dough.
- Turn leftovers into a creamy carrot soup by thinning with a bit of broth or milk. Also check out my carrot lentil soup.
💡 Tip: If your child doesn’t like mixed foods, serve the pasta and sauce separately so they can explore each part on its own.
For more inspiration, check out my dinner ideas for toddlers and kids.
Is your toddler becoming picky?
Arm yourself with these strategies that will transform your mealtimes!
Storage
While you can refrigerate leftovers once the pasta is tossed in the sauce, it tastes best with fresh cooked pasta.
So I strongly recommend combining enough pasta and sauce for one meal and reserving the rest of the sauce to enjoy in various ways throughout the week, as mentioned above.
Store leftover sauce in an airtight container or jar and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
They freeze really well too. I personally like to freeze in individual portions. This freezer tray with a lid is really great! Once frozen, you can pop the molded sauce out and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Reheat on the stove or in the microwave.
You can also add individual cubes straight from the freezer and mix with freshly cooked pasta to help cool it down faster.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you want the sauce to really cling to the pasta, I highly recommend going for ruffled or ridged shapes, like fusili, rotini, cavatappi, and penne. But you can use any shape and type of pasta. I used regular penne pasta in this post.
Try with regular, whole wheat, gluten-free pasta, or legume based pasta (e.g. chickpea, edamame, lentil) for extra protein, iron, and fiber.
It depends on how you want to enjoy it. Warm it up if combining with pasta as the recipe suggests. Otherwise, you can eat it as soon as it’s blended. It’s tasty served cold, too.
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Carrot Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound carrots (about 5-6 medium), cut into 1/2 inch rounds
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 4-5 garlic cloves, with peel on
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 15 ounce can cannellini beans
- 15 ounce canned full fat unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon tahini (see note)
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables – Slice the carrots into 1/2 inch rounds and quarter the onion. Leave the garlic cloves in their skin.
- Roast the vegetables – Toss the carrots with olive oil. Take the time to rub oil all quartered onion and drizzle some over the garlic. Place on a baking tray. Roast at 400°F for 25-30 minutes.
- Once slightly cooled, add all the roasted veggies (peel the garlic) to the food processor or blender along with the rest of the ingredients.
- Blend until smooth. Pour into a pan and heat over medium to medium-low heat for several minutes until heated through.
- Add cooked pasta. Be sure to reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining and use it to thin out the sauce, if needed. Stir in some yogurt or cheese, like ricotta cheese, parmesan cheese, or cheddar cheese.
Wow! This sauce was delicious for baby and the rest of the family. I did not end up having tahini so used tomato paste as one of the suggested alternatives. Baby LOVED this. I will say this did end up dying a few things orange (white silicone straw cup lid, high chair straps), but it was worth it. I did not wash it off soon enough, so be careful if it gets on the surroundings! Overall, wonderful, yummy recipe!
I may have missed this, but do you rinse and drain the canned beans or also add the liquid from the can to the blender? Thanks!
Hi! Rinse and drain the beans!
How much pasta do you use for this recipe??
Hi! I usually cook about 8 ounces of pasta and combine with enough sauce to coat the pasta, then refrigerate or freeze the leftover sauce.
Made this tonight and was surprisingly well received by all of us in the family! Because of the coconut milk, it reminded us of almost a curry!
After blending the sauce, we sautéed some capsicums and then mixed the sauce in and stirred some baby spinach and kale at the end. It was a delicious meal, it will definitely be on rotation in our household. Thank you Min!
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to share!!
Looks delicious! Love finding dairy free recipes. How much pasta should be cooked up?
You can cook as much as you need! You can add as much or little sauce as yo wish. I recommend storing the leftover sauce and pasta separately.
Is there a substitute for the coconut milk?
You can use any milk of choice, although will result in a different flavor profile. I would definitely add some cheese at the end 🙂
Easy, delicious, and healthy! My son is allergic to garlic so I left that out. Used a little tomato sauce instead of tahini because that’s what we had. I also added a couple of different spices to the carrots. Thanks for a great recipe!!
So happy to hear that you guys enjoyed this recipe!
Can tahini be substituted for something else?
Try with any nut or seed butter like almond butter, sunflower seed butter, or even sesame oil
Hi! What temp should I roast the carrots for? Do you recommend steam roasting them?
Hi at 400°F and whatever you prefer! Either way will work. If cooking for your baby and want to roast a big batch of carrots then I would steam roast – use some for this sauce and then save the rest to serve as a great finger food.
I didn’t have carrots, so I replaced them with red and yellow bell peppers. Turned out delicious! Thank you for making such healthy recipes!
Oh! I will have to try with peppers next time too!