This is the best Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce. You only need 6 ingredients to make it, and it comes together on one sheet pan. Simply combine baked sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, paprika, and oregano in a blender to make the sauce. Then combine with your favourite pasta shape and you've got yourself an easy, simple, and delicious midweek meal.
I am a sucker for a big bowl of saucy pasta, and this spaghetti with creamy sweet potato sauce is a pasta lover's dream. It's all plant-based making it a really inclusive dish to make for friends and family, with the option to sprinkle feta cheese on top for a bit of extra flavour.
Although I've served this sweet potato pasta sauce with spaghetti, you can combine it with any pasta shape you like from orzo to rigatoni. I've provided some recipe variations and ingredient substitutions below for those of you who need it!
If you're looking for more pasta sauce recipes, then you've got to try out my Pink Barbie Pasta , my Roasted Red Pepper Pasta Sauce recipe, or my Tahini Pasta sauce recipe. For quick and easy pasta dishes that come together in less than 20 minutes, check out my Lemon Boursin Pasta or my Curry Pasta, both are so creamy and delicious. Or if you're looking for something a bit healthier with some extra greens, my Pea and Asparagus Orzo is the perfect choice.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
One Sheet Pan - That's right, this easy sweet potato pasta sauce comes together by placing your ingredients on one sheet pan tray, and into the oven for 40 minutes until soft and flavoursome. There's minimal washing up, resulting in a fuss-free meal. Another great pasta sauce is my spicy alfredo sauce that is made in less than 10 minutes!
6-Ingredients - You only need a handful of ingredients for this recipe: sweet potatoes, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, paprika, and oregano. Once roasted, you can add them to a blender with some water until smooth. Combine with your pasta of choice and then optionally sprinkle with feta and parsley for a bit of extra flavour and colour. Another 6 ingredient pasta sauce recipe I adore is my avocado pesto, it's a go-to of mine!
Meal-Prep - This sweet potato sauce is fantastic for meal prep. Although I've served mine with pasta, you can easily use it as a sauce for chicken and rice, potatoes, as a soup (just add more water), or add in some turmeric and chilli flakes to make it into a katsu curry sauce. This sweet potato sauce is so versatile, I absolutely love it. If you're looking for more meal-prep recipes, my Goat Cheese Pasta is a great option.
Another comforting pasta dish I adore is my baked ziti with ground turkey or my creamy prawn and chorizo linguine, both are so delicious and simple to make!
If you're looking for something to serve this with, my air fryer turkey meatballs would go so well with it!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Sweet potato: Highly nutritious and a great source of fibre, vitamins, and minerals, sweet potatoes are the star of this creamy pasta sauce. There's no need to peel the skin (I leave it on for the nutritional benefits), but if you'd like to you can remove them. Once roasted, sweet potatoes provide a glossy, smooth foundation to our sauce. If you don't have sweet potatoes, feel free to give this sauce a go with butternut squash, pumpkin, or carrots.
Baby tomatoes: I've used baby tomatoes in this sweet potato sauce to add acidity and balance out the sweetness from the potatoes. If you don't have tomatoes, you can use red bell peppers which would add a lovely colour, vitamins, and a similar tang that the tomatoes would bring.
Garlic: I've used a whole head of garlic for this recipe. Once roasted, it becomes lightly caramelised and sweet, adding a wonderful flavour to the sauce. If you don't have raw garlic, you can use garlic granules (1 tsp) and sprinkle them over your baking tray vegetables.
Shallots: Peeled and sliced lengthways in half, these are a sweet and delicate, with an essence of garlic and onion to them. If you don't have shallots, feel free to use a white or red onion.
Paprika: Sweet paprika is a lovely addition for our sweet potato sauce. If you don't have paprika, chilli flakes or cajun spice are good alternatives.
Oregano: For freshness and a hint of herbiness, dried oregano works perfectly. If you don't have oregano, a combination of mixed herbs or parsley is great.
Recipe Variations
More veggies: One of the best ways to eat veggies is to hide them in sauces, and this sweet potato sauce for pasta is a perfect example. So, in addition to the sweet potato, baby tomatoes, garlic, and shallots, why not try adding in some roasted red bell peppers, carrots, and butternut squash. Not only will this add an abundance of nutrients, but it will add to the flavour of the sauce.
Add more protein: If you're looking to add some more protein, some plant-based ingredients are as follows; tofu, lentils, or chickpeas...you can either blend them in with the sauce or keep them whole. For meat protein, I would recommend roasting some chicken breast or salmon on the side and then serving it up with the sweet potato pasta.
Low carb: I've served this sauce with spaghetti, but if you're looking for a low carb option, I'd recommend serving it with spaghetti squash or zucchini strips. Or you could add more water/stock and serve it as a soup!
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 200C/390F.
Get your sheet pan and add on all of your vegetables. Get your bulb of garlic and drizzle with oil, then cover in tinned foil and nestle into your tray of vegetables. Drizzle your whole tray with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for 40 minutes until the sweet potato is soft.
Step 2: Once your vegetables are soft, add them to a large blender or food processor, removing the garlic cloves from the bulb. Add 250ml of water to your blender or food processor, and blend until the sauce is smooth.
Step 3: Taste and season your sweet potato sauce accordingly.
Step 4: Next up, get your cooked and drained pasta and combine with your sweet potato pasta sauce. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and parsley for a bit of extra flavour and colour. Enjoy!
Top Tips!
- Double the sweet potato pasta sauce quantities so you can have it throughout the week.
- If you'd like to add even more flavour, use vegetable stock instead of water to loosen the sauce.
- Heat up the sauce back in a pan with your pasta to ensure everything is boiling hot and ready to serve.
What To Do with Leftovers
Storage: Place any leftover sweet potato sauce in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 4 days. You can also store this with the pasta too.
Freeze: To freeze the sauce, place it in an airtight container and into the freezer for up to 3 months. To defrost, remove from the freezer, place in the fridge overnight to thaw, and then heat up according to the instructions below.
Reheating: From the fridge, simple transfer the sauce into a saucepan and heat on low for around 10 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and piping hot. From frozen and once defrosted, follow the same instructions as above by placing the sweet potato sauce into a saucepan until bubbling and piping hot. Alternatively, you can heat up the sauce in the microwave for a few minutes with the lid of the Tupperware loosely fitted on.
FAQs
Absolutely, I've used water for this recipe, but to make it creamier, I'd recommend using single cream (plant-based if you're vegan).
I love to serve it with chicken and rice, as a soup (by just adding more stock to the sauce), or with potatoes and vegetables or meat.
Absolutely, simply slice your vegetables into smaller chunks and roast for 20 minutes until soft.
I love serving it with spaghetti or bucatini, but any pasta shape from rigatoni to penne will do.
Other related recipes you might enjoy!
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The BEST Sweet Potato Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 600g sweet potato cut into bitesized pieces
- 300g baby tomatoes
- 1 garlic bulb sliced off the top to expose the garlic cloves
- 2 shallots peeled and sliced in half lengthways
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 300g pasta cooked to packet instructions and drained
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200C/390F.
- Get your sheet pan and add on all of your vegetables. Get your sliced bulb of garlic and drizzle with oil, then cover in tinned foil and nestle into your tray of vegetables. Drizzle your whole tray with olive oil, then sprinkle with paprika, oregano, salt, and pepper. Place in the oven for 40 minutes until the sweet potato is soft.
- Once your vegetables are soft, add them to a large blender or food processor, removing the garlic cloves from the bulb. Add 250ml of water to your blender or food processor, and blend until the sauce is smooth. Taste and season based on your preferences (add in more salt, pepper, paprika, or oregano!).
- Next up, get your cooked and drained pasta and combine with your sweet potato pasta sauce. Sprinkle with crumbled feta and parsley for a bit of extra flavour and colour. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you'd like to add even more flavour, use vegetable stock instead of water to loosen the sauce.
- Heat up the sauce back in a pan with your pasta to ensure everything is boiling hot and ready to serve.
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