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Elevate your meals with this fresh and flavorful creamy hidden veggie sauce. This vibrant sauce features leeks, spinach, and broccoli, sautéed to perfection with tender scallion stalks in extra virgin olive oil and then blended all together for a sauce that will have you coming back for more.
Sometimes, vegetables…can be such a bore. Sure, we have our go-to meals where we know how to perfectly season them in their simplest form or complex dishes that will definitely wow folks (veggie Wellington?). After a while, though, those go-to vegetable recipes become played out and laborious.
Or maybe you have a toddler or kids. One day they can wolf down a whole bowl of veggies and on other days, they become very picky. Like when they don’t break eye contact as they hurl veggies on the floor kind of picky.
We have a nutrient-packed recipe coming right up for you. It’s a great way to sneak in those veggies to your kids through a sauce. The tots won’t see it coming, and neither will the adults! Or maybe they will, actually, but hey! They’ll thank you for introducing this hidden veggie sauce to them.
Check Out the Details
First, let’s prepare the veggies. Begin by setting the frozen spinach on the counter to thaw. Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks into half moons. Either discard the dark green tops or check out our FAQ below for more tips on using them so nothing goes to waste! Rinse leeks twice in a colander or soak in water for 10 minutes and scoop out from the dirt. Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces (tops) and circles (stems). Zest and juice the lemon, set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook leeks until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add scallions and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper. Add broccoli stems and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft. Finally, add the thawed spinach and cook for 10 minutes, seasoning to taste.
Blend the skillet contents into a sauce with an immersion blender or by transferring to a blender and pulsing on high, thinning with water if needed. Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest and juice.
Serve over your favorite dish (e.g., pasta) and enjoy!
Frequently Asked
Do you have to use all of these vegetables called out in the recipe?
Not at all! We recommend using at least one or two to give the veggie sauce body and depth.
What would you pair this hidden veggie sauce with?
We highly recommend using your favorite pasta, but this would also go well with any protein and grains.
How do I store this?
You can store in containers and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze up to 6 months.
Is there anything else I can do with the leek tops?
You could try adding them to a leek soup or frying them up to garnish your next meal. Check out FineDining Lovers’ suggestions on how to use leek tops.
Creamy Hidden Veggie Sauce
This vibrant sauce features leeks, spinach, and broccoli, sautéed to perfection with tender scallion stalks in extra virgin olive oil and then blended for a smooth, nutrient-packed sauce that’s perfect over pasta or as a topping for your favorite dishes. Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means we will receive a commission if you purchase through those links at no extra cost.
Servings 6 Servings
Prep Time 15 minutes minsCook Time 20 minutes minsTotal Time 35 minutes mins
Ingredients 1x2x3x2 Stalks of leeks finely chopped into half moons*1 Frozen spinach bag thawed2 Heads of broccoli cut into bite-size pieces and stem finely chopped3 to 4 Green scallion stalks finely chopped4 TBS of Extra Virgin Olive Oil1 tsp Salt and Pepper to taste1 Lemon zested and juiced1 tsp Preferred herbs mint, basil, etcCrushed red pepper optional
Instructions Thaw frozen spinach on the counter.Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks into half moons. Discard the dark green tops or save for other recipes.Rinse leeks twice in a colander or soak in water for 10 minutes and scoop out.Cut broccoli into bite-size pieces with the tops removed from the stem and the stem cut into circles.Zest and juice the lemon. Set aside.Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.Cook leeks until soft and translucent, stirring occasionally.Add scallions and season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper (optional).Add broccoli stems and cook for 6-7 minutes until soft.Add thawed spinach and cook for 10 minutes, seasoning to taste.Blend the skillet contents into a sauce, thinning with water if needed, with an immersion blender or regular blender.Remove from heat, stir in lemon zest and juice.Serve over your favorite dish (e.g., pasta) and enjoy!
How did you like This Veggie Sauce?
Drop a comment down below if you made these! If you want more sauces, our red pepper sauce and creamy artichoke sauce are a must-try!
