Easy Spaghetti for Kids
Easy to make and easy to love, this spaghetti recipe for kids is your new secret weapon. The simple tomato sauce is super smooth and consistent for picky eaters while being delicious enough for everyone to enjoy together! As long as you have the time to let it simmer, this comes together easily with no stress.
Ingredients
- 28 oz (800 ml) tomato passata (smooth pureed tomatoes)
- 2 shallots, peeled and sliced once, widthways
- 4 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced once, lengthways
- ¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp sugar
- 12 oz (340 g) spaghetti, see notes
Optional Toppings
- grated cheese
- fresh basil
Instructions
- Add the shallots and garlic halves to a large, wide saucepan. Pour the olive oil over the top. Then place it on a burner and turn the heat onto low. As the oil heats up slowly, the scent of garlic and shallot will start to be released into the air. Star the pan a few times. Once you can smell them, and can see the oil starting to sizzle slightly, move on - we don't want the garlic or shallot to brown or burn, only to flavor the oil.
- Pour in the passata and add the salt and sugar. Mix through, bring to a simmer, and allow the pan to simmer for 45-60 minutes. Leave the lid partially on - we do want some steam to be able to escape for the sauce to thicken, but we don't want to leave it completely uncovered. Stir often while it cooks, though be gentle (we don't want to encourage the shallots to fall apart too much or we'll have a harder time taking them out later!)Make sure the heat is low enough to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan (different pans will have different tendencies here so you just need to figure this out as it cooks).
- You're ready to move on once the sauce has cooked down a little to be thicker and richer in texture. Go through the sauce with a fine slotted spoon or sieve to find and remove the shallot and garlic pieces.
- Do a taste test. If it's too acidic, you can try adding a little extra sugar OR a little pour of whole milk or cream to help neutralize it. Once you're happy, let it sit, covered, while you proceed with cooking your spaghetti.
- Once cooked, toss the spaghetti into the sauce, then serve immediately with cheese and basil if desired.
Notes
Spaghetti quantity: 12 oz (340g) will give you a very saucy result. Up to 400g (14oz) should be fine if you're happy to have a little less of a sauce - pasta ratio.
Servings: If you're making this for adults and children, you'll feed 2 adults and 2-3 children comfortably. If it's just for kids, you'll get 6-8 servings. Nutritional data is based on 6 servings.
Calories: 350kcal, Carbohydrates: 57g, Protein: 10g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Sodium: 236mg, Potassium: 743mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 675IU, Vitamin C: 15mg, Calcium: 43mg, Iron: 3mg