How to hide veggies in food
Veggie smuggling isn’t just for fussy kids, it’s also a great idea when the weather is cold and you just want something cosy instead of a salad, or you just want to boost your veggie intake. And who doesn’t want to eat more vegetables?
Here are some easy recipe ideas that are great for hiding veggies from the kids and that will be helpful if you're wondering how to get more vegetable into your meals.
Cut or blitz the veggies up
This is probably the most popular method of veggie smuggling. Zucchini, carrot, pumpkin and spinach are great candidates for blitzing up and hiding in baked goods, scrambled eggs, meatloaf, sauces and even smoothies. Be careful if you're adding vegetables to recipes, since they have a high water content the wrong ratios can leave you with mushy or soupy results. Try these recipes that are developed with extra vegetables built in:
- Veggie-packed BBQ Meatloaf - each serve of this this meatloaf already contains a whole serve of veggies.
- Zucchini and Cheddar Bread
- Green Eggs and Ham
- Green Apple, Spinach and Mint Smoothie
- Zucchini Slice
Add more vegetables to your pasta or pizza sauce
Sauces are a great way to hide vegetables. The vegetables become soft and melt into the sauce while the flavour shines. Try these pasta recipes that have plenty of extra veg incorporated into the recipe:
- 20 minute Penne Pasta
- Slow Cooked Lamb Shank Ragu With Pappardelle
- Veggie Smuggler Avocado Pasta
- Beef and Mushroom Spaghetti Bolognese
Mix vegetables with other flavours
Mild vegetables can be easily hidden by stronger flavours. These recipes have cheeses, sauces or spices that work well with the veggies, or that help disguise their flavour for the benefit of any picky eaters.
Hide veggies in old favourites
There’s always a way to hide veggies in recipes you already know and love. Try these classics made with hidden vegetables:
Try something new
Sometimes a new food can be an absolute vegetable hiding gem. Try making okonomiyaki, savoury Japanese pancakes can be cooked in a pie maker and that are surprisingly full of coleslaw. Or what about instead of the Classic Beef Lasagne, why not try a Chicken, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagne? See more recipes that might be new to you below:
GET THE RECIPE: Veggie Packed BBQ Meatloaf
The hidden vegetables in this meatloaf not only go towards your daily veggie intake, they help to keep the meatloaf moist and tasty.
GET THE RECIPE: Mexican Lasagne
Bold Mexican flavours and cheese make the beans, corn and tomato in this recipe more tempting.
GET THE RECIPE: BBQ Chicken Okonomiyaki
These savoury pancakes hold a surprising amount of cabbage and greens. They get coated in a light pancake batter and cooked until crisp, then topped with tasty sauce that will disguise the veggies from even the pickiest eater.
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