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Healthy Pasta for Toddlers

This healthy pasta for toddlers recipe is going to become a staple in your house! For the little ones who LOVE their pasta but don’t love their veggies and protein quite as much. This pasta recipe combines it all!

Healthy Pasta for Toddlers

If your little one is as OBSESSED with mac and cheese as mine is, you need to try this recipe to switch things up a little.

I made a simple blender sauce that is vegan, has protein, hidden veggies, and a plain white color to please all those picky toddlers who only want white food or beige food. If your toddler is in the habit of picking out any bits that they don’t like the looks of – this dinner will give them nothing to complain about. And we all need a little less whining in our lives, right?

After hearing how many of you love my simple pumpkin protein pasta recipe I knew I had to come up with another kid-friendly pasta recipe that would be just as simple for you to throw together.

healthy pasta for toddlers

Making your own sauce doesn’t have to be complicated. This one doesn’t require any cooking or whisking. You basically just dump all the ingredients into a blender. It’s pretty hard to mess up, even if. you have a baby or a toddler in one hand.

Picky Eater Tips

This sauce is meant to be fairly neutral (aka, kind of bland) with picky eaters in mind. If they don’t typically like sauce at ALL, I would just keep a portion of pasta plain for them and add a few drops of sauce. You want to build up their confidence slowly. It’s the kind of thing where you’ll be like, I’m not really even sure if they will taste the sauce at all? That’s a good starting place for a picky eater. If they’re good with it, then next time you can add a tiny bit more sauce.

Though the progress feels slow, you’re going to have a better end result doing it this way, vs. putting noodles fully covered in sauce in front of them the first time, if they’re not comfortable with it yet.

How to adapt it for the whole family

For me, I simply add a little more salt and pepper and I’m happy. But you could also add one of these flavor boosters for the adults:

  • roasted garlic
  • caramelized onions
  • sun-dried tomatoes
  • garlic sautéed spinach
  • Italian sausage

And since this recipe includes protein, carb, fat, and veggies, I’m perfectly fine with it being a main course for dinner. I usually just serve some peas, carrots, and/or fruit on the side.

Why this pasta for toddlers is healthy

I always am thinking about ways to add more nutrient density when I cook for my kids. I like to add some extra vitamins and minerals from plant-based foods, since it’s best for them to get it from foods (vs. a multivitamin).

While we sometimes have pasta with butter and parm, (and there’s nothing wrong with that) I wanted an alternate recipe that would still feel easy to me, but would add some extra nutrients.

This sauce is cashew-based, and I just have to tell you about the amazingness of cashews. This is honestly one of the reasons I love nutrition so much, because there are SO MANY amazing things foods can do for your body. Anyway, you probably already know that cashews are a good protein and healthy unsaturated fat source. But they also have antioxidants and can majorly protect your heart.

The other main ingredient in this pasta sauce is cauliflower. It’s such an easy veggie to hide and it also adds some more creaminess. Cauliflower has a huge amount of Vitamin C! So good for your littles.

This recipe is also vegan. We are not vegan, but I love making dairy-free recipes because most of our kids already get plenty of dairy, so I like to switch it up. I also know it’s helpful for those who choose a vegan diet or need to avoid dairy for allergies or intolerances.

toddler pasta in colorful bowls

healthy pasta for toddlers

Healthy Pasta for Toddlers (Vegan)

Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, LD
A healthy pasta sauce specifically for toddlers (though everyone in the family will be happy with it). This is for the picky toddler who only wants to eat white foods, or doesn't want to branch out from mac and cheese. It's creamy, satisfying, and protein-rich.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Dairy free, Vegan
Servings 8 servings
Calories 192 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup  cashews unsalted
  • 1 cup  water
  • 3/4 cup riced cauliflower fresh or frozen
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 lb whole wheat pasta (or regular)

Instructions
 

  • Pour warm water over cashews, soak 2 hours.
  • Drain cashews. Add cashews and remaining ingredients to high power blender.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions and strain.
  • Mix sauce with pasta. I use about 2 cups of sauce per pound of pasta.

Notes

This will make enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. You can also make 1/2 pound of pasta and freeze half of the sauce for another meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 192kcalCarbohydrates: 19.5gProtein: 6.6gFat: 9.8gFiber: 3gSugar: 1.6g
Keyword kid-friendly, recipe, toddler
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

You might also like:

healthy pasta for toddlers

Healthy Pumpkin Pasta for Toddlers

Are you tired of picky eating?

As a mom to a previously extremely picky eater, and a dietitian who specializes in picky eating, I’m so glad you’ve found yourself here. I’ve spent hours searching for picky eating help on the internet when I was struggling with my little one, and so much of it was NOT helpful!

This post: Where to Start with a Picky Eater is my step-by-step quick start for families with a picky eater who are tired of them eating the same 3 foods over and over again!

10 Comments

JX · September 30, 2022 at 5:25 am

Hello, I’m bad at cooking so sorry if I sound clueless. But the recipe says cook the pasta. What about the sauce? Do I need to cook it too before freezing or adding to the pasta? Thanks!!

Jen · February 27, 2022 at 1:19 pm

Can I sub olive oil for the avocado oil? I don’t usually have avocado oil on hand.

Kate · January 22, 2022 at 10:43 am

Can you make this with cashew butter instead of whole cashews? I’m just being lazy…

    Mama Knows Nutrition · January 24, 2022 at 1:21 pm

    Hey! I am not sure! If the cashew butter has any oil or sweetener added, I am not sure if the consistency or flavor would be right, but let me know if you try it!

      Katie · January 30, 2022 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks! I did try it with the cashew butter (ingredients in the cashew butter that I have just said “cashews” with no additional ingredients). I think it came out well! My son is eating it, and I thought it tasted pretty good 🙂 BTW- I also live your pumpkin pasta recipe!

      Katie2 · January 30, 2022 at 12:11 pm

      Thanks! I did try it with the cashew butter (ingredients in the cashew butter that I have just said “cashews” with no additional ingredients). I think it came out well! My son is eating it, and I thought it tasted pretty good 🙂 BTW- I also live your pumpkin pasta recipe!

Krishna · August 18, 2021 at 6:38 am

What can you use instead of cashews my daughter is allergic to Nuts

Jane Briones · July 5, 2021 at 4:14 pm

Hi, im interested in this recipe but i think it’s incomplete or the link to this page is broken. The instructions given in this recipes stops at Step #5 and nothing follows. I know this post is from a year ago, but i hope you can update it. Would really want to try this trick on my 3yr old picky eater who only eats PASTA alone, no sauce no add-ons. She has a knack for sweets and I’ve been struggling to let her some other type of foods. 🙁

We hope to see an update from you!
Thank you so much for this 🙂

    Kacie Barnes · July 5, 2021 at 6:47 pm

    Hi Jane! I’m sorry the recipe isn’t displaying properly. You’ll just soak the cashews and then add the remaining ingredients for the sauce (water, cauliflower, oil, seasonings) into the blender with them. Here’s the full recipe – 1 cup cashews, unsalted
    1 cup water
    3/4 cup riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
    1 tbsp avocado oil
    1/2 tsp salt
    1/4 tsp garlic powder
    1 lb whole wheat pasta (or regular)
    Instructions

    Pour warm water over cashews, soak 2 hours.

    Drain cashews. Add cashews and remaining ingredients to high power blender.

    Blend until smooth and creamy.

    Cook pasta according to package instructions and strain.

    Mix sauce with pasta. I use about 2 cups of sauce per pound of pasta.

    This will make enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. You can also make 1/2 pound of pasta and freeze half of the sauce for another meal.

Jennifer · May 25, 2020 at 11:08 am

Hi I think the recipe is missing – says

healthy pasta for toddlers

Healthy Pasta for Toddlers (Vegan)

Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, LD
A healthy pasta sauce specifically for toddlers (though everyone in the family will be happy with it). This is for the picky toddler who only wants to eat white foods, or doesn't want to branch out from mac and cheese. It's creamy, satisfying, and protein-rich.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Course Dinner, lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Dairy free, Vegan
Servings 8
Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup cashews, unsalted
  • 1 cup water
  • 3/4 cup riced cauliflower, fresh or frozen
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 lb whole wheat pasta (or regular)

Instructions
 

  • Pour warm water over cashews, soak 2 hours.
  • Drain cashews. Add cashews and remaining ingredients to high power blender.
  • Blend until smooth and creamy.
  • Cook pasta according to package instructions and strain.
  • Mix sauce with pasta. I use about 2 cups of sauce per pound of pasta.
    This will make enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. You can also make 1/2 pound of pasta and freeze half of the sauce for another meal.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
Keyword kid-friendly, recipe, toddler
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
.

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Kacie Barnes holding an apple
Hi, I’m Kacie!

I’m a mom of two and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I offer e-guides and e-books (go to my Shop page), workshops, brand partnerships, and nutrition counseling. Check out my blog for nutrition and feeding tips for your little ones.

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This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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