Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}
With an option for pressure cooker, slow cooker AND stovetop, there’s no reason not to make this amazingly delicious and simple harvest pasta sauce full of warm, fall, savory flavors.
Ever since the nice associate at Trader Joe’s talked me into buying the harvest pasta sauce on display there (let’s be honest, it doesn’t take much to talk me into buying literally anything at Trader Joe’s – I love that place), I’ve been dying to recreate it and post a recipe.
Incidentally, that same trip, I also bought a case of their semisweet chocolate chunks and another case of pickled beets (be still my heart), but that’s a story for another day.
No offense to my beloved TJ’s, but I think my homemade version of their harvest pasta sauce is better. That’s saying a lot, because I quite enjoyed the taste and flavor of the one I got talked into buying.
I snapped a picture of the ingredients before I tossed the jar. After a few variations, this is the one. It’s amazing.
Savory and creamy and full of all the flavors I love during fall, the deliciousness is unreal.
My husband and kids are undeniably good eaters (me, too!), but I haven’t heard rave reviews about a meal, like I did this one, for a long while. Everyone loved it.
From the 30+ (ok, 35+) mom and dad down to the often-picky 4-year old sister.
It doesn’t hurt that the nutritious vegetables (pumpkin! butternut squash! tomatoes!) are blended to smithereens after cooking so you’re left with the smoothest, creamiest, yummiest sauce ever.
I’m all about texture in some dishes, but silky smoothness of this sauce is dreamy.
Because I want everyone to have this sauce in their life, I’ve given options for making this in a pressure cooker, slow cooker or on the stovetop.
I’ve only ever made it in the pressure cooker (because it’s just so darn easy to set and forget the Instant Pot), but the cooking method is so simple, it’s a no-brainer to extrapolate this to a slow cooker or pot on the stove; all the cooking methods allow the incredible flavors to develop.
This one’s a keeper. (And bonus: the cooked and cooled sauce freezes beautifully.)
What to Serve With This
- Divine Breadsticks
- Autumn Salad with Maple Balsamic Dressing
- Consider adding a protein like the meatballs from this recipe or simple, grilled chicken
One Year Ago: Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake with Chocolate Cookie Crust
Two Years Ago: Gourmet Caramel Apples + Free Printable Handout
Three Years Ago: Black Bean and Butternut Enchilada Skillet
Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ cup chopped onion
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup chopped carrots, about 4 medium
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling
- 2 to 3 cups diced butternut squash, (about 340 grams)
- ½ cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, I used a Tuscan blend from Penzey’s
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ cup half and half or cream, or try milk
- Hot cooked pasta for serving
- Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Pressure cooker: Heat the butter using the saute function (in the InstantPot) or by heating the pressure cooker over medium heat on the stove (for stovetop pressure cookers). Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Close the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure cooker naturally release for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
- Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender – taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
- For the slow cooker: Combine all the ingredients, except the half and half or cream, in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the squash is tender and flavors have combined well. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender – taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
- For the stovetop: Heat the butter in a 4- or 5-quart pot (or similar size) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
- Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 50-60 minutes until the squash is tender, stirring every once in a while to make sure the sauce doesn’t stick (reduce the heat as needed). If it looks like it’s reducing while cooking, add another 1/2 cup of broth or so.
- Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender – taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
This was AMAZING. I have three very picky kids and I literally prayed that they would like this. They all loved it and had seconds and thirds. I am beyond grateful. All the veggies and good nutrition packed into a sauce that even the pickiest of eaters can enjoy. Thank you Mel!
So happy to read this, Beth! Yay!
As we all know Trader Joe’s dangles a product we all love in front of us, and then after a few weeks it’s snatched away until next year! I was so frustrated because I missed the window of opportunity to stock up. Out of frustration I crossed my fingers in hopes that SOMEONE would post the copycat recipe, and the hunt was on!
Well I fear no more because now, thanks to Mel, I have this recipe in my arsenal! I made it for the first time today and served it over lobster ravioli with grated parm on top with a side salad and hoo boy, I was in heaven! (Luckily I have a Vitamix and was able to get the sauce to a velvety texture too)
I’m making a big batch to freeze and use over the winter.
Thanks again so much for this recipe Mel, you hit it out of the ballpark !
Excellent recipe. I used the stove top version.
I oven roasted a medium sized butternut squash and a pie pumpkin for over an hour.
I used a generous 3 cups (entire butternut squash) and 2 cups of the roasted pumpkin. A lot of roasted pumpkin left over.
Will add the cream when heating up for use.
Tastes deeeeelicous as is. Excited to put on top of some mushroom raviolis later this week.
This was a great base for anyone to use and to tweak to their liking!
This recipe is SO good and tastes so much like the original! We were able to make some swaps to make it dairy free so my toddler could enjoy it and it was a big hit! We used a can of coconut cream instead of the half and half and used Pacific plant based broth instead of chicken broth. It came out amazing!
I was surprised some commenters had alerts with their IP- there was so much liquid following the instructions so no issue with instant pot method
I do agree with other commenters about upping the seasonings.
Thank you so much for developing this recipe and helping our whole family enjoy this yummy sauce!
Do you have canning instructions for this?
I don’t, sorry!
Like many, I love Trader Joe’s Autumnal Harvest Pasta Sauce. However, in addition to its seasonal and finite availability, the closest TJ’s to me is 45 minutes away. So again, like many, I’m excited to come across your copycat recipe with its stellar reviews, and I can’t wait to make it! But can you tell me (and others) how long your recipe will keep in the freezer? Thanks so much!
Hi Deborah, it should be fine in the freezer for several months!
I love this at Trader Joe’s but $$ and seasonal only. I think this recipe IS better and have made it twice. My freezer has a stash ready to turn simple pasta into special dish. I serve with sausages and pasta and it’s a hit. This is easy to make and full of vegetables. My grandson likes it – unaware of any sneaky veggies inside.
This is delicious! I doubled it and plan to freeze some. I’m thinking I’ll make a lasagna, perhaps with ground turkey, sage, and plenty of cheese,
Oh I forgot to mention. The slow cooker directions don’t say to cook the onions etc in butter before adding them to the crock, but I went ahead and cooked them in a skillet beforehand.
Loved this and a great way to add veggies in to our menu. I had shredded chicken as well that had already been cooked. Never disappointed in any recipe from Mel. Thank you
I have not had Trader Joe’s sauce so I cannot compare the two, but this was delicious and a great way to incorporate extra veggies into dinner! I made the crockpot version and had no problems with the recipe as written- and my kids (6,5,&3) loved it too!
We’d had Trader Joe’s sauce, really liked it. Was excited to find a copycat recipe cuz like everyone else said, TJ’s sells out of it fast. Went to the work to make the stovetop version. (Thanks for the tip on cooking the squash a bit before peeling!) Boy does it make a huge batch! When it was done, tasted it, very good! I had to let it sit in the fridge for a couple days before reheating, and have to say I found it really bland. Hubs said it was “okay,” but to me, it doesn’t taste anything like TJ’s now. I see other reviewers said to add more salt and pepper; will try that next. Not sure what else to do to give it more flavor. Adding more 1/2 & 1/2 didn’t do it; maybe should’ve added more chicken broth when cooking the veggies.