Step 1

Add the carrots, celery, sweet potato, garlic, and onion into a pot. Cover the vegetables with 8 cups of water. Add 2 teaspoons of salt and stir.

Step 2

Bring the pot to a rolling boil over high heat. Turn the heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the vegetables almost fall apart at fork tender.

Step 3

Remove the pot from the heat. Remove 6 cups of the vegetable water and set it aside.

Step 4

Strain the rest of the water from the vegetables. Transfer the vegetables back into the pot and add 2 cups of the reserved water back into the pot.

Step 5

Use an immersion blender to blend the vegetables and water into a thick puree until completely smooth.*

Step 6

Add the remaining water, remaining salt, tomato paste, and ketchup to the pot and bring to a boil over medium/high heat.

Step 7

Add the ring pasta to the pot and stir to combine. Turn the heat to medium/low and stir the pasta periodically to make sure the pasta isn’t sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Step 8

Let the pasta simmer in the tomato sauce until cooked.

Step 9

Remove from the heat. Salt to taste and add the optional parmesan and cracked pepper and stir. Serve immediately.