Veggie-Packed Meat Sauce (freezer-friendly, great for kids!)
This veggie-packed meat sauce, also known as ragu, is an ultra flavorful, easy recipe to keep in your back pocket (and freezer at all times!). Packed with protein from your favorite ground meat and loaded with FOUR different vegetables, this meat sauce boasts both delicious flavor and nutrition that everyone will gobble up! Great for babies, kiddos and adults and makes a wonderful postpartum meal too. A must-make!
Servings 6 servings
Calories 487cal
Ingredients
- For the veggies:
- 1 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 medium carrots, roughly chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 1 medium zucchini, quartered and sliced
- 3 to 5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- For the meat sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound 90% lean ground meat (can use chicken, beef, turkey, bison, lamb or even pork sausage! )
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ¼ cup white wine OR low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 to 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
- Pasta and serving:
- 1 pound of pappardelle (or sub spaghetti or bucatini or another long pasta shape)
- Fresh basil leaves (julienned, if desired)
- Fresh grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the veggies: In the bowl of a large food processor, add the chopped onion, carrots, bell pepper, zucchini and garlic. Pulse on high for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the veggies down the sides of the food processor as necessary, until they are VERY finely minced and almost look like mush. (The goal is to have the VERY small so that they easily break down and so that we get the kids to eat this deliciousness!) If you do not have a large food processor (at least a 7-cup) you will need to do this in batches.
- Make the meat sauce: Place a deep large skillet or pot over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. Once the oil is warm, add in the veggie mixture, ½ teaspoon kosher salt and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to caramelize, turn slightly golden and all of the liquid is absorbed and no longer releasing from the veggies. Push the veggies to the edges of the pan and then add the ground meat in the middle, breaking the meat apart with a meat masher or wooden spoon. Once meat is broken up, immediately add the ½ teaspoon kosher salt, a few grinds of black pepper, paprika, coriander, and oregano to the mixture, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until the meat is no longer pink.
- Next, add in the tomato paste to the meat mixture and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute to allow the flavors to bloom, then add in the white wine or broth and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, pure maple syrup and fresh basil. Cover the pan and turn heat to low. Simmer the sauce for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the flavors to develop while you cook your pasta.
- Cook the pasta: Fill a large pot with water and add a generous amount of kosher salt (about 2 teaspoons). Bring water to a boil over high heat. Once water is boiling, cook pasta until al dente, according to directions on the package. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and set aside before draining, then drain pasta and place back in the pot.
- To serve: You have a few choices, you can either toss the meat sauce directly into the pasta along with a little pasta water (start with ½ cup and add more as necessary) to make it nice and creamy, or you can simply add the pasta to bowls and serve the meat sauce on top. Completely up to you. Garnish with freshly grated parm and some extra fresh basil.
- To store: Allow meat sauce to cool, then place in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze: Place cooled sauce in an airtight freezer-safe container, leaving room on top to allow for expansion and then freeze for up to 6 months. You can also freeze in stasher bags. Thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Video
Notes
See the full post for tips, tricks, and ways to customize your meat sauce!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (based on 6, sauce & pasta) | Calories: 487cal | Carbohydrates: 75.5g | Protein: 27.7g | Fat: 8.5g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Fiber: 6.4g | Sugar: 14.4g