This recipe happened on a whim. I was getting out some ground beef for tacos and the next thing I know, Virginia was by my side demanding to have spaghetti for dinner. I checked the pantry and saw we had some of my favorite Banza pasta still stocked so I set to work making a quick meat sauce. This one ended up being so delicious I knew I had to write it down. Best of all…it got the seal of approval from the kiddos and they didn’t even complain about the veggies I loaded into it. Winner, winner, spaghetti dinner.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1 cup chopped carrots (I used baby carrots because that’s what we had but any carrots would work)
1 lb ground beef
1 - 15 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 jar Rao’s marinara sauce (I like Rao’s because it has no added sugar)
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp umami seasoning
salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped spinach
Directions: In large pot or dutch oven, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, garlic, bell peppers and carrots. Sauté 4-5 minutes or until fragrant and vegetables are beginning to soften. Add ground beef and break up with wooden spoon. Cook until beef if fully browned. Add tomatoes, tomato sauce, marinara, and seasonings. Bring to a boil then turn heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes. Remove from heat and add spinach. Stir to wilt. Serve over pasta of choice…or just eat it by itself - I’ve tried it and it’s pretty delicious…
