Meat Sauce with Hidden Vegetables
Transform your pasta nights with this savory Meat Sauce with Hidden Vegetables. Packed with wholesome pureed veggies and rich, seasoned ground beef, it’s a nutritious twist on classic spaghetti sauce that even picky eaters won’t suspect.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef 80/20 or 90/10
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled and quartered
- 2 medium carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium zucchini cut into large chunks
- 1 red bell pepper seeds removed
- 3 cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar or substitute with natural sweeteners such as maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 28 ounces 830 ml diced tomatoes (undrained; also referred to as crushed tomatoes in the UK)
- 16 ounces 470 ml tomato sauce (passata in the UK)
- 1 cup 240 ml water
Instructions
- Place the onion, carrots, zucchini, and red bell pepper into the bowl of a food processor. Blend the mixture until finely chopped and slightly pulpy in texture.
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the blended vegetable mixture, cooking it for approximately 10 minutes. Stir occasionally, allowing it to become lightly browned and aromatic.
- Shift the sautéed vegetables to the edges of the pot. Introduce the ground beef to the center, breaking it into small pieces as it browns. Cook until the beef loses its pink color, which should take about 3 minutes.
- Incorporate the minced garlic, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Stir and cook for 30 seconds, ensuring the spices release their full aroma.
- Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water to the pot. Stir thoroughly to blend all components. Reduce the heat to medium, allowing the sauce to simmer for 15–20 minutes until the flavors meld and the consistency thickens.
- Serve the sauce over a cooked pasta of your choice. Enhance the dish by garnishing with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and sprigs of basil.