Hearty and Healthy Spaghetti
This spaghetti is loaded with vegetables and a rich sauce to make a perfect comfort-food dinner!
Ingredients
- 6-7 cups cooked spaghetti noodles (about 12.5 ounces uncooked for thicker spaghetti noodles, 15 ounces for thinner noodles)
FOR THE MEAT AND VEGETABLES
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (for sautéing vegetables)
- 2 cups onion, chopped finely (about 1 onion)
- 3 tablespoon garlic, minced (4 large cloves)
- 1 ¾ cups green bell pepper, chopped finely (1 large bell pepper)
- 1 cups baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups chopped zucchini (OPTIONAL)
- 1 lbs lean ground beef (or ground turkey)
FOR THE SAUCE
- 14.5 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- ¼ cups tomato sauce
- 4 tablespoon tomato paste, no salt added
- ½-3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 4 teaspoon dried basil
- 4 teaspoon dried oregano
- ¾ teaspoon ground fennel
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic granules/garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon olive oil to add to sauce (In addition to oil for sautéing)
- 5 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Begin boiling about 16 oz. of spaghetti noodles (typically 1 package) as directed. This will yield about 7 cups cooked noodles.Once cooked, you can remove from heat and leave noodles in the water or drain noodles and cover to keep warm until ready to serve.
- Heat a large, heavy-bottom saucepan (I use a 5-quart Corning Ware) to medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Once hot, add diced onion, bell pepper, mushroom, minced garlic, and optional zucchini, and sauté for 3-5 minutes or until onions are slightly translucent.
- Add 1 lb. ground beef and cook for another 5 minutes, chopping meat fine. Cover to quicken the cook and keep in the juices.
- Meanwhile, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine: crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, water, and all spices. Add to the pot with veggies and meat. Decrease heat to low and continue to cook for another 20-25 minutes, covered.
- Choose to add your cooked noodles to the veggie and meat sauce at this point or serve sauce on top of noodles.
- Garnish with grated parmesan and crushed red pepper.
Notes
Option to add 1 jalapeno or more chili powder to taste. I like to keep spaghetti sauce mild then everyone can add their own spice and additional flavors like smoked paprika, hot sauce, red pepper flakes.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!