Pasta with a Mushroom Veggie Meat Sauce
A tasty and nutritious pasta dish that contains finely diced mushrooms, kale, and zucchini.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 pound of pasta, I used whole wheat elbow pasta
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 onion, small diced
- 1 cup of baby cremini mushrooms ( about 7-8 mushrooms) or baby Bella mushrooms ,finely diced
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 pound of ground beef, I used grass-fed
- 24 ounces jarred marinara sauce
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, moisture wrung out
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of salt, add more or less depending on your preference
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup spinach or 1 large tuscan kale, finely diced
- 1/2 cup cilantro or parsley, finely diced
- 1/2 cup basil, chiffonade or chopped
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms and measure 1 cup. To finely dice the mushrooms, first slice the mushrooms into thin pieces. Then, slice it into strips. Finally, cut the strips into small pieces.
- Note: To dice the mushrooms into smaller pieces, run the knife over the diced mushrooms a few more times until they’re to your desired size/pieces. Or, may pulse the mushrooms in the food processor instead of finely dicing them. Just make sure to not over pulse or else it might get mushy/soggy.
- Set the mushrooms aside.
- Shred the zucchini and measure 1 cup. Transfer it to a kitchen towel. Gather the ends of the kitchen towel and squeeze out the moisture from the zucchini. Set the zucchini aside.
- Get your pot of water boiling and begin to cook your pasta. Cook pasta according to its directions or to your liking. Drain the water and set it aside. Note: if the pasta is ready before the sauce, I like to add some avocado oil to the pasta (and mix) to help prevent it from sticking to each other.
- While the water for the pasta starts to heat up, begin working on your sauce.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and allow it to get hot.
- Add the diced onion, finely diced mushrooms, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix and sauté until the mushrooms have given off its liquid and the liquid has evaporated from the bottom of the skillet (for about 5 minutes)-while mixing a few times.
- Add garlic, mix and sauté for 30 seconds.
- Open the center of the pan by pushing the mushroom and onion mixture to the sides. Add the ground beef in the center and cook by stirring and breaking it apart into small pieces until most of the pink is gone.
- Mix the mushroom/onion mixture in with the ground beef and continue to cook until the meat has cooked through, while mixing it a few times. Drain and discard any excess grease.
- Add the marinara sauce, heavy cream, shredded zucchini (with the moisture wrung out), 3/4 teaspoon salt, and ground black pepper. Mix to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the basil, kale, and cilantro (or parsley). Mix to combine. Cook for a minute. Taste for salt.
- Turn the heat off and transfer the sauce to the pasta. Mix to combine and allow the pasta (with the sauce) to sit for 5-10 minutes (covered).
- Plate, let it cool, and serve.
Notes
To Freeze:
Transfer the pasta to a freezer-safe and oven-safe container.
Allow the dish to cool completely. Then, top it with shredded mozzarella cheese to cover (this part is optional). Cover it with a double layer of foil (this will prevent it from freezer burn). Cover it with a lid, if the container has one. Then transfer it to the freezer. This can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To reheat: place the frozen pasta in the refrigerator and allow it to thaw completely for about 24-36 hours. Remove it from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes (or up to an hour , if needed) . This part will help the baking dish also come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 375F and bake (uncovered) for 35-40 minutes or until warmed through. Remove the dish and raise the temperature to 400F . Place the dish back into the oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes or until sides are bubbling.