Beef / Pork

Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta is for Dinner.

Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta takes 15 minutes to prepare.

Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta takes 45 minutes to cook.

Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta makes 6 servings.

The ingredients for Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta are:

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. lean ground beef (at least 85%)
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 eggplant, peeled and cut into small cubes
1/4 tsp. dried thyme, or 3 sprigs fresh
1/4 tsp. dried oregano, or 3 springs fresh
Pinch of cayenne
4 cups tomato sauce
pinch of sugar
1/2 lb. whole wheat penne or spaghetti cooked

Here is how you make Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta:

1. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is golden brown. Season with half the salt and pepper. Remove the meat to a small bowl with a slotted spoon, set aside, and discard all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan.2. Lower the heat slightly, add the onion, the garlic, the carrots, and eggplant, and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are golden. If they are sticking to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water. Season with the remaining salt and pepper, herbs, and cayenne. Stir in the tomato sauce and sugar.3. Carefully drain any fat from the meat. Return the meat to the pot. Stir, bring to a boil, cover,and lower the heat so the sauce simmers. Simmer for 30 minutes and remove the cover for the last 5 minutes of cooking time. 4. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the fresh herbs if used. Serve over pasta. Serving Size: Makes 6 servingsNumber of Servings: 6Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user NUTMEGX3.

The nutritional information for Better-for-You Meat Sauce with Pasta is:

• Servings Per Recipe: 6
• Amount Per Serving
• Calories: 211.5

• Total Fat: 5.7 g
• Cholesterol: 21.7 mg
• Sodium: 1,284.5 mg
• Total Carbs: 30.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 7.0 g
• Protein: 13.3 g