Pasta night is always a favorite weeknight meal in our house. It is easy, delicious, and is adjustable for everyone's liking. I love adding a few more veggies to my pasta sauce to get a little more flavor and fiber into my meals. This Veggie Packed Pasta sauce only takes about 30 minutes to make and has become a staple in our house.
Another reason making a quick pasta sauce can be so great is because you can adjust it to all your family's eating styles. If someone is plant-based- you can remove some sauce before adding the meat. If someone is gluten-free- you can use grain-free or gluten-free pasta. If someone is doing the Whole30 or Paleo- you can make some veggie noodles. This way you can make one meal in multiple different directions without much hassle.
Now let's talk pasta sauces. So many of them are filled with terrible ingredients and lots of sugar. Be sure you are checking the labels to find ingredients that work best for you. I like Cucina Antica best! They have lots of different flavors, some Whole30 compatible and some not. I feel very confident, though, when I buy their products and know I am not getting anything I wouldn't add myself.
Tips for Veggie Packed Pasta Sauce:
- If you want different veggies- use them!
- Don't be afraid to use different noodles. I have been love Banza chickpea pasta, but I also love Jovial grain-free pasta or just simply spaghetti squash.
- This freezes great so if you want to save some time, freeze some pasta sauce before you add the noodles to the meal.
- Use any ground meat that you like. For this recipe, I like ground pork and ground turkey best, but any ground meat that you have on hand will do!
If you are looking for more yummy ways to create healthy pasta dishes check out this Lemon Asparagus Pasta.
Veggie Packed Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lbs Ground Turkey any ground meat will do
- 1 jar Pasta Sauce I like Cucina Antica
- 1 Red Bell Pepper diced
- 1 small Red Onion diced
- 1 8 oz Bella Mushrooms sliced
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning
- ¼ tsp Red Pepper Flakes optional, but I like the meat to be a little spicy
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 1 package Banza Pasta I like Banza off the Whole30 and spaghetti squash on the Whole30
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, red bell pepper, mushrooms, and red onion.1 Red Bell Pepper, 1 small Red Onion, 1 8 oz Bella Mushrooms, 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
- Saute the veggies for about 5 minutes. Then add the ground meat to the same pan.1 lbs Ground Turkey
- While the meat is browning, add the garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (optional). Saute for about 10 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.1 tablespoon Garlic Powder, 1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning, ¼ teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes, Salt and Pepper
- When the meat is cooked through, add a jar of your favorite pasta sauce to the pan. Let this simmer for another 5 minutes to heat the sauce.1 jar Pasta Sauce
- While the sauce is warming, cook your pasta according to the package. This can be veggie noodles, gluten-free pasta, or any "noodles" of your choosing.1 package Banza Pasta
- Combine the noodles with the veggie packed meat sauce. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- If you want different veggies- use them!
- Don't be afraid to use different noodles. I have been love Banza chickpea pasta, but I also love Jovial grain-free pasta or just simply spaghetti squash.
- This freezes great so if you want to save some time, freeze some pasta sauce before you add the noodles to the meal.
- Use any ground meat that you like. For this recipe, I like ground pork and ground turkey best, but any ground meat that you have on hand will do!
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