Hearty Vegetable Beef Ragu

Name: Hearty Vegetable Beef Ragu
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8 servings.
Cuisine: Indian Recipes, Italian Dinners, Italian Recipes
Ingredients: 4 cups uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta; 1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean); 1 large onion, chopped; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained; 1 jar (24 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce; 2 cups finely chopped fresh kale; 1 package (9 ounces) frozen peas, thawed; 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

This recipe is healthy yet satisfying, quick yet delicious. It's on the table in less than 30 minutes—and one that my children will gobble up! If you are not fond of kale, stir in baby spinach or chopped broccoli instead. —Kim Van Dunk, Caldwell, New Jersey

Ingredients

4 cups uncooked whole wheat spiral pasta
1 pound lean ground beef (90% lean)
1 large onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian diced tomatoes, undrained
1 jar (24 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
2 cups finely chopped fresh kale
1 package (9 ounces) frozen peas, thawed
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Directions

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, cook beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until beef is no longer pink, breaking up beef into crumbles, 6-8 minutes; drain.
Stir in tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, kale, peas, garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until kale is tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir pasta into sauce. If desired, serve with cheese.

Nutrition Facts

1-1/2 cups: 302 calories, 5g fat (2g saturated fat), 35mg cholesterol, 837mg sodium, 43g carbohydrate (15g sugars, 7g fiber), 20g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 2 lean meat, 2 vegetable.

Originally published as Vegetable Beef Ragu with Rotini in Healthy Cooking October/November 2012

Reviews

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Average Rating:

CharleneG

Aug 30, 2019

I believe the title of this dish is a mistake. Ragout is a dish that is savory, with beef chunks and a hearty gravy-like sauce. Ragu, on the other hand, is similar to what you have here. This wasn't bad but you could tell there was a jarred sauce used since they tend to be overly sweet or overly tangy. It's hard to balance the flavors because the jarred sauces are dominant.
Halee2003

Dec 6, 2017

I omitted spaghetti sauce added can black beans rinsed and drained, can of retell, and mushrooms. It was delicious, will make again
Cklee1403

Nov 16, 2014

This was definitely fast and tastey . We don't care for Kale so I used chopped broccoli instead it makes a lot so I hope it freezes well
toolbarsco

Mar 19, 2014

We enjoyed this--I love the fact that kale can be incorporated into a meal without the family objecting. Satisfying and fairly easy to make.
NH-rescue

Jan 31, 2014

A big hit with our teenage daughters. Easy to prepare and very tasty. Loved how it incorporated kale. For a recipe that's less of a ragout, omit the spaghetti sauce.
crickertsen

Dec 5, 2012

This was very good. Healthy & hearty. A great way to add kale to your meal.