Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork or ground chicken
1 (16 oz) box elbow macaroni
2 (28 oz) cans no-salt-added diced tomatoes
2 (15 oz) cans no-salt-added tomato sauce
4 tablespoons minced dried onion
4 tablespoons salt-free Italian seasoning (any blend you like)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
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In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and onion and sauté until fragrant.
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Add ground beef and pork/chicken. Sprinkle half of the seasoning blend over the raw meat and brown halfway. Flip and sprinkle the remaining seasoning.
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Once the meat is fully browned, add diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
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In a separate pot, boil the pasta in unsalted water. Cook until slightly underdone.
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Drain pasta and add to the meat and tomato mixture. Stir to combine.
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Cover and allow to simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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Serve warm and enjoy!
Notes
- Seasoning the meat early helps develop deeper flavor, especially in low-sodium recipes.
- Use crushed tomatoes for a smoother texture or stick to diced for chunkiness — it’s all about preference.
- Want a spicy kick? Use no-salt-added tomatoes with diced green chilies or a dash of red pepper flakes.
- Cook Time: 25 min