Ingredients
1 pound lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork or ground chicken
16 oz 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
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and onion; sauté until fragrant.
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Add ground beef and pork or chicken. Sprinkle half of the Italian seasoning on raw meat. Brown on one side, flip, and sprinkle remaining seasoning.
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Pour in diced tomatoes and tomato sauce; stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
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Boil pasta in unsalted water until slightly underdone, then drain.
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Add pasta to meat and tomato mixture; stir gently to coat.
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Cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
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Serve warm.
Notes
- easoning the meat first develops a deeper flavor, especially in low-sodium recipes.
- Use crushed tomatoes for a smoother texture or diced for chunkier consistency.
- For added spice, incorporate diced green chilies or a pinch of red pepper flakes.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, making this perfect for meal prep.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 1 hr