Tomatoless Italian Sauce With Meat
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Quantities of vegetables are adjustable; add more or less according to your preference.
Author:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: 4
Ingredients
  • 9 carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 4 cups)
  • 2 small to 1 medium red beet (about 8 ounces), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf (remember to remove it before pureeing)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup beef broth or water
  • 1/2 tablespoon plus 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground beef or lamb
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
  1. Place in a large soup pot carrots, beets, celery, Italian seasoning, bay leaf, salt, and broth or water. Stir gently to combine. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Lower heat to just high enough to maintain a boil and cook, covered, until vegetables are soft, about 1 hour.
  2. Meanwhile, in a skillet over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon oil and add the garlic. Heat just until garlic is fragrant. Add ground beef or lamb, and cook and stir until well-browned.
  3. When vegetables are soft, remove bay leaf and add 1/4 cup oil. Puree until smooth in batches in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Then stir in ground beef and optional chopped basil. Serve over noodles or spaghetti squash. Leftovers can be frozen.
Nutrition Information
Serving size: About 1 cup. Calories: 462 Fat: 25g; Saturated fat: 5g; Carbohydrates: 24g; Sugar: 13g; Sodium: 861mg; Fiber: 6g; Protein: 37g; Cholesterol: 105mg.
Recipe by Eileen’s Everyone Eats Right™ at https://everyoneeatsright.com/2014/02/26/tomatoless-italian-sauce-with-meat/