Quick and Simple Meat Sauce

This is a quick and delicious meal that I made up and make for my boys and they LOVE it! I like using Rao's Marinara Sauce that you can find in just about any food store but use whatever marinara sauce you like! I like to put lots of veggies in too. Use whatever veggies you and your family like.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  lb ground beef
• 1⁄2 red onion, diced
• 4  garlic cloves, minced
• 1  bell pepper, any color, diced
• 4  ounces cremini mushrooms, roughly chopped
• 1  zucchini, roughly chopped
• 1⁄4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 12  ounces  rao's  marinara sauce, half a jar
• 1  lb pasta, any kind
•  salt and pepper, to taste
•  parmigiano (optional)

Directions

1. Heat large, deep sided pan on medium to medium high heat.
2. Coat bottom of pan with a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil.
3. Heat a large pot of water on high until boiling for the pasta.
4. Once the oil starts to ripple but before it starts smoking, dump in the onions, mushrooms and red pepper flakes. Stir the pan occasionally.
5. Once the onions start to soften and the mushrooms brown (about 5-7 minutes), season with salt and stir the pan.
6. Now add the bell pepper and zucchini and stir the pan occasionally.
7. Once the pepper and zucchini begin to soften, add in the garlic and season again with salt continuing to stir the pan occasionally.
8. At this point, the pot of water should be boiling. Season the water liberally with salt and add the pasta. Cook to al dente.
9. Once the garlic is very fragrant, stir in the ground beef and break it up into little pieces.
10. Continue to cook until meat is browned all the way through.
11. Stir in the marinara sauce. It will be pretty thick, so add in about 1/2 cup of pasta water to thin.
12. Bring sauce to a boil, then cover, reduce heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
13. Drain the pasta and put in bowls.
14. Once the sauce is done, pour over the pasta and then add some parmigiano cheese if you'd like!