High Protein Pasta with Meat Sauce
The first batch I made with 96 percent lean beef came out gray and kind of sad. I’d dumped all two pounds into the pot and started stirring right away, so it steamed instead of browning, and with almost no fat in the meat there was nothing to rescue it. Now I let the beef sit untouched for a few minutes before breaking it up. It browns properly that way.
The other thing I won’t skip is cooking the tomato paste until it turns brick red before the crushed tomatoes go in. Two minutes, maybe three. That’s where the deep, almost roasted taste comes from, and it matters when there’s barely any fat carrying the sauce. A Parmesan rind dropped into the simmer helps too, if you’ve got one hiding in the cheese drawer. We eat it with a plain green salad and a pile of extra Parmesan.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef, press it into an even layer and leave it alone for 3 to 4 minutes so the bottom browns. Break it into small crumbles and cook 5 more minutes, until no pink remains. Lean beef releases almost no fat, so there's nothing to drain.2 lb lean ground beef, 1 tbsp olive oil
- Lower the heat to medium. Stir in the minced cloves, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, pepper, dried basil, oregano and Italian seasoning. Cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.6 garlic cloves, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp paprika, 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- Add the tomato paste and stir it into the beef for 2 to 3 minutes, until it darkens to a brick red. Pour in the crushed tomatoes, then add the basil paste and the rind. Bring to a bubble, lower the heat, partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring now and then so nothing catches on the bottom.1 can tomato paste, 1 can crushed tomatoes, 1 tbsp basil paste, 1 Parmesan rind
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta 1 minute short of the package time. Scoop out 1 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta.29 oz protein pasta
- Fish out the rind and discard it. Stir the torn basil into the sauce, add the drained pasta and toss over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Loosen with splashes of the reserved water until the sauce coats every piece. Taste and adjust the salt.1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- Spoon into bowls and finish each one with grated Parmesan. For meal prep, divide into 11 airtight containers, let cool, then refrigerate and add the cheese after reheating.3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
