Lighter Meat Sauce with Carrots and Zucchini
This hearty meat sauce is packed with carrot and zucchini, making it a veggie-filled twist on the comforting classic recipe. It is naturally gluten-free, dairy-free, Paleo and Whole30 compliant.
Meat sauce is one of those recipes that is always on our regular rotation. It’s fast and simple to make, it’s filling, it’s lighter, and it’s satisfying. Our pumpkin meat sauce, spicy meat sauce, and bison meat sauce recipes are some of our favorites.
And when we want to have a version with veggies, this meat sauce with zucchini and carrots is the recipe we turn to. It’s got all the great flavor of classic meat sauce, but with the extra crunch, flavor, and vitamins from carrots and zucchini.
Try our no boil lasagna recipe for another satisfying way to enjoy meat sauce.
Why this recipe works
- It is full of veggies! This boosts nutrients and fiber.
- It is a great low carb recipe, which is great for zoodles or spaghetti squash.
- It is a good recipe to make-ahead. It is freezer friendly and meal prep friendly.
- It is naturally clean. There are no added sugars or processed ingredients. This recipe is Paleo, dairy-free, gluten-free, and Whole30 compliant.
Recipe ingredients
- Olive oil
- Carrots and zucchini– these veggies add crunch, fiber and flavor to the sauce.
- Ground beef– this adds good protein to the sauce.
- Garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried basil, salt and pepper– these herbs and spices flavor the sauce and the meat.
- Tomato paste, Crushed tomatoes, Strained tomatoes– these add the tomato flavor and creates the base of the sauce.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Sautée the carrots. Then, add the ground beef, onion powder, garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt and pepper to the carrots and brown the meat.
Step 2: Add the tomato paste to the meat. Then add the crushed and strained tomatoes and let everything simmer.
Step 3: Add the zucchini to the meat sauce for the last 15 minutes of cooking, so it doesn’t get soggy.
Recipe FAQs
Is this meat sauce Whole30 compliant?Yes. It’s free from added sugars, grains, and dairy.
Can you freeze this recipe?Yes, let it cool, portion into freezer-safe containers, and reheat on busy evenings.
What should we serve this sauce with?This sauce is great over zoodles, spaghetti squash, quinoa pasta, or steamed broccoli for a balanced dinner. It’s also great on top of baked potatoes, couscous, or rice.
Prep 10 minutesCook 45 minutesTotal 55 minutesMakes 8
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs olive oil
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 2 pounds ground beef
- 2 tsp garlic powder, divided
- 1.5 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2.5 tsp dried basil, divided
- 1.5 tsp salt, divided
- 3/4 tsp black pepper, divided
- 4 Tbs tomato paste
- 3 cups crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups strained tomatoes
- 1/4 cup water
- 3 cups sliced and quartered zucchini, ( this was 2 medium zucchini for us )
Method
- Add olive oil and sliced carrots to a large pot and cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Add ground beef, 1.5 tsp garlic powder, 1.5 tsp onion powder, 2 tsp dried oregano, 2 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper, and mix. Cook until meat is browned.
- Add the tomato paste to the pan and mix.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, strained tomatoes, and water, and then lower the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add the zucchini, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp basil and cook for 15 minutes more, until the carrots and zucchini are tender.
Notes
- Note: you can use 1/2 of a diced onion instead of onion powder and 2-3 cloves of minced garlic instead of garlic powder if you choose. <h3 class="wprm-recipe-header
