This tomato, spinach, and beef pasta is a big batch dinner with plenty of vegetables and a hearty sauce. Use chickpea pasta or your family’s favorite pasta, and adjust the sauce to the consistency you like.
A QUICK NOTE
This recipe makes a large batch with 3 pounds of beef and 3 boxes of pasta. Start with less cayenne and chili flakes if you’re serving little ones, then add more heat to individual plates.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds lean ground beef
3 boxes Banza chickpea pasta or pasta of choice
Up to 1 jar low-sodium pasta sauce, to taste
8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
7–10 ounces cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 red bell peppers, cored and diced
3–4 handfuls fresh spinach
3 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1–2 teaspoons chili flakes
1 teaspoon black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. Cook the pasta until al dente according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cook the ground beef in a large pan, breaking it up as it cooks, until almost cooked through.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and the beef is no longer pink. Add the tomatoes, bell peppers, spinach, paprika, cayenne, chili flakes, and black pepper. Cook until the vegetables soften and the spinach wilts.
4. Drain the pasta and stir it into the beef mixture. Add pasta sauce to taste and stir to combine.
5. Serve with extra black pepper or chili flakes, if you like.
