Updating another old favorite with fresh new photos & a couple of recipe notes.  It’s the same old meat sauce that we love and go back to again & again… it just looks prettier this time around!



 
Confession: I’m the weird girl who eats an entire bowl of sauce. No pasta… just straight up sauce. It can’t be any old sauce, though– it has to be meat sauce. It’s got to be filling & hearty with tons of ground meat & veggies. When it’s made like that, who needs pasta? 

 



Okay, you’re thinking I’m crazy… but try it!  It’s that good.  No need for a mound of pasta sitting at the bottom of your bowl, robbing your yummy sauce of all its flavor & goodness.  
And the best part?  This dish uses one pot only, and is Whole30 compliant!  (just double check your sauce — see notes below)
 

 

This recipe is one that I picked up years ago from my boyfriend’s mom.  She made this once when I was over, & I fell in love!  She’s a great cook, so I assumed it must have taken her awhile to prepare… but I was pleasantly surprised when she let me in on her simple recipe. 

 

 
 
I love making a big batch of this for dinner on a Sunday, or a weeknight when I have a little extra time, then saving the rest to take for lunches & quick dinners throughout the week.  It freezes well, too!

 

So, here I am to share it with all of you– with her permission of course! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

 

 
Print Recipe

Hearty Tomato Basil Meat Sauce | Paleo, Whole30

Servings: 4
Calories: 382kcal

Ingredients

  • 28 oz marinara sauce*
  • 1 lb grass fed ground beef
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 1/4 cup basil, chopped
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • pinch salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium to medium-high heat.  Add the ground beef, cooking until it's almost completely browned (about 5 minutes).
  • Add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, & continue to cook until the veggies are tender-crisp (about 3 minutes).
  • Pour the marinara sauce over top & stir to combine.  Add the basil, red pepper flakes, salt, & pepper.  Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for about 10 minutes while the flavors combine.
  • Serve hot alone scooped into bowls, or over spaghetti squash or zoodles.  Enjoy!

Notes

I use whatever Whole30 compliant marinara sauce I can find- always looking for added sugar, milk, or soybean oil.  You can also make your own!

Nutrition

Calories: 382kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1120mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 10g | Iron: 4mg
Filed   Beef, one dish meals, Whole 30