Have I mentioned the plethora of zucchini we have had this summer? A girl can only bake so many loaves of zucchini bread before she goes insane…
This was a great (and tasty!) way to use up some of that extra zucchini.
Start off with 1 chopped onion and 2 cloves of garlic, minced. Saute them in a large skillet in some olive oil, until the onion is tender.
When I say a “large” skillet, I really mean it. Seriously. The biggest you’ve got.
When the onion is tender, add in 1 pound of ground beef and 1/2-1 pound of ground pork sausage. Brown the meats until they are good and done. (Got some cooked ground beef in your freezer? Even better! Thaw that out and toss it in the large skillet to heat it up!)
Then stir in a 26-ounce jar of tomato sauce, a 14 1/2-ounce can of crushed tomatoes, a 6-ounce can of tomato paste, and 1/2 cup water. Give it a few minutes to warm up, and the tomato paste will mix with the rest of your tomatoey ingredients.
This is about the time I realized my “large” skillet was nowhere large enough. And I switched out to my Dutch oven. Smart move.
Add in 3-4 zucchini, quartered and sliced about 1/2 inch thick.
Cover, and let all that cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the zucchini is good and tender, add in some seasonings – 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
I went with fresh basil and oregano instead of the dried spices, and skipped adding more garlic. I also skipped cilantro this time. (See? I’m learning!)
Stir in those herbs, and serve this over cooked pasta (I love the large elbows, but pick your favorite shape) with shredded mozzarella cheese.
Anyway. With our without the zucchini bread as your side dish, this one-pot (if you start with a large enough pot) was a winner. I had plenty left over, so I stashed some in the freezer in anticipation of baby-palooza later this fall. Plus, it will be nice to pretend that I have fresh garden zucchini in October!
Here’s a recipe card for you…
Enjoy!
Don’t forget, I’m giving away a copy of “101 Stovetop Suppers” right now! Swing by this post and enter to win!
{Gooseberry Patch did give me a copy of “101 Stovetop Suppers” to review and one to give away. All thoughts, opinions, and photographs are my own. There are probably affiliate links in this post. I can’t keep up with pregnancy brain!}
Free Printable Ground Beef Buyer’s Guide
Have you ever gotten confused at the grocery store when you’re trying to pick out ground beef for tonight’s dinner? We can help! This Ground Beef Buyer’s Guide has everything you need to know about buying ground beef, plus you can download a free printable cheat sheet to keep handy in your kitchen or your purse!
Tools for Cooking with Ground Beef
Every kitchen needs a few basic tools… These are ones that I use all the time when I’m cooking with ground beef!
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