Zucchini Pasta In Marinara Sauce gives satisfaction of Italian pasta only this dish is fully made with vegetables and meat sauce (or tofu for vegetarian version). Kid tested and adult approved as this pasta dish is mostly vegetables!
Ok y’all, I must say this is by far another one of our family favorite meals. It is 100% grain free, all vegetables and meat pasta! You read right- no grain! And most importantly the kids, hubby and I devoured this gluten free, dairy free dinner… kids did not even know it was not carbohydrate filled pasta. For a vegetarian version, please feel free to substitute the meat for cannellini bean or tofu for a hearty meal.
We have been trying to decrease the amount of grains in our food. I made grain free meatloaf the other night (enhanced with nutritional yeast- yum for flavor and B Vitamins!) and added the leftover meatloaf to this dish. Sauté onions and garlic first, then add any tofu or pre-cooked meat. Last add the spiraled zucchini before heating the sauce using…
I really encourage you to try this especially with the kiddos. So happy to see both our boys devour this “pasta” dish and knowing it is made out of vegetables and protein!
Next time there you have meatloaf left over, go ahead and add it to a marinara sauce with spiral zucchini for a flavorful new dish!
*Time saving tip: spiral zucchini ahead of time and chop onions. When dinner time rolls around, everything is ready to heat and serve in as little as 10 minutes.
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 large zucchini, spiraled into pasta strings
- ½ onion, chopped
- 1 (24 ounce) jar marinara sauce
- ½ lb. cooked ground turkey meat or 16 ounces firm tofu
- Fresh basil and cheese of choice for garnish
- In a sauce pan, add olive oil and sauté onion on medium-high heat for 5 minutes until translucent. Add cooked turkey, tofu or leftover meat loaf to heat. Add marinara sauce and heat for about 5 minutes. Once warm toss in the zucchini zoodles and cook for about 1 minute trying not to overcook the zucchini so it doesn't pull much water from it. Serve immediately and garnish with your favorite cheese and basil.
Spiral Zucchini Marinara Pasta Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Recipe total Servings 4
Calories 167 Total Fat 8.53 g Saturated Fat 1.86g Monosaturated Fat 4.37g Polysaturated Fat 2.29g Total Carbohydrate 8.2 g Fiber 2.2 g Sugar 6 g Protein 12.2 g Cholesterol 44.02 mg Calcium 42 mg Iron 1.52 mg Potassium 474 mg Sodium 472 mg Zinc 1.7 mg Thiamin 0.07 mg Riboflavin 0.18 mg Niacin 7.15 mg Vitamin B6 0.39 mg Vitamin C 3.6 mg Vitamin B12 0.68 Ug Vitamin A 727 IU Vitamin E 2.99 mg Vitamin K 15.7 Ug Points 4 Points Plus 4
*The nutritional values are determined by the total ingredients divided by the number of servings for each recipe. Serving sizes may vary. The formula used here for points was obtained from public sources and is an empirical match to Weight Watchers calculators, but it is not an “official” Weight Watcher’s calculator.
Made with lots of love,
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