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Food & Recipes

Foodie 411

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Whole-Wheat Fusilli With Beef Ragu

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

This chunky, full-bodied sauce is a good match for hearty whole-wheat pasta. We've augmented a little lean ground beef with mushrooms to get a rich, meaty sauce that has a minimum of saturated fat.

Ingredients

Prep: 30 Minutes | Total Time: 1 Hour

8 ounces
90%-lean ground beef
1 teaspoon
extra virgin olive oil
2 medium
chopped carrots
1 medium
onion, chopped
1 stalk
celery, chopped
6 ounces
cremini or baby bella mushrooms, wiped clean and coarsely chopped (2 cups)
2 cloves
garlic, minced
1 28-ounce can
tomatoes, diced, not drained
1/2 cup
dry red wine
1-2 teaspoons
fennel seeds, crushed
1 large pinch
crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon
salt, or to taste
12 ounces
whole-wheat fusilli or rotini
2 tablespoons
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
6 tablespoons
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions

Cook beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a strainer or colander and drain off fat.
Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add carrots, onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens and begins to brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
Add tomatoes and mash with a potato masher. Add wine, fennel seeds, crushed red pepper, salt and the meat; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors have developed, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until just tender, 9 to 11 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and toss with the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Pass Parmesan separately, if using.

Tip

If you're only serving 2 or 3 people, toss half the sauce with 6 ounces cooked pasta; freeze the remaining sauce. If you're serving more than 6 or are just feeling industrious, you can easily double the sauce recipe.Pasta cooked al dente has a lower glycemic index than overcooked pasta, and whole-wheat choices are lower than white.To Make Ahead: Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Reviewed July 16, 2012