Pappardelle with Spiced Meat Sauce

Pappardelle - a wide, egg-based noodle - is topped with a sumptuous sauce made with ground beef and aromatic spices. Crumbled feta adorns the dish for a touch of saltiness to round out the meal.

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Healthy Pappardelle Meat Sauce Recipe
Ryan Szulc

Nutritional Bonus:

Concerned about memory loss? This hearty dish contains nearly 40% of your recommended daily value (DV) of zinc, which keeps your eyes healthy and plays a role in warding off age-related memory loss.

Servings
4
Prep Time
30 min
Duration
30 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
  • 3/4 lb lean ground beef
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt, plus additional to taste
  • 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper, plus additional to taste
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 1/2 tsp ancho chile powder (NOTE: Ancho chile has a mild and fruity taste that is perfectly suited to this recipe, but if unavailable, any chile powder can be substituted here.)
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 cups chopped jarred or boxed tomatoes, with juices
  • 1/3 cup dried currants
  • 8 oz whole-wheat pappardelle or fettucine (TRY: Garofalo Whole Wheat Pappardelle)
  • 2 oz low-fat feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint leaves

Preparation

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large skillet on medium-high, heat oil. Add onion and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add beef, 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook for about 4 minutes more, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink. Add garlic, cumin, chile powder and cinnamon and cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium-low and stir in currants. Cook until sauce is slightly thickened and currants are plump, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper.
  2. To boiling water, add pasta and cook al dente according to package directions. Divide among serving bowls and top evenly with sauce, feta and mint.

Nutrition Information

  • Serving Size 1 1/2 cups
  • Calories 400
  • Carbohydrate Content 48 g
  • Cholesterol Content 59 mg
  • Fat Content 10 g
  • Fiber Content 9 g
  • Protein Content 28 g
  • Saturated Fat Content 3 g
  • Sodium Content 407 mg
  • Sugar Content 12 g
  • Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
  • Polyunsaturated Fat Content 1 g