My kids are total pains in the butt when it comes to veggies. It’s like pulling teeth to get them to eat anything green or grown from a garden. To be honest, I’m not much better. Now, I love vegetables. Love them. There are very few that I don’t enjoy eating. But, blast it, how are you supposed to fit in eating all of these servings of vegetables? Instead of eating a bowl of vegetable medley every night, I would much rather have something like this 👇🏻 Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Veggies.

This isn’t a recipe for a marinara from scratch, it’s more of a dressed up marinara. The recipe calls for 4 cups of a prepared marinara. You can use either a homemade marinara or a store-bought marinara. I’ve also included a note below if you want to make your own simple version- it will require a lit bit of a longer cooking time.

Whether you are trying to sneak some veggies into your kid’s diet or trying to incorporate more veggies into your own, you’ve got to try this Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Veggies.

Let me show you how I made this Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Veggies 👇🏻

In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup finely diced onion and 1 lb of lean ground beef. Break up the beef as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and the onion is soft.

If there is more than a tablespoon or two of fat, drain it off from the skillet. Then add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add 1 large shredded (or grated) carrot and 1 medium shredded zucchini.

Note: If you’re making this for kids and they are opposed to vegetables, I’d recommend grating the vegetables instead of shredding. They are less obvious that way.

Cook until the veggies have softened, about 3-4 minutes. Now add 4 cups of marinara (homemade or store-bought) and 1/4 cup of grated parmesan cheese. Lower the heat to medium-low and let all of the flavors simmer together for 10-15 minutes.

Note: If you don’t have marinara available, you can still make this. Substitute the marinara with some tomato sauce and crushed tomatoes. Add some seasonings like salt, pepper, parsley, Italian seasoning, whatever you like. Let the sauce cook a little more to pick up some of the flavors of the veggies. (Like 20-30 minutes)

Serve the Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Vegetables over your favorite pasta. Top with a little extra grated parmesan and some chopped fresh parsley or basil (optional).

Enjoy!!

These are the products that I used to create this delicious recipe! These are not only products that I use, but products that I love.

I love to serve this Cheesy Garlic Bread alongside this dish.

(Sometimes I just eat the Meaty Marinara with the Cheesy Garlic Bread and skip the pasta entirely. 🤪)

Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Veggies

A delicious shortcut Meaty Marinara with Sneaky Veggies. Whether you’re trying to sneak some veggies into your kid’s diet or just trying to incorporate more veggies into your’s, this marinara is totally delish!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 25

Servings 8 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Lb Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Cup Sweet Onion, finely diced
3 Large Garlic Cloves, finely minced
4 Cups Marinara, homemade or store-bought
1 Large Carrot, shredded or grated
1 Medium Zucchini, shredded
1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese + extra for topping
Fresh Chopped Parsley or Basil, for topping (optional)

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the lean ground beef and onion. Break up the beef as it cooks. Cook until the beef is no longer pink and drain off excess fat if there is more than a tablespoon or two.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the shredded (or grated) zucchini and carrot and cook until the veggies are softened, about 3-4 minutes.
Add the marinara and parmesan cheese, stir well. Lower the heat to medium-low so that the marinara is at a gentle simmer. Let simmer for about 10-15 minutes to let the flavors all meld together.
Serve the marinara over pasta. Top with additional parmesan cheese and chopped parsely or basil (optional). Enjoy!