Veggie-Packed Spaghetti Sauce Recipe for Postpartum Meal Planning
A vegetable-packed, nutritious spaghetti sauce that you can make ahead and freeze to eat during postpartum recovery. This is also wonderful to make as a gift for someone who is having a baby, or for everyday family meal prep.
Ingredients
- 4 Tbsp olive oil, separated into 2 x 2 Tbsp
- 1 large white or yellow onion, diced
- 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 1 large red pepper, diced
- 3 portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and diced
- 3–4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 lbs ground turkey
- 1 large can diced tomatoes
- 1 large can crushed tomatoes
- 1 jar marinara sauce
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 2–3 cups spinach leaves (optional)
- 1/2–1 cup parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1 Tbsp dried oregano (or more/less to taste)
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped (or more/less to taste)
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot heat 2 Tbsp of the oil. Add onion, carrots, celery and red pepper. Sautee for 5–8 minutes.
- Add mushrooms, and cook until the water has cooked off.
- Add garlic, cook for another 5 minutes.
- Remove the vegetables from the pan and add 2 more Tbsp of oil.
- Add the ground turkey and saute until it turns brown. Drain off excess fat.
- Add the vegetables back into the pot and continue cooking, stirring the meat and veg together.
- Add the cans of tomatoes, marinara sauce and tomato paste. (Optional: Add spinach and/or parmesan cheese.)
- Stir through the basil and oregano.
- Allow the sauce to simmer on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or put in a slow cooker on low for 4–6 hours.
- Test for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve over pasta of your choice.
Notes
This spaghetti sauce can be frozen in small portions for future use, or frozen with pasta in small single-serve mason jars for a complete ready-made meal for postpartum family support.