Whole-Wheat Fusilli with Beef Ragu

From EatingWell: Spring 2004, The Essential EatingWell Cookbook (2004) — Subscribe Now!

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.

Whole-Wheat Fusilli with Beef Ragu Recipe

6 servings, about 1 1/3 cups each

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Nutrition Profile

Ingredients

8 ounces 90%-lean ground beef
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, chopped
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 diced tomatoes, (not drained)
1/2 cup dry red wine
1-2 teaspoons fennel seeds, crushed
Large pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
12 ounces whole-wheat fusilli, or rotini
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, (optional)
6 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese, (optional)

Preparation

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.

Tips & Notes

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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.

Nutrition

Per serving: 318 calories; 3 g fat (1 g sat, 1 g mono); 23 mg cholesterol; 55 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 9 g fiber; 213 mg sodium; 418 mg potassium.

Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (60% daily value), Fiber (36% dv), Potassium (21% dv).

3 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 3 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 lean protein