If you miss pasta on a low-carb diet, try tucking into a warm bowl of zucchini "noodles" smothered in rich, meaty Bolognese sauce with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Total carbs 20g, net carbs 15g
This is a great dish to make on a WFH (Work From Home) day or lazy weekend around the house. I like to get the sauce started during my afternoon coffee break so that it is ready in time for dinner. The sauce only takes 15 minutes to prep, then I set a timer and let the meat sauce simmer away on the stove until dinner time.
This recipe makes about 1 quart of Bolognese sauce. A serving is approximately 1 cup of sauce over a medium-sized zucchini cut into thin noodle strips.
What is Bolognese sauce?
Bolognese sauce is a hearty, well-seasoned, tomato sauce typically made with ground beef, onions, carrots and celery. It's named after the city of Bologna, Italy.
Bolognese sauce is typically used to dress flat ribbon pastas like lasagne, tagliatelle, pappardelle and fettuccine. For carb counters zucchini ribbons make a great low-carb substitute.
Equipment you'll need
A heavy-bottomed pot with a lid, such as a Dutch oven, for making sauce and a spiralizer or vegetable peeler for making zucchini ribbons.
Ingredients you'll need
Zucchinis
Zucchinis, also called courgettes and summer squash, are a great carb swap for those of us on keto and low-carb diets. A cup of chopped zucchini has only 4 grams of total carbs vs a cup of fettuccine pasta which has 43 grams of total carbs. Zucchinis are also rich in vitamin C, vitamin B-6, magnesium and fiber.
A pound of ground beef about 80-85% lean.
A bit of olive oil to sauté the vegetable mix for the sauce.
Chopped onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and parsley is an Italian style of mirepoix called soffritto, which is the flavor foundation for this sauce.
Salt, black pepper, ground nutmeg and oregano for seasoning.
You'll need 1 (15 oz) can of crushed tomatoes.
This recipe calls for heavy cream to thicken and add richness to the sauce.
Butter for tossing the zucchini noodles.
Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Adds umami flavor.
How to make zucchini noodles
Most supermarkets carry pre-cut zucchini noodles, but if you can't find them or they don't look fresh (check that they don't look soggy or slimy), you may want to make your own.
When you have fresh zucchinis it is pretty easy to do it yourself. If you have a spiralizer for making vegetable noodles, great. If you don't have a spiralizer, then a simple vegetable peeler or mandolin slicer will do the trick.
Peel or slice zucchinis lengthwise into thin ribbons. When you reach the seeded core, flip the zucchini over and peel or slice the other side up to the core. Discard the core, it will just make your "noodles" soggy.
How to serve
Serve hot in a bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. It is also good with a sprinkle of crushed red pepper flakes.
How to make ahead and store.
You can prepare the zucchini noodles ahead of time and store them, uncooked, in the fridge for up to 3 days. Wrap them in a paper towel in a covered container so that they don't get slimy. When ready to use, cook them as directed in the recipe card instructions below.
You can prepare and store the sauce ahead of time and keep it in a covered container in the fridge for up to a week. Or you can freeze it for a few months.
Print
Zucchini noodles with meaty Bolognese sauce
- Total Time: 2-3 hours
- Yield: 1 quart sauce 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
Description
If you miss pasta on a low-carb diet, try tucking into a warm bowl of zucchini "noodles" smothered in rich, meaty Bolognese sauce with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onion, chopped (about 1 medium onion)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 lb ground beef (80-85% lean)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
½ cup heavy cream
⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
4 medium zucchini (about 7” long)
3 tablespoons butter
Parmesan cheese wedge, freshly grated (1 tablespoon per serving)
Instructions
- In a large pot sauté onions, celery, carrots and garlic in olive oil over medium heat about 3 minutes until onions are translucent and no longer raw.
- Add ground beef, salt, pepper and parsley. Sauté, stirring to break up meat with spoon, until no longer raw.
- Add tomatoes, cream, nutmeg and oregano. Simmer uncovered for at least 15 minutes over low heat, stirring occasionally. Then cover pot and simmer over low heat for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
- Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat, add zucchini ribbons and gently toss to coat. Add 1 teaspoon of water, cover and cook for 1 minute.
- Plate zucchini ribbons in serving bowls and top with Bolognese sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Notes
Note: If you are in a hurry you can eat this sauce after simmering it for 15 - 20 minutes, but if you have the time let it simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours to break down the meat and to further develop the flavors.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2.5 hours
- Category: dinner
- Method: simmer
- Cuisine: American
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