Beef rigatoni with loaded veg sauce

SERVES 4-6 | 15 MINS PREP | 45 MINS COOK TIME

INGREDIENTS

500g premium beef mince
3 tsp olive oil
½ cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 red capsicums, chopped
2 red onions, chopped
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp dried Italian herbs
1 tsp brown sugar
1 garlic clove, peeled
400g chopped tomatoes
1 cube vegetable stock
1½ cups boiling water
500g rigatoni pasta

To serve
Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley to garnish

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180°C fan bake. Line two trays with baking paper and spread out the cauliflower, capsicum and red onion. Drizzle with 2 tsp olive oil, season with salt and pepper and roast for 35 minutes until tender.

Start the mince while the vegetables roast. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the beef mince and cook until browned. Stir through the balsamic vinegar, Italian herbs and brown sugar. Reduce heat to low and set aside until the sauce is ready.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a blender. Add the garlic cloves and half of the crushed tomatoes then blitz until just combined.

Pour the blended veggie sauce and the rest of the crushed tomatoes into the pan with the mince. Stir to combine. Dissolve the stock cube in the boiling water and add to the pan as well. Stir again and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce comes together. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

While the sauce simmers, cook the rigatoni according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta water. Drain and set aside.

Add the cooked rigatoni to the sauce and stir to combine, use the pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Serve topped with grated parmesan and fresh parsley if you have it on hand.

Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

RECIPE & IMAGE THANKS TO RECIPES.CO.NZ