Pasta with tomato-based sauce, meat, and added vegetables, home recipe
Common food
This is a hearty, home-style pasta dish where tender noodles are coated in a rich, savory tomato sauce studded with ground meat and vibrant vegetables like bell peppers, onions, and carrots. The texture is satisfyingly soft with a slight bite from the al dente pasta, while the sauce offers a deep, umami-rich flavor balanced by the sweetness of tomatoes and vegetables. Nutritionally, it's a well-rounded meal providing a good balance of protein, complex carbs, and fiber for sustained energy.
Calorie split: 19% protein · 62% carbs · 18% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its comforting, familiar flavors that evoke home cooking and family meals. The combination of savory meat, tangy tomato sauce, and soft pasta creates a universally appealing and deeply satisfying dish that's both nourishing and delicious.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
The dish can be high in sodium, especially with store-bought sauces or added salt, and the refined pasta carbs may cause blood-sugar spikes in some individuals. To counteract this, choose whole-wheat pasta for more fiber, load up on extra vegetables to increase volume and nutrients, and balance the meal with a side salad or steamed greens to slow digestion.
Key benefits
- Provides complete protein from meat for muscle maintenance
- Good source of complex carbohydrates for energy
- Contains dietary fiber from vegetables and tomatoes
- Offers vitamins A and C from tomato and pepper content
- Versatile base for adding various vegetables
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The classic Italian 'ragù' sauce, a meat-based tomato sauce for pasta, is named after the French 'ragoût,' a stewed dish, highlighting the historical culinary exchange between the two neighboring countries.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 71.9 g |
| Energy | 123 kcal |
| Protein | 5.9 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 2.5 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 18.9 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 1.6 g |
| Total Sugars | 2.2 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 15.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.2 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 18.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 63.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 174 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 161 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.92 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.10 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 16.7 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 4.7 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.16 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.13 mg |
| Niacin | 2.7 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.13 mg |
| Folate, total | 45.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 34.0 ug |
| Folate, food | 11.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 69.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 15.8 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.25 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 13.0 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 153 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 1.0 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 9.0 ug |
| Lycopene | 3799 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 108 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.80 mg |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 4.7 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.73 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.01 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.05 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.44 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.20 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.86 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.06 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.76 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.01 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.38 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.33 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.04 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 8.0 mg |
FAQ
Can I make this dish vegetarian?
Yes, simply omit the meat and increase the quantity and variety of vegetables like mushrooms, zucchini, and lentils for protein. You can also use plant-based meat substitutes.
How can I reduce the cooking time?
Use pre-chopped frozen vegetables, a quick-cooking pasta like angel hair, or prepare the sauce in a pressure cooker. For a truly fast version, use a good quality jarred marinara sauce.
Is this dish freezer-friendly?
Yes, it freezes very well. Store the cooked pasta and sauce together in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Note that the pasta texture may become slightly softer upon reheating.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 1.23 kcal/g · 19% calories from protein · 1.6 g fiber · 2.2 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.93 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.