Necessity is the mother of invention, and this is especially true at the lunch hour.

Our lunches run the gamut here– from lunch trays assembled to share while we do lessons, packed lunches on co-op or adventure days, YOYO days in which the kids are on their own for figuring out what they want to eat…

… and hot lunches that are both deliciously satisfying and simple enough that we almost always have the ingredients on hand.

These twisted breadsticks fit the last description. I can easily stir together a quick pizza dough, and twist together whatever mix of meat, cheese, and veggies is in the fridge. All done in about 30 minutes.

One portion of my homemade pizza dough can make 10-12 breadsticks. Last week for my crew of 6, I made 2 dozen breadsticks– half twisted with ham and half with spicy pepperoni. It was the perfect lunch to make when I really needed to get to the grocery store.

If you haven’t tried my pizza dough before, it’s hugely popular for a good reason. It comes together very easily and very quickly, making it perfect for lunches and simple family pizza nights. (I use it for Stromboli, too!) All you need is flour, sea salt, active dry yeast, and warm water.

Give these breadsticks a try this week! Lunch or dinner, they are sure to please. Serve them with dipping bowls of marinara sauce for extra tastiness. (My favorite homemade marinara recipe is in my Instant Pot cookbook. It’s super easy and SO good!)

Check out these other healthy and easy lunch ideas too:

• Garlic Orzo with Bacon & Greens
• Instant Pot Ramen Noodles
• Homemade Pigs in A Blanket
• Sheet Pan Nachos
• Our Favorite Tuna Salad
• Stovetop Popcorn

Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 1 review

• Author: Lisa @This Pilgrim Life

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

A simple pizza dough twisted up with herbs, Italian meat, and cheese! Enjoy these delicious breadsticks for a quick lunch or snack!

---

Ingredients

• simple thin crust pizza dough
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Italian herbs
• 1 handful (about 1 C) spinach leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 C shredded mozzarella cheese
• Italian meat– salami, capicola ham, prosciutto, etc
• 1/4 C grated Parmesan cheese

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 500° (to use with a baking stone/steel) or 450° (to use with a baking sheet).

2. Make the pizza dough. (One portion per 10-12 breadsticks).

3. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 10″x15″. Drizzle olive oil across the top of the dough, then sprinkle the salt, pepper, and spices on top. Distribute the chopped spinach, cheeses, and meat evenly across the dough.

4. Fold the bottom third of the rectangle up towards the middle. Fold the top third down, to form a sealed “envelope”. Use a dough scraper or knife to divide the dough envelope into 10-12 strips.

5. Twist each strip twice and place on a piece of parchment paper. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 500°, or 12-15 minutes at 450°.

6. Let cool slightly and serve with marinara dipping sauce.

---

The post Twisted Cheesy Breadsticks appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here.

Meatballs and marinara has been one of my favorite meals for years, but this homemade ragu sauce over fresh pasta has easily taken its place as a go-to meal when I want something classic, cozy, and utterly delicious.

It doesn’t hurt that my kids proclaim it as “BEST PASTA EVER” whenever I serve this dish, usually alongside garlic knots, one-hour focaccia, or soft warm French bread.

Summer is a great time to enjoy homemade ragu sauce, too, because of the abundance of fresh tomatoes and peppers that taste better now than any other time of the year. (Though, canning tomatoes is a great option to enjoy a hint of summer taste later on when they aren’t growing fresh.)

Keep reading for the recipe and some tips and recommendations for sauce, pasta, and summer produce– a serious trifecta of goodness!

Homemade Ragu Sauce

While I still love meatballs, I really enjoy the simplicity and ease of homemade ragu sauce, especially when paired with a great marinara. Everything cooks together in one large pot, and once you get it going, it’s just a matter of letting it simmer for a while to develop the flavor.

Not to mention, it makes your home smell amazing!

The mix of ground beef and Italian sausage add a lot of depth to the sauce, so I absolutely recommend using both! (My boys very much appreciate the meatiness of this homemade ragu, too).

My first choice for the marinara I add is always homemade. I am a bit obsessed with homemade marinara sauce and always say I could drink it with a straw– even if I’ve yet to do so. I use the recipe from my Instant Pot cookbook for big batch marinara. The recipe makes enough for a batch of ragu and to have sauce leftover.

If I’m not using homemade marinara, my first pick for jarred sauce is Rao’s. It’s really good, and Costco now carries it too!

Likewise, my first choice for pasta to pair with homemade ragu is fresh, homemade pasta. There’s nothing quite like the silky, tender, deliciousness of fresh pasta noodles. If you’ve never tried making pasta at home, you should totally give it a try at least once!

That said, fresh pasta doesn’t always fit into the schedule so I always keep convenient package pasta on hand. A bag of spiral pasta is what I paired my last batch of homemade ragu with.

MORE LIKE THIS ::

Classic Homemade Ragu Sauce

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: 10–12 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: Italian

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

This rich, homemade ragu sauce is full of flavor, filling meat and veggies, and incredibly delicious served over pasta. This recipe is a great way to make jarred or homemade marinara sauces so much better!

---

Ingredients

• 1–1.25lb ground beef
• 2–3 sweet Italian sausage links
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 medium green pepper, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups marinara sauce
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried basil
• 1 heaping teaspoon dried oregano

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Heat a large dutch oven or similar style pot over medium heat. Add the ground beef and sausage to the pot and brown until the meat is no longer pink, using a spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it cooks. Drain any grease from the pot. 

2. Push the browned meat to the edge, then add the onion, peppers, and garlic to the center of the pot. Flatten the vegetables down, then let them cook undisturbed for about 5 minutes. Once the vegetables are beginning to soften, stir them together into the meat mixture. Add the herbs and kosher salt and stir again. 

3. Pour in the marinara sauce and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Bring the sauce to a low boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low/low and let the ragu simmer for at least thirty minutes. (You can simmer it longer, just keep the heat low so the sauce does not reduce too much). 

4. Taste and add extra salt or herbs to your preference. Serve over pasta, potatoes, or polenta. Top with fresh basil and/or grated parmesan. 

---

Don’t forget to save & share! Pin this recipe for later or share on your socials!

The post Homemade Ragu Sauce appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.

The links below may be affiliate links, meaning I earn a small compensation at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure policy here. 

I saw a popular kid-food influencer on Instagram share about making a smooth (blended) veggie-rich broth to cook with noodles for kids who may be adverse to pieces or chunks of vegetables in their soup (or just ever in general).

While I do have a child who is in a very picky stage when it comes to her food, the soup also just looked so cozy and inviting that I wanted some myself.

Almost every soup I make is in the Instant Pot because the process is so quick and hands-off, so I decided to make my own version of vegetable noodle soup in the Instant Pot. I focused on vegetables high in vitamins with typically kid-friendly, mild flavors– carrots, yellow onion, and fresh garlic. (Making this soup a really great option for sick days too, since it’s hydrating, easy on the stomach, and full of nutrition).

This vegetable noodle soup has been a big hit in our home, from my husband down to my littlest kids. It will absolutely go on the rotation for easy lunches and simple dinners!

Easy Vegetable Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot

The Instant Pot makes cooking the vegetables down really easy, and of course, hands-off. This will be the longest step of the recipe as the stock/broth heats up so the pot can come to pressure. Feel free to get it started early, leave it until you’re ready to continue, or make the veggie-rich stock ahead of time (and keep in the fridge or freeze in Souper Cubes).

If you want to make your vegetable noodle soup even more nutritious (and frugal), try making it with your own homemade chicken stock! 

After the vegetables are finished cooking, blend the whole mixture until very smooth. I usually just use my immersion blender for this, but you could also carefully transfer it to a blender.

The final step is to cook the pasta. (We can’t add the pasta in the first step since we want to be able to blend the vegetables). Because the mixture will already be very hot, returning the pot to pressure will not take very long. Even so, the additional time it takes to bring all that liquid back to pressure, plus the pressure release time, will be sufficient to cook the pasta. (If its not, just simmer the soup for a few more minutes).

Print

Easy Vegetable Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star No reviews

• Author: Lisa @ This Pilgrim Life
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 6-8 portions 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

---

Description

This veggie noodle soup in the Instant Pot is super easy to make with a smooth, nourishing broth with blended veggies making it both kid-friendly and cozy.

---

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup carrot, peeled and diced
• 1 heaping tablespoon fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 8 cups chicken (or vegetable) stock (I like to make my own)
• 1 lb small pasta noodles
• parmesan cheese for topping

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Turn the Instant Pot on to Sauté. Add the oil, then the vegetables and the salt to the pot. Sauté the onion, carrots, and garlic together for 3-4 minutes until the begin to soften. Pour in the stock and stir. Place on the lid and turn the valve to sealing.
2. Cook the vegetables and stock together on high pressure for one minute. Quick release the pressure when the cook time is complete.
3. Use an immersion blender to blend the mixture until completely smooth. Alternately, carefully pour the hot vegetable mixture into a blender and blend until smooth. Return the blended soup mixture to the Instant Pot.
4. Add one cup of water and the pasta to the blended mixture. Place the lid back on the Instant Pot and turn the valve to sealing. Set the cook time for one minute on high pressure. Quick release the pressure when the cook time is complete.
5. Test the pasta for doneness. If it needs additional time, return the Instant Pot to sauté and simmer the soup for 3-5 minutes until the pasta is cooked according to your preference. (One minute on high pressure should be sufficient due to the extra time the IP will take to come to pressure and release pressure). 
6. Transfer portions of soup into bowls and top with parmesan cheese (optional). Serve hot.

---

Notes

*This soup makes a lot, so if you have leftovers to save, I would recommend saving the pasta and the broth in separate containers so the pasta does not continue to absorb the broth while it rests.

Sharing is caring! Don’t forget to pin and share. Thank you!

The post Easy Vegetable Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.