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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.

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Classic Homemade Ragu Sauce

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

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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!

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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

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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. 

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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).

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Easy Vegetable Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot

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

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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

The cold days that call for chilis and hearty comfort dishes are making their leave, and spring and summer are rolling in. The sun and heat and fresh bounty of seasonal fruits and vegetables call for a different kind of eating.

I don’t know about you, but I AM HERE FOR IT! Bring on the salads, and pastas made with garden veggies, and generally lighter, faster dishes. 

One thing I do at the beginning of a new season is to make a seasonal menu to use when trying to think of what’s for dinner (or for lunch). Even though I know the “kind” of food I want to eat, I can still come up blank when it’s time to actually pick a specific meal. Having a list of options ready to go helps me TREMENDOUSLY. And I want to share that with you.

(scroll to the bottom of this post to find links to more seasonal menus and meal planning inspiration)

I put together a list of 70 dinner ideas for spring and summer, divided into categories– because every night does not call for the same kind of recipe. The dinner menu is divided into:

1. Family Favorites
2. Low-Prep & Quick
3. On the Grill/Smoker
4. Fresh & Seasonal
5. Salads
6. From the Freezer
7. Hospitality
8. Sides

There isn’t only one right way to use this dinner menu. My hope is that it serves you in whatever way you need it to.

Maybe you print this menu and only cook from this list over the spring and summer. Maybe you need that kind of help– taking a lot of searching and decision-making off your plate. (If this is you, save this specific page to your home screen so you have quick access to the recipe links). 

Or, maybe you save this post and come back when you are looking for a new recipe to try when you’re making your meal plan, or when you need a quick dinner idea during the week.

OR, maybe you scroll through and get inspired to make your own spring and summer dinner menu. You can print off a blank version of the menu and fill in your own favorite recipes in the eight categories.

SAVE.PRINT.SHARE.EAT WELL! 

Spring & Summer Dinner Menu

FAMILY FAVORITES

• Easy Homemade Stromboli (pictured above)
• Pan Fried Chicken Strips 
• Homemade Pizza (my super simple thin crust pizza dough & 8 pizza sauce ideas)
• Instant Pot Chicken Cacciatore
• Instant Pot Shepherd’s Pie
• Fried Catfish/Fish
• Easy Skillet Chicken Carbonara
• Taco Night
• Beef Enchiladas with IP Homemade Sauce
• Instant Pot Cheeseburger All-the-Way Pasta (in my cookbook)

LOW-PREP & QUICK

• Tastiest Easy Sliders (pictured above)
• 30 Minute Instant Pot BBQ Chicken
• Sheetpan Nachos
• Skillet Tortellini Bake
• Honey Mustard Ham & Pesto Melts
• Instant Pot Herb Chicken & Rice
• Sheetpan Sausage & Root Veg
• 30 Minute Fried Rice
• Instant Pot Jerk Chicken Drumsticks (in my cookbook)
• Blackened Fish Tacos (in my cookbook)

ON THE GRILL/SMOKER

• Greek Chicken & Vegetable Kabobs (pictured above)
• Brats with saurkraut
• Marinated London Broil
• Cheeseburgers and/or hot dogs
• Smoked Pork Butt/Whole Chicken
• Steaks
• Grilled Pork Chops
• Cedar Plank Salmon
• Flank Steak Fajitas
• Marinated Grilled Chicken (5 easy chicken marinades from Gimme Some Oven)

FRESH & SEASONAL 

• Garden Fresh Pasta Primavera (pictured above)
• Black Bean & Spinach Egg Rolls
• Spring Green Risotto (recipe coming soon)
• Fettuccine with Sausage & Blistered Tomatoes
• BLTs
• Sheetpan Shrimp Boil (recipe from Damn Delicious)
• Skillet Crab Cakes
• 5-Minute Super Greens Pesto with pasta
• Buddha Bowls
• Instant Pot Creamy Clam Chowder (in my cookbook)

SALADS

• Simple Summer Pasta Salad (pictured above)
• Chicken Caesar Salad
• 10 Easy Homemade Salad Dressings
• Southwest Black Bean Pasta Salad (recipe coming soon)
• IP Ridiculously Easy Chicken Breast & Salad Bar
• Greek Pasta Salad (recipe from Skinnytaste)
• Homemade Chicken Salad
• Our Favorite Tuna Salad
• Summer Panzanella (recipe from DELISH)

FROM THE FREEZER

• Instant Pot Lentil Sloppy Joes (pictured above)
• Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie
• Make-ahead meatballs & marinara 
• Chicken Potstickers (we get ours from Costco)
• Vegetable Egg Rolls (we get ours from Costco)
• Black Bean Burgers (we get ours from Costco)

HOSPITALITY

• Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches (in my cookbook or get a venison version here) (pictured above)
• Build Your Own Burrito Bar
• Blackened Chicken Alfredo with Roasted Broccoli
• Instant Pot Shredded Barbecue Pork
• Grill + BYOM (bring your own meat)
• Instant Pot Salsa Verde Shredded Pork Tacos (in my cookbook)
• Instant Pot Rosemary Honey Ham (in my cookbook)
• Sunday Best Pot Roast (in my cookbook)

SIDES

• Roasted Zucchini Spears with “Secret Sauce” (pictured above)
• Roasted Carrot Fries
• Sauteed Garlicky Greens
• IP Corn on the Cob
• Roasted Okra Fries
• Blistered Garlic Green Beans
• Maple Bacon Brussel Sprouts
• Rosemary Parmesan Squash Casserole
• Sauteed zucchini & onions
• Grilled/roasted asparagus
• Instant Pot Stone-Ground Grits
• Amazing Dilly Ranch Potatoes (in my cookbook)
• Herb Rice Pilaf (in my cookbook)

Get the Printable Menu ::

• PRINT THE SPRING & SUMMER DINNER MENU
• PRINT A BLANK VERSION 

Print off whichever version you prefer and tuck it in your planner or purse, or tape it on the inside of a cabinet. I hope it helps to relieve some of the pressure of meal planning this season, and helps you to eat a variety of delicious dishes!

I would love to see your menus wherever you keep them! If you share on social media, please tag me, @thispilgrimlife, so I can see! If you find it helpful, consider sharing it with your friends. 

MORE LIKE THIS ::

• Summer Lunch Menu
• Simple Meal Planning & Grocery Shopping Routine
• Adventure Day Food Ideas & Printable Menu
• 50+ Fresh Summer Vegetable Recipes & Resources

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

The post Spring & Summer Dinner Menu (with Free Printable) appeared first on This Pilgrim Life.