Pasta fits the bill whenever I’m short on time and inspiration for dinner. I often try to amp up the veggie ratio though, and julienned zucchini works great for that. A julienne peeler makes easy work of creating zucchini noodles, which is a great trick for how to eat more vegetables even when you don’t like them. I salt the zucchini noodles and let them drain in a colander for half an hour or so before adding them to the finished pasta dish. As the zucchini releases some liquid, it softens and slumps up like a noodle. Then it requires no cooking.
I had some sliced crimini mushrooms that I wanted to use, so that was the jumping off point for this dish. I had some ground turkey and an opened can of tomatoes and I didn’t want to devote the amount of time necessary to make a proper ragu, but I wanted to add some depth to the sauce. So what’s a girl to do?
Add anchovies, of course! If you think not, please keep reading. I am talking about a flavor gem from my treasure chest that does wonderful, unexpected things in very small amounts. So, my ground turkey was super lean here, but I can add tons of flavor without adding fat by using just one or two anchovy fillets. That’s your answer to what to cook for dinner tonight that’s easy.
Ingredients I used:
- olive oil
- mushrooms
- minced garlic
- ground turkey
- canned tomatoes
- anchovies
- zucchini
- pasta
- allspice
Is it necessary to run you through the steps to make this fantastic dish? Cooking without a recipe is so simple. I would start with browning either the meat or the mushrooms first. In this case, because I was using such a lean ground turkey, I did that first and then set it aside on a plate while I worked on the other ingredients so as not to toughen it up by overcooking. Then sautéed mushrooms. Next the garlic goes into the skillet and then the anchovies. Yes, one or two fillets from a jar make a huge difference here. I smash them up with a spoon or fork as I incorporate them into the sauce that I’ve started. Then added the tomatoes and I decided on a little allspice too. Again, you can experiment with all kinds of herbs and spices. I would be interested to know what you use as you develop your intuition in the kitchen!
Are you already an anchovy fan? Please read Pantry Pasta Perfection next.