Italian Style Drunken Noodles Primavera

 

Well folks... this is a twist on a twist.  First, we are going to do an ethic twist on the traditional Thai style drunken noodles.... as we are going Italian with this!  Second, rather than using Italian sausage, let's go low fat and use turkey bratwurst.  I promise, there is so much flavor in here, that none of your guests will know its turkey.  Just think of how much healthier this will be!  Lean turkey, TONS of vegetables, and yes - one of my favorite indulgences, pasta!  Put it this way - when I made this, I had three teenage boys here.  Two of them came back for seconds! 

The alcohol will totally cook out of this, but the complexity that it brings to the dish is fabulous!  It is rich, garlicky, lots of great Italian flavors, lots of beautiful veggies...and tons of flavor - but made from turkey!  What's not to like?!

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients:  (6 adult portions)

• 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 pound turkey bratwurst
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 orange bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini, sliced into matchsticks
• 2 Tbsp freshly minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry red wine
• 1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
• kosher salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons + 1/4 cup more for garnish
• egg noodles or tagliatelle (I used No Yolks)
• Parmigiano reggiano for garnish

Step-by-step:

Remove the casings from the turkey bratwurst.   Feel free to substitute ground beef, but I was going for really healthy on this recipe.  There is SO much flavor in this dish, that your family will be happy with the turkey.  :) 

1 pound of turkey bratwurst

 

Add a little EVOO to a dutch oven, and brown the turkey, crumbling it into medium sized pieces as it browns. 

2 Tbsp EVOO

 

Add in all vegetables, liquids, and seasonings.  Allow to reduce until all vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened.      

1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil

1 each - red, yellow, orange bell pepper - cut into strips

1 zucchini, sliced into matchsticks

1 zucchini, sliced into matchsticks

2 Tbsp freshly minced garlic

 Gorgeous already, right?!

Well it's about to get better!

By this time, any liquid will probably have cooked out.  So now we will deglaze with the red wine.  Expect lots of steam!  Allow the alcohol to evaporate.  It won't take long.  Then you can add the rest of the liquids.

1/2 cup dry red wine

 These cuties are from my garden! :)

1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes

black pepper to taste

kosher salt to taste

Tip - the sugar cuts the acid from the tomatoes.

1 Tbsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons

3 Tbsp fresh parsley, minced

 Don't forget to put cook your pasta!  

egg noodles or tagliatelle

Let it cook down until the sauce reduces, and the vegetables are tender.

Serve over pasta.  I used extra wide egg noodles.  (The No Yolks brand has no cholesterol.)

Garnish with extra fresh basil and shaved Parmesan cheese. 

I hope you totally fell in love with this recipe and are rushing out to buy your ingredients NOW!!  But in case you want to look at some other recipes, check out my Recipe Index for tons of ideas!  If you are are a MenuMusings newbie, Click here to subscribe so you won't miss a thing!! 

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And here are some "bonus recipes" for you to ponder!  Just click the links to go there.

Thai Chicken Salad Cones 

Skinny Mexican Pizza  

Pumpkin Ravioli with Brown Butter and Crispy Sage 

Meatballs Stroganoff 

Roasted Vegetable Chicken Pot Pie 

Lily's Blackberry Cobbler

Written Method:

Remove the casings from the turkey bratwurst.  Add a little EVOO to a dutch oven, and brown the turkey, crumbling it into medium sized pieces as it browns.  Add in all vegetables, liquids, and seasonings.  Allow to reduce until all vegetables are tender and sauce has thickened.  Serve over pasta and garnish with extra fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.    

 

Old Fashioned Vegetable Beef Soup

This is definitely not a sexy meal, by any means.  But when it's dark and rainy, or I'm feeling under the weather, I want soup.  I suppose it is one of the ultimate comfort foods, in my opinion.  This one is so great because it totally babysits itself.  You throw everything in the pot, then do whatever else for a couple of hours... and then the house starts to smell amazing.  Now this isn't a thin, watery, "appetizer soup."  This thing is hearty!  Big chunks of beef, falling apart, tons of veggies, a rich broth, and even some tiny little pastas!  No sir... you won't go away hungry!!!  So delicious, and healthy; and it's almost completely fat free!  Can you beat that?!  NO!  And can I tell you a secret?  It is even better as leftovers... which means something delicious and healthy to bring to work for lunch - where it is often so cold in the building that you NEED something hot!  LOL

Click Here for Printable Recipe

Ingredients: (Makes a whole big pot!)

• 7 cups cold water 
• 1 cup red wine (whichever you want to drink that night) 
• 4 cups beef broth (regular or reduced sodium)
• 1 (28oz) canned whole tomatoes (fire-roasted or basil and oregano) 
• 1 pkg  mixed vegetables (Green Giant)
• 2 (sm-med) red russet potatoes
• 3 stalks celery 
  
• 5 cloves  garlic, finely chopped
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 1.75 pounds top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks 
• (season them before adding to water - salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano)   
• to taste salt and pepper, dried oregano 
• 2/3 cup tiny little pastas 
• The secret ingredient  - add a left-over heel of Parmigiano reggiano cheese to the soup about halfway through.  It will add a ton of flavor, and you can just fish it out later.

Step-by-step:

Put all ingredients (except pasta) in cold water.

• 7 cups cold water

1 cup red wine

4 cups reduced sodium beef broth

• 1 (28oz) canned whole tomatoes (fire-roasted or basil and oregano)

1 pkg  mixed vegetables (Green Giant)

2 (sm-med) red russet potatoes

3 stalks celery, chopped

5 cloves  garlic, finely chopped

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

kosher salt

black pepper

1.75 pounds top sirloin, trimmed of fat and cut into large chunks

(season them before adding to water - salt, pepper, garlic powder, dried oregano)

n medium to medium-high for about two hours.  About halfway through, add the rind of Parmesan.  

The secret ingredient  - add a left-over heel of Parmigiano reggiano cheese to the soup about halfway through.  It will add a ton of flavor, and you can just fish it out later.

Note - You may need a to add a little more water 30-45 min before completion if too thick.  

I also go through at some point and snip the tomatoes apart.  I find kitchen scissors work just fabulous for this!  You may ask why I bothered to use whole tomatoes, just to have to cut them up?  Whole tomatoes are held to a higher standard than the diced ones for the canning process.  They have to be the best of the best, without blemish.

So here we are getting really close.  The soup has reduced and thickened.  The meat is super tender and the veggies are cooked.  Now its time to add the pasta, if you are doing so.

Add the pasta in the last 10 minutes. 

2/3 cup tiny little pastas

Garnish, if you'd like with grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top.

Enjoy this recipe?!

I hope so, because there are many more like this on this blog, just waiting for someone to open them up and give them a try!  Hop on over to the Recipe Index and see for yourself! If you haven't already, please Click Here to Subscribe to MenuMusings so you won't miss a thing!

Order the Menu Musings Cookbook!

 
Here are a few "bonus recipes" for you to enjoy!  Click the links to go directly to the recipes.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Spicy Garlic Aioli

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Cranberry Orange Muffins with Brown Sugar Pecan Crumble Topping

Coconut Lime Chicken

Homemade Snickers Bars

Written Method:

Put all ingredients (except pasta) in cold watern medium to medium-high for about two hours.  About halfway through, add the rind of Parmesan.  Add the pasta in the last 10 minutes.  You may need a to add a little more water 30-45 min before completion if too thick.  Garnish, if you'd like with grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese over the top.