A pleasing combination of beef, sausage, eggplant, and zucchini, slowly cooked in a tomato sauce, adds up to a hearty and tasty dinner when served over rice or noodles. Our testers added extra garlic and found it “simply delicious”!
1 pound ground beef
1 pound hot Italian sausage (link or patty)
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (link or patty)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium-size zucchini, sliced
1 small eggplant, cubed
3 green bell peppers, cubed
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)
2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) tomatoes
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons white sugar
In a large Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and the sausages over medium heat. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain off the excess fat. Add the olive oil and heat. Add the vegetables and saute until soft, about 10 minutes. Return the meat to the pan along with the remaining ingredients. Simmer, uncovered, for 1-1/2 to 2 hours. If it seems dry, add more tomatoes. Serve over rice or noodles.