Spaghetti Hot Pot

I love this dish! It is warming and very hearty thanks to the addition of the cabbage and the beans. With this dish, you can stretch one pound of ground beef to feed 8 to 10 people and you only have one pot to clean. The cabbage cooks down so that no one will even realize it is in there, so it is a great way to sneak some extra veggies and fiber into the family. None of that would matter to me, though, if it wasn’t so incredibly good. And it is….yes, it is.

Ingredients (serves 8-10):

1 Tablespoon olive oil

½ cup chopped onions

1 clove of minced garlic

1 pound ground beef

3 cups vegetable broth

2 cups 100% vegetable juice (like V8®)

1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes, with the liquid

3 cups packaged slaw mix (cabbage with carrots)

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

2 teaspoons Italian herb seasoning

8 ounces dry thin spaghetti noodles (about ½ of a normal package)

Parmesan cheese for serving

Directions: Heat the oil in the bottom of a Dutch Oven or large pot. Sauté the onions over medium heat until soft and fragrant, but not brown. Add in the garlic and stir for about a minute. Add the ground beef and cook until the beef is browned. Drain off any excess fat and return the pot to the stove.

Add in the broth, vegetable juice, tomatoes, slaw mix, beans and seasonings and bring to a boil. Drop to a simmer and cover the pot. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally (and breaking up the whole tomatoes).

Break the spaghetti in thirds and drop it in the pot. Stir to combine and cook for about 12 more minutes or until the pasta is al dente.

Serve in bowls topped with parmesan cheese.