summer squash

One Pan Zucchini "Pasta" Bake with Ragu Homestyle

Even though I'm not Italian, pasta was a MAJOR staple in my household growing up. And my mom always used Ragu when making anything Italian. I'm pretty sure all of my favorite meals as a child included Ragu - baked ziti, spaghetti and meatballs, you name it! So when I heard that they were coming out with a new Homestyle line, I was super excited. I headed to the store, and picked up the Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic sauce, just one of many of their delicious sauce flavors. 

I didn't even know what I wanted to make at first, but I knew that I had to try this sauce. Plus I'm obsessed with garlic, so it was really a no brainer. I got to thinking and figured since I was having a little twist on the sauce I knew growing up, I'd use it with a twist on the traditional pasta meal. I decided to go with zucchini and summer squash pasta instead 1) to keep it a little healthier and 2) because it's summer! No better way to get the best of both worlds than with some summer veggies and a delicious, hearty pasta dish.

Here's what you'll need:

-1 zucchini, spiralized using the ribbon blade
-1 summer squash, spiralized using the ribbon blade
-1 cup Ragu Homestyle Thick & Hearty Roasted Garlic tomato sauce
-5.3 oz cottage cheese
-1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
-1/2 tsp oregano
-1/2 tsp basil
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1 tbsp EVOO
-Sea salt and pepper to taste

Serves 2

Instructions:

1) Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. 
2) In a cast iron skillet, heat up the olive oil on the stove top over medium high heat.
3) Once the oil is glistening, add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
4) Add in the zucchini and summer squash ribbons, and cook for about 3-5 minutes mixing regularly.
5) In the meantime, mix together the cottage cheese, oregano, basil, sea salt, pepper, and Ragu Homestyle sauce in a bowl.
6) Mix the sauce mixture into the pan, and top everything evenly with the parmesan cheese.
7) Move the skillet into the preheated oven, and cook for 10-15 minutes.
8) Remove the skillet from the oven, and let it cool for about 5 minutes.
9) Serve, and enjoy!

It honestly tastes JUST like pasta, but better! Plus it's super easy and fast to make and has minimal, delicious ingredients. It gave me all the feels of growing up but with a kick! That hearty, garlic flavor is just so perfect! I can't wait to give the other flavors a try. For other tasty recipes from Ragu themselves click here.

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