
Somali Beef and Veggie Pasta
The classic Somali combination of potatoes, beef, veggies, and pasta hits every night of the week.
Ingredients
- 1 pound lean (85% or leaner) ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced OR 4 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander seed
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or season to taste)
- 2 small red potatoes, chopped into small pieces
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 2 cups chicken stock low-sodium
- 1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
- 8 ounces whole grain spaghetti, cooked and drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)
Equipment & Utensils
- Large pot
- Small bowl
- Stirring spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
Instructions
- Before you begin, wash your hands, surfaces, utensils, tops of cans, and produce.
- In a large pot, add ground beef, and cook for 3-5 minutes on medium high until browned. Remove ground beef and set aside in small bowl. Drain off most of the fat.
- Add onions to large pot and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Add garlic, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute. Add ground beef back into pot.
- Add potatoes, carrot, tomato, stock, and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Serve hot over warm pasta. Garnish with cilantro (if using).
Tips
- Potatoes are commonly used in this dish. If you want a different taste, you can substitute cauliflower, eggplant, or zucchini instead.
- Spaghetti is the most common pasta enjoyed for this dish, but you could use any pasta shape you have available.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size
1 1/2 cups
Per serving
Amount
Calories
460
Total Fat
12g
Sodium
520mg
Total Carbohydrate
60g
Protein
30g
Recipe sourced from California Department of Health’s Cal Fresh






