Big Family Italian Dump Dish

We get so busy in our (now) family of 11 that we sometimes forget we have to eat! And, while crock pot meals can be marvelous (I use those, too), I am so guilty of forgetting to start one early in the day (anyone with me?).  That’s why I love this big family Italian dump dish.

It’s so easy to assemble, cooks so quickly, and, BONUS, there is only ONE pan to clean!

Here are some photos to illustrate:

First, we gather and chop. Then we sautee and season.

We add meat, tomatoes, and water.

Then we add DRY noodles.

That’s right; no extra boiling and then combining. The noodles bubble along happily right with the yummy tomatoes, seasonings, and meat, making them extra tasty in the end!

Then we cover and wait (use medium heat, of course, as if you didn’t know that already).

Oh, and don’t forget to stir often–you don’t want everything to stick and burn–you probably will need to add in a little extra water as things progress. 

After about 15 minutes (I’m always shocked at how quickly this dish goes) you can plate and serve! Make sure and have some bread and/or salad (I use the bagged kind when I am in a hurry) on the side to round this meal out and streeetch it for your crowd.

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Big Family Italian Dump Dish

Delicious, one-pan dish for moms who are crunched in time but need something delicious in minutes. I can make this on in a jiffy with ingredients I try and keep on hand at all times, including a lot of dried pantry items such as canned tomatoes, dried pasta, and sausage (or pepperoni).

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Italian

Prep Time

15 Minutes

Cook Time

20-25 Minutes

Passive Time

15 Minutes

Servings

(or 10) People

Ingredients

• 2-3 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 1/2 cups diced onion
• 1 1/2 cups diced green pepper
• 2 tbsp Italian seasoning I buy mine in bulk from Sam's Club
• 2 tbsp garlic (or onion) powder
• 2 cups diced sausage, pepperoni, or meatballs or whatever meat you prefer, I buy bulk pepperoni from Sam's Club
• 2 cans diced tomatoes I prefer the "petite" diced, especially for young palates
• 1 1/2-2 cans water you may need more if the noodles soak up the water quickly
• 1- 1 1/2 pounds pasta of your choice
• salt and pepper to taste
• Parmesan or other type of cheese as a topper

Course Main Dish Cuisine Italian Prep Time 15 Minutes Cook Time 20-25 Minutes Passive Time 15 Minutes Servings (or 10) People Ingredients 2-3 tbsp cooking oil 1 1/2 cups diced onion 1 1/2 cups diced green pepper 2 tbsp Italian seasoning I buy mine in bulk from Sam's Club 2 tbsp garlic (or onion) powder 2 cups diced sausage, pepperoni, or meatballs or whatever meat you prefer, I buy bulk pepperoni from Sam's Club 2 cans diced tomatoes I prefer the "petite" diced, especially for young palates 1 1/2-2 cans water you may need more if the noodles soak up the water quickly 1- 1 1/2 pounds pasta of your choice salt and pepper to taste Parmesan or other type of cheese as a topper

Instructions

1. Gather all ingredients, chop the onion, green pepper, and meat (if necessary).
2. Sautee onion in oil.
3. Add green pepper.
4. Add seasonings.
5. Add meat.
6. Simmer all until meat is browned/heated through.
7. Add cans of tomatoes.
8. Add cans of water
9. Add pasta.
10. Cook, covered on medium heat. Make sure you peek in and stir quite often, as the liquid may be soaked in and there is a potential for sticking and burning on the bottom.
11. Wait just until the pasta is al dente--this will take approximately 15-20 minutes.
12. Voila! Serve this along with some garlic bread and/or salad and you have a complete meal.

Recipe Notes

This smells SO enticing while it's cooking--even the older children visit the kitchen and ask about the next meal, which is a near miracle in a family of creativity-junkies.

And it is something I can pull off at the last minute while still looking like I planned for it all day!

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