• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Wash and dry produce. • Trim, peel, and halve zucchini lengthwise; cut crosswise into 2-inch- thick pieces.

• Place zucchini, carrots, marinara, stock concentrates, garlic powder, Italian Seasoning, a big pinch of salt, and pepper in a blender (or food processor). • Blend, scraping down the sides as needed, until mostly smooth and no large pieces remain, 60-90 seconds.

• Once water is boiling, add rigatoni to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 9-11 minutes. • Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water (2 cups for 4 servings), then drain.

• While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add beef* and season with salt and pepper. Cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4-6 minutes. TIP: If there’s excess grease in your pan, carefully pour it out.

• Add tomato paste to pan with beef. Cook, stirring, until evenly coated, about 30 seconds. Reduce heat to medium low. • Add hidden-veggie sauce to pan and stir to combine. Cook, stirring, until sauce has thickened slightly, 3-5 minutes. • Stir in crème fraîche and 1⁄2 cup reserved pasta cooking water (1 cup for 4 servings) until fully incorporated and sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.

• Add drained rigatoni to sauce and stir until pasta is thoroughly coated. (If needed, add additional pasta cooking water a splash at a time.) Taste and season with salt and pepper. • Divide pasta between bowls. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve. Ground Beef is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 160°.