Scrambled Eggs, Cheese, and Avocado Tortilla Bowl Recipe
September 16, 2025
Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Everybody wants an awesome on a regular basis Spaghetti Bolognese recipe, and that is mine! The Bolognese Sauce is wealthy, thick and has lovely depth of flavour. It’s excellent for a fast midweek meal however even higher should you can simmer it for a few hours! Serve it over pasta, stuff into jacket potatoes, make an epic Lasagna or Baked Spaghetti Pie!
It is a reader-favourite recipe included by in style demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
It is a reader-favourite recipe included by in style demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
We Aussies have a factor about shortening phrases. Good day is g’day. Pavlova is Pav, afternoon is arvo, mosquitos are mozzies. Sharon is Shazz, Johnsatsa is Johnsat (that’s yours really).
So it’s totally Aussie to shorten Spaghetti Bolognese to Spag Bol!
And right here she is – my Spag Bol. Wealthy, thick, unbelievable flavour within the sauce even should you solely have time for a fast 20 minute simmer. Although should you can sluggish cook dinner for a few hours, it actually takes it to a different degree!
I’ve been loyal to this Meat Sauce recipe since I first realized to cook dinner once I was a young person. There are 3 little issues on this recipe that could be a bit completely different to Bolognese recipes you’ve seen round:
1. Worcestershire sauce: it simply provides that little further something-something. I get antsy if I get caught in a scenario the place I’ve to do with out;
2. Beef bouillon cubes (beef inventory cubes) for further depth of flavour within the sauce, to compensate for this being an on a regular basis midweek model slightly than a conventional sluggish cooked Bolognese Ragu which begins with a soffrito (onion, celery, carrot slowly sautéed) in addition to pancetta.
3. Sugar, if wanted: just a bit bit goes an extended strategy to remodel the sauce should you occur to not be utilizing prime quality, candy Italian canned tomatoes. Grocery store canned tomatoes right here in Australia are notoriously bitter. Particularly the Australian ones – it pains me a lot to say that, however it’s true.
The making half is simple and fairly fast too:
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Saute garlic and onion – about 3 minutes;
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Brown the meat – about 2 minutes;
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Add the whole lot else, give it stir then simmer for 20 minutes minimal (midweek), as much as 3 hours (weekend indulgence!). Gradual cooking makes the meat extremely tender and the sauce develops further flavour.
Distinction between Bolognese and Meat Sauce?
Totally different title for a similar factor! You’ll discover Bolognese made all types of the way all throughout Italy and all all over the world, however primarily mince meat (normally beef, typically mixed with pork or veal) in a tomato based mostly sauce flavoured with herbs.
As with all my pasta recipes, I embody a step to toss the pasta IN the sauce, slightly than simply inserting pasta in bowls and spooning over sauce.
This makes the Bolognese sauce emulsify, so it thickens, turns into shiny and clings to the spaghetti. No extra watery sauce on the backside of your pasta bowl! That is how cooks and Italians make pasta. Attempt it as soon as, you may be transformed!
However it’s an elective step. Generally, you simply don’t have the vitality to wash yet one more pan. I hear ya. 🙂
For a basic Italian feast, serve this with:
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Garlic Bread – or much more indulgent, with Tacky Garlic Bread (or go over-the-top with Crack Bread). Or, for a extra conventional begin, real-deal Italian Focaccia.
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Backyard Salad with Italian Dressing (hit of crisp contemporary salad important!)
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Tiramisu to complete with an Espresso Martini on the facet
For a tremendous fast facet salad choice, make this Rocket Parmesan Salad with Balsamic Dressing. Most likely my most made facet salad as a result of it’s actually a 2 minute effortless-no-chop salad!
This recipe is the best way I’ve been making Spaghetti Bolognese for many years (gosh it’s scary saying that!!). I actually like it, and I believe the sauce is wealthy and loaded with flavour, particularly for a 30 minute Bolognese recipe.
Although when you’ve got the time, sluggish cook dinner it for a few hours. The flavour develops and the meat turns into so luxuriously tender.
Both method, I hope you like it as a lot as I do! – Johnsat xx
This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The guide is generally new recipes, however this can be a reader favorite included by in style demand!
This recipe options in my debut cookbook Dinner. The guide is generally new recipes, however this can be a reader favorite included by in style demand!
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 lb / 500g beef mince (ground beef) OR half pork, half beef (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine (sub water or beef broth/stock)
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled OR granulated beef bouillon (Note 2)
- 800g / 28 oz can crushed tomato (or tomato passata)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp white sugar , if needed (Note 3)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano)
- 3/4 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 400 g / 13 oz spaghetti , dried
- Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté – Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes or until light golden and softened.
- Cook beef – Turn heat up to high and add beef. Cook, breaking it up as your go, until browned.
- Reduce wine – Add red wine. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the alcohol smell is gone.
- Simmer – Add the remaining ingredients. Stir, bring to a simmer then turn down to medium so it bubbles gently. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes (no lid), adding water if the sauce gets too thick for your taste. Stir occasionally.
- Slow simmer option: really takes this to another level, if you have the time! Add 3/4 cup of water, cover with lid and simmer on very low for 2 – 2.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. (Note 5) Uncover, simmer 20 minutes to thicken sauce. (Note 6 for slow cooker)
- Taste and add more salt it desired. Serve over spaghetti – though if you have the time, I recommend tossing the sauce and pasta per steps below.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook per packet directions MINUS 1 minute.
- Scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta.
- Add pasta into the bolognese sauce with about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of reserved pasta water over medium heat. Toss gently for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, or until the spaghetti turns red and the sauce thickens.
- Divide between bowls. Garnish with parmesan and parsley if desired.
Notes
1. Meat – Some traditional slow cooked Bolognese Sauce are made with a mixture of beef and pork mince. Beef for flavour, pork for juiciness. I typically do not use this for midweek.
2. Beef stock cubes – I use Oxo Beef Cubes (Woolies & Coles). Use any beef bouillon / stock cube or in powder form (called “granulated beef bouillon” in some countries).
If using a powder, use 2 tsp (ie 1 tsp per 1 cube).
3. Canned tomato – Mid range canned tomato can be notoriously sour. A touch of sugar makes an incredible difference. The amount required will depend on how sweet / sour the tomatoes and tomato paste is – go by taste. Typically, the better the quality, the less sour they are so the less sugar you will need.
4. Tossing pasta sauce – See commentary in post about emulsifying the pasta sauce. This is the “proper” Italian way to cook pastas, and the way pasta is served in restaurants.
5. Slow simmer option – this is how you take a great bolognese to an incredible one that would make your Italian Nonna proud. The key here is ultra low heat – after bringing to simmer, lower heat so the surface is just gently rippling, with a few bubbles here and there. Once the lid has been on for a while, take a peek to check – because it gets hotter with the lid on. I use my smallest burner on the lowest setting.
6. Other notes:* Scaling recipe up (use auto recipe scaler) – If you double the recipe (or more!), then brown the beef in batches. If you try to cook it in one batch, you will end up stewing it rather than browning!* Slow cooker: This is really fantastic made in a slow cooker! The meat becomes so tender and the sauce has incredible flavour. At step 3, cook until the wine liquid disappears completely, then transfer it into the slow cooker at step 4 and cook for low for 6 hours. * Variations: Here are some ideas for ways to take this up a notch, if you are so inclined!– Finely chop 1 carrot + celery and saute that with the onion to make a softrito. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes for extra amazingness!– Add finely chopped bacon (smokey is the ultimate!) or pancetta, cook with the onion– 1 tbsp soy sauce (my mother did this, I sometimes do! I’ve seen it in some chef recipes)– Fresh or dried red chilli– Bolognese gets better the longer it is cooked, and it’s even better the next day!
7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings, including pasta.
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