Give everyone a pleasant, satisfying, and unforgettable Italian dining experience with classic, delicious, and hearty Spaghetti Bolognese!
Do you want to cook the perfect Spaghetti Bolognese for your family? All you need are al dente spaghetti, perfectly-seasoned sauce, and savory beef. It’s the perfect dish to serve for celebrations, New Year, and weekends.
Of all the pasta recipes I cooked at home, my kids and husband love this tremendously. Dining with my family has certainly become happier when we eat Spaghetti Bolognese together!
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There are many Spaghetti Bolognese recipes out there but wait until you taste the recipe here. Every bite is going to give a savory, sweet, and meaty flavor that will make this dish your new favorite pasta!
The only regret your guests will have is the regret of not eating more of this deliciousness!
How to Make Spaghetti Bolognese
If you want to cook an easy and quick yet delicious Spaghetti Bolognese, then you have come to the right place. From the pasta to the sauce and toppings, you will love every bit of it, just as much as I do.
Are you ready to taste the best Spaghetti Bolognese? Let’s get right into the recipe!
Ingredients
What do you need to cook Spaghetti Bolognese?
Beef
Every Spaghetti Bolognese starts with some beef.
Give the dish a meaty, savory, and rich flavor with well-seasoned minced beef. The beef also adds a tender and soft texture that goes well with the pasta. It goes so well with the pasta because it’s chewy, too.
It is used in many Asian and Italian recipes for its beefy and juicy goodness. Simply Recipes also suggests using ground pork to give the dish a similar flavor. In fact, you can even use ground chicken or a combination of different kinds of meat.
Beef is my go-to meat option for other recipes like Tortilla Wrap and Meat Pie! What dishes do you like cooking with beef?
Herbs and spices
Even if beef is tasteful on its own, you still need seasoning to make it better.
Instantly upgrade the beef by seasoning it with the right herbs and spices. Don’t forget to use aromatics like onion, ginger, and garlic for a pungent and peppery flavor and fragrance.
Meanwhile, the best spices include curry powder, mixed herbs, oregano, smoked paprika, mace, garam masala, coriander, aromat, and sea salt. You can also use other herbs and spices, depending on what you like.
Tomatoes
What’s the secret to bolognese sauce? Tomatoes!
Let’s make the Spaghetti Bolognese extra special by making the bolognese sauce from scratch, starting with tomatoes! These tomatoes are also the classic base ingredients for the sauce.
Tomatoes give the sauce its sweet and tangy flavor that will coat the pasta. HGTV suggests using Roma or other paste tomatoes to make the sauce. Fresh ones will give the dish a more authentic flavor, almost like you’re eating in Italy.
Aside from using tomatoes for pasta recipes, I also use them to cook my family’s favorite soups and stews. There are so many other sauces you can make with tomatoes, including pizza sauce!
Bell and sweet peppers
Make it a real bolognese sauce with some bell peppers and sweet peppers.
With bell peppers and sweet peppers, the bolognese sauce is certainly going to taste a lot better. These peppers are not just sweet, but fruity, too. Once cooked, these will give the sauce a tasty flavor and amazing aroma.
The combination of flavors of the peppers will surely give the sauce a richer quality. I’ve used this for sauces for pasta, soups, and stews, and they have always turned out splendidly!
With these ingredients, you’ll make Spaghetti Bolognese like an Italian chef! Not only is it tasty, but it is also healthy because of the all-natural ingredients used!
Directions
Here’s a step-by-step guide to make the best Spaghetti Bolognese:
Minced beef
- Saute the garlic and onion in a frying pan over low-medium heat.
- Season the beef with curry powder, mixed herbs, oregano, smoked paprika, mace, garam masala, coriander, aromat, and sea salt.
- Add the beef and mix everything with a spatula.
- Then, cook the beef over medium heat.
- Use a sieve to separate the beef from the liquid stock.
Bolognese sauce
- Chop the tomatoes, bell peppers, and sweet peppers with a knife.
- Slice the garlic, onions, and tomatoes into quarters.
- Then, use a blender to make the bolognese sauce.
- Sautee everything in oil in a frying pan for two minutes.
- Cover the pan with a splash guard and set the heat to medium.
- Cook the sauce 15 to 20 minutes or until thick.
- Season the sauce with curry powder, mixed herbs, smoked paprika, oregano, mace, garam masala, coriander leaves, all-purpose seasoning, and beef mince liquid stock.
- Then, add in some crushed chili if preferred.
- Let it cook for five more minutes on medium heat.
- Toss in the cooked beef mince.
- Let the sauce simmer for five minutes.
- Garnish the Bolognese sauce with some basil.
Spaghetti
- Boil water in a pot.
- Then, add olive oil, sea salt, and spaghetti pasta.
- Cook for ten minutes or until the pasta is cooked.
Spaghetti Bolognese
- Add some pasta to a plate.
- Then, top it off with the bolognese sauce.
- Garnish the dish with your favorite pasta toppings to serve!
However you choose to serve it, I can guarantee that this is the Spaghetti Bolognese that everyone will remember!
Tips
Beef Mince
- If the beef mince is red or brown, then these are suitable to use for Spaghetti Bolognese.
- Beef stored in the fridge should be used within two days.
- You can also keep the beef in the freezer for three months.
- Defrost the beef in water or in the microwave.
- Frozen beef can thaw in the fridge overnight.
Beef mince may also differ in fat content, so choose one which best suits your diet. The white specks on the beef can indicate the fat it contains. The more white specks you see, the more fat the beef has.
Cook Pasta Like a Pro!
There’s a lot more to pasta than what meets the eye. There are simple ways how you can improve your pasta.
- Regularly check if the pasta is cooked al dente.
- You can also skip rinsing the cooked pasta for thickness and texture from the starch.
- Season the water with salt for added flavor.
Homemade Pasta
- Combine the salt and flour in a bowl.
- Make a well in the flour mixture and add a slightly beaten egg.
- Mix them until it becomes a dough.
- Knead the dough on a flat and floured surface until ready.
- Use a pasta machine to flatten it and cut it into strips. Alternatively, you can roll the dough by hand or with a rolling pin and manually cut the pasta into strips with a knife.
Spaghetti Bolognese Variations
There are plenty of pasta recipes that you can cook for yourself or your loved ones during occasions and celebrations! It’s all about being creative with the sauce and toppings.
For instance, you can replace the spaghetti with other pasta options such as penne, tagliatelle, linguine, and more! Meanwhile, the beef can be substituted with ground pork or chicken or even other diet-friendly substitutes.
Instead of making the bolognese sauce from scratch, you can buy ready-to-use sauce too. You are also free to use herbs and spices of your choice to give the dish your preferred flavor.
Check out these stellar pasta recipes for your next cooking session:
Recommended Tools
- Frying pan: Coat the pasta with sauce in this non-stick wok.
- Tefal Everyday Induction Hob: Cook the pasta over an induction hob.
- Splatter guard: This splatter screen prevents stains on your tiles.
- Blender. Blend the peppers in the blender.
- Spatula: Combine the ingredients with a spatula.
- Strainer: Separate the meat from the liquid stock using a strainer.
- Tongs: Remove the cooked pasta from the heat with tongs.
- Knife: Chop the ingredients using a knife.
How to Serve Spaghetti Bolognese
In less than an hour, your Spaghetti Bolognese will be ready to serve!
You may serve Spaghetti Bolognese with the pasta and sauce in two different bowls. Alternatively, you can mix them in a large container or bowl before serving. Just gradually mix the sauce into the pasta to make sure it’s enough.
Should you opt for the latter option, it’s best to combine them in a large pan and let them cook together for up to three minutes. This is also a great way to ensure that the bolognese sauce is evenly distributed in the spaghetti.
Spaghetti Bolognese can be served with the following side dishes:
Meanwhile, here are some of the best drink and juice options you can enjoy with this pasta dish:
It can be eaten at any time of the day, especially if you want to prepare for a long and busy day. Sometimes, I even pack it for my kids and husband to enjoy for lunch or even snacks at work and school.
Want more Delicious Recipes? Try these:
Storage Tips
- At room temperature: It is best to eat the pasta within two hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is spaghetti bolognese made of?
The classic spaghetti bolognese sauce is made of beef, tomatoes, garlic, wine, and spices. You can always make a sauce of your own. For instance, in this recipe, I added bell peppers, sweet peppers, and onions.
What makes spaghetti bolognese taste better?
According to Delish, the best way to improve spaghetti bolognese is to add milk, dried tomatoes, anchovies, mushrooms, and sugar. You can also customize the recipe to your liking.
What is the difference between spaghetti and bolognese?
Spaghetti is the pasta used for recipes, whereas bolognese is the sauce that can be used for different types of pasta. Spaghetti can be consumed with other sauces, such as pesto and carbonara.
Why is it called spaghetti bolognese?
It is called spaghetti bolognese because it became popular during World War II when the American soldiers visited Bologna and tasted the sauce with tagliatelle pasta. When they went home, they made their own version with spaghetti pasta.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
For the tomato-base sauce (blending)
- 5 tomatoes
- 2 bell peppers
- 2 sweet peppers
- 1 red onion
- 2 garlic cloves
- A thumb-sized ginger
For the beef mince
- 1 kg minced beef
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 garlic
- ½ tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp mace
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp coriander
- 1 tsp aromat
- ½ tsp sea salt
For the bolognese sauce
- tomato-base sauce (as shown above)
- ¼ cup sunflower oil
- 1 red onion
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 1 tsp mixed herbs
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp oregano
- ½ tsp mace
- ½ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp coriander
- 1 tsp aromat
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1 cup liquid stock
Instructions
For the mince beef
- Saute the onion and garlic along with the seasoning. Pre-heat the sunflower oil in a pan over low-medium heat. Saute the garlic and onion and add in the combined spices. In this way, the beef mince will have a richer and more powerful taste that will complement the sauce. Fry this for a minute.
- Add in the beef mince.Once the spices are well-combined, add the beef to your pan. Use a spatula to break the beef apart to allow it to evenly cook. Set the fire to medium heat. Stir the mixture occasionally to prevent the beef from overcooking and to ensure even browning.
- Separate the beef mince and liquid stock. Use your spatula to separate the beef mince and liquid stock. You may use a strainer to properly segregate them. Important note: Don’t throw away the stock! Set the stock aside for later. It’ll be a special ingredient for the sauce.
For the sauce
- Peel Rinse and cut the fruits and vegetables. Peel, rinse, and chop the garlic, onions, and tomatoes into quarters to blend them easily. Deseed and chop the peppers to be used.
- Blend the ingredients until smooth. Use a blender to properly combine the ingredients. The mixture will turn into a beautiful red and rich consistency that’s healthier and tastier than store-bought sauce.
- Sautee the onion in a pan with sunflower oil. Allow the sunflower to oil to eat in a deep pan and saute the onion for two minutes. Once the onions are soft, add the blended sauce. Cover the pan with a splash guard and set the heat to medium. Stir the mixture occasionally. After 15 to 20 minutes, the sauce will reduce and become thick.
- Add the spices and let it cook for 5 minutes. Put in the curry powder, mixed herbs, smoked paprika, oregano, mace, garam masala, coriander leaves, all-purpose seasoning, and beef mince liquid stock. Add in some crushed chili if preferred. Resume occasional stirring and let it cook for 5 more minutes in medium heat.
- Pour in the cooked beef mince. If you used a deep and wide pan, you can add in as much of the beef mince as you want. However, for smaller pans, you can do this in batches to prevent overcrowding of ingredients and proper cooking. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes to incorporate the flavors together. Once cooked, garnish the sauce with some freshly chopped basil!
For the spaghetti pasta
- Add olive oil, sea salt, and dried spaghetti paste to 5 cups of boiling water. Oil is important to prevent pasta noodles from sticking together. It also adds better texture and flavor to your pasta. Use sea salt to enhance the taste of the pasta as well. Let the pasta cook for 3 minutes over medium heat.
- Separate the pasta noodles from one another and let them simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Use your spaghetti pasta spoon or tongs to disassemble the pasta. Wait for 8 to 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked. The pasta is ready when it twirls around your folk easily. You can also tell doneness by tasting it and assessing if it’s al dente.
- Now that you have your pasta and your bolognese sauce, it’s time to assemble them into one delectable masterpiece! You can top a plateful of pasta with the sauce or you can mix the sauce into the pasta.
Video
Notes
- 75 dry spaghetti pasta yields 180g once cooked.
- Serve spaghetti bolognese piping hot.
- Spaghetti pasta contains Durum Wheat Semolina. Therefore, this recipe is high in protein and gluten.
- If you use a deep and wide pan. However, for smaller pans, you can do this in batches to prevent overcrowding of ingredients and proper cooking.
- If you opted to freeze your Spaghetti Bolognese, let it thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight. In case you separated the pasta, you can reheat it by boiling water and thawing the pasta in a strainer while dipping it in the boiling water.
- Adding half a cup of whole milk or cream can lower the sauce’s acidity, making it creamier, richer, and more flavorful. You can also use a combination of whole milk and heavy cream for the milk.
Nutrition
