This Italian recipe is the ultimate comfort dish with hearty and meaty flavours that makes classic dish irresistibly delicious. Made with homemade rich tomato wine sauce and chunks of meat throughout. A perfect weekday meal!
This dish is not only comforting during these cold winter months, but it’s one with lots of flavours that has you going back for more. As I was deciding on the ingredients for this dish, I go back to my Mom’s spaghetti recipe and to this day, she made the best. The only difference here, is adding carrots, and red pepper flakes.
INGREDIENTS FOR THIS RECIPE
- Pasta: spaghetti was my choice for this recipe and other options are rigatoni, tortiglioni or pappardelle
- Extra virgin olive oil: a good quality is my preference
- Onion
- Celery
- Carrot
- Garlic
- Ground beef: my choice is hormone and antibiotic free or organic
- Crushed tomatoes
- Tomato paste
- Oregano
- Seasonings: salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil
WHEN MAKING THIS RECIPE
First heat oil in a large skillet, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
Add the ground beef and breaking meat with a fork or spoon. Cook the beef until there is no pink visible, about 8 minutes.
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Simmer for 1 hour, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to blend. Add most of the parmesan cheese, leaving enough to garnish.
Once the sauce has thicken, taste and adjust the seasoning at this time if needed.
While the sauce has cooked for about 50 minutes, you can cook your pasta.
FAQ
DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS….
CAN YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD? Absolutely, the long the sauce sits, the more flavourful it will become and store in the refrigerator covered with a lid. The pasta can be made ahead as well, but not necessary.
CAN I USE OTHER TYPES OF MEAT FOR THIS RECIPE? Yes you can, such as pork, veal or Italian sausage. Sometimes I have added a mild Hungarian sausage and if you are unable to find it, then an Italian sausage, Chorizo sausage, chicken or turkey sausage are options as well.
CAN I FREEZE THE LEFTOVERS? Yes you can and add it to a ziplock freezer bag or a glass container with a tight lid to avoid freezer burn. It can freeze up to 3 months. For the sauce only, you can freeze it up to 3-4 months.
This is the ultimate classic recipe that everyone loves and for good reason. It has so much flavour and it’s so satisfying that makes it a perfect meal for a crowd! Make it ahead and pull it out to warm or freeze a batch and so it’s easy to just pulled it out of the freezer when you don’t have time to cook.
STORING: Store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Freeze this recipe in a container suitable for a freezer or ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti pasta
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp pure extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb. ground beef (prefer hormone/antibiotic free)
- 1-28 oz. can organic crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp organic tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- pinch red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 4-5 fresh basil leaves, chopped for garnishing
Instructions
- Bring a large sauce pot of water to a boil, add salt then add the pasta. Follow package instructions and cook until al dente and drain.
- Heat oil in a large skillet, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another 2 minutes.
- Add the ground beef and breaking meat with a fork or spoon. Cook the beef until there is no pink visible, about 8 minutes.
- Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, salt, black pepper and pepper flakes. Simmer for 1 hour, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to blend. Add most of the parmesan cheese, leaving enough to garnish.
- Once the sauce has thicken, taste and adjust the seasoning at this time if needed.
- Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.
