Spaghetti bolognese is a staple in almost all households, and the beauty is how everyone seems to make there’s a little different. This recipe is far from boring by being packed with flavour from red wine, beef stock, tomato purée, and… bacon!
Spaghetti bolognese doesn’t have to be slow cooked for hours on end to taste amazing. My spaghetti bolognese recipe is quick and easy, while still tasting divine. Forget premade sauce, give this spag bowl a try and you won’t want to go back!
Key Ingredients
Cold
- Beef mince: a budget friendly and main ingredient in a spaghetti bolognese. This gives the pasta dish a hearty base. The mince adds flavour, not only embracing but also supporting other ingredients in the bolognese.
- Bacon: a non-traditional element in a bolognese recipe. I use bacon strips that I cut into small pieces, however you could opt pre pre-cut bacon pieces if you’d like. When rendering the bacon, the fat released gives the dish a delicious flavour boost. Bacon also adds a subtle saltiness that enhances the flavours of the other ingredients. In addition, it also contributes a nice texture when mixed into the mince.
- Parmesan: I am a parmesan girly at heart. If I’m adding cheese to almost anything there’s going to be parmesan involved. Parmesan gives the pasta a slightly salty, nutty, flavour. Making it the indulgent dish it is.
Vegetables
- Aromatics: onion and garlic help build the base for the flavour of this bolognese, adding a sweet and caramelised depth to the dish. They go into the pan after it has been deglazed with the red wine, so the onion and garlic are infused with the wine’s goodness as well.
- Carrot: gotta sneak some vegetables in there somehow! Carrot is a perfect addition for adding nutritional value to the spaghetti bolognese. It has a subtle naturally sweet flavour, but does not overpower or have a significant impact on the texture of the dish.
Pantry
- Spaghetti: the obvious pasta for the bolognese. I used gluten free spaghetti but any brand or type you prefer works. If you wanted to vary the shape of the pasta, spiral or fettuccine could suit. I recommend you stick to the noodle shape so the bolognese is able to wrap itself around the pasta, ensuring you get a bit of everything with each bite.
- Tomato purée: adds the signature flavour to the spaghetti bolognese. I opt for purée due to its smooth texture, you still get the classic tomato flavour – without the chunks. You could use crushed tomatoes if you like having an extra bit of texture.
- Red wine: a star of this spaghetti bolognese! By adding red wine to this dish you are adding a gourmet element. It deepens the flavour of the sauce, giving it a comforting richness. The alcohol cooks out of the wine, while also dissolving the fats in the dish releasing their delicious flavours.
- Beef stock: gives the rich dish an umami boost. There are a couple naturally sweet ingredients in this bolognese, carrot and tomato, and so the beef stock supports the bacon in balancing out the salty and savoury elements. It is an underlying ingredient that gives the spaghetti bolognese an additional boost for ultimate flavour.
- Seasonings: in this spaghetti bolognese are paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian herbs. Paprika gives the bolognese a light smokiness to add depth. Garlic and onion powders are great flavour enhancers for that savoury flavour. And of course, Italian herbs for that classic Italian flavour.
How to make this spaghetti bolognese
Preparation.
Take the bacon strips, and use a sharp knife to cut into smaller pieces. Peel the carrot and cut the ends off, then grate into a fine texture. Remove the outer layers of the onion and garlic. Thinly slice the onion, or dice if you prefer. Slicing is best as we are going to lightly caramelise. You can dice the garlic if you’d like, I prefer to crush it in for optimal garlic flavour.
Render the bacon.
To a medium heat pot with olive oil, add the chopped bacon. Then leave the bacon for a few minutes, until it looks like the fat has rendered out. After the fat has cooked out, it is tie to turn the heat up to high and fry the bacon until it has a slightly crispy crust on the outside. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on a paper towel.
Brown the mince.
To the same pot the bacon was in, tip in the beef mince. Reduce heat back to medium. Use a rubber spatula or spoon to separate the mince. Cook the mince for a few minutes, so that it has time to brown. Be sure to remove any fat that cooks out, there will most likely be quite a lot. While bacon fat adds flavour, the fat from the beef mince makes the bolognese feel and taste greasy… yuck. After the mince has browned, remove and set aside in a bowl.
Sauté the aromatics.
Start by using a light dash of red wine to deglaze the pot, releasing the flavours left from the bacon and beef mince. Then add the sliced onion, and crush the garlic into the pot too. Sauté the onion and garlic in the pot until the wine starts to cook out, and they start to caramelise slightly.
Add the carrot.
To the aromatics place the grated carrot in. Along with the rest of the red wine. Let these simmer in the pot for a few minutes to soften the carrot and reduce the red wine. This allows the flavours to intensify.
Begin returning spaghetti bolognese ingredients.
Tip the bacon back into the pot, and pour the tomato purée in as well. Here is time to add the seasonings too (paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and Italian herbs). Stir to combine and let thicken. Return the beef mince and coat in the sauce.
Simmer.
Pour in the beef stock, then place a lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low temperature. Leave to simmer whilst you make the pasta, around 10-15 minutes.
Serve the spaghetti bolognese.
Drain your spaghetti, then place the pasta in the bowl first. Scoop your desired amount of the beef mince bolognese on top. Sprinkle the parmesan, mix it all together and serve while it’s hot!
Alternative toppings
If you were looking to add a little something extra on top of your bolognese there’s a few things you could do. Now… hear me out… sour cream. This adds a delicious, creamy, slightly tangy element to the spaghetti bolognese that is amazing. It brings a freshness to the hearty bolognese, don’t knock it until you try it! Another topping could be some fresh basil, aromatic and herby goodness.
Storage
This spaghetti bolognese is perfect for leftover lunch or dinner. In fact, some say it tastes better the next day after the flavours have had some extra time to develop. Allow the bolognese to cool completely before adding it to an airtight container. Place into the fridge, it should keep for 2-3 days.
More for pasta lovers:
- Chicken Bacon Pesto Pasta
- Sausage Tomato Pasta
- Rosé Pasta
- Japchae
- French Onion Gnocchi
- Leek and Feta Ravioli
Alrighty… ready to make a big and flavourful bowl of comfort?! Come on, let’s get to cooking this delicious classic spaghetti bolognese.
Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 brown onion
- 1 carrot
- 4 garlic cloves
- 750 grams beef mince
- 300 grams bacon
- 350 grams tomato purée
- ½ cup beef stock
- ¾ cup red wine ¼ cup to deglaze and ½ cup to cook
- 2 handfuls spaghetti
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the bacon into smaller pieces. Peel the carrot and cut the ends off, grate into a fine texture. Remove the outer layers of the onion and garlic. Thinly slice the onion, or dice if you prefer.
- To a medium heat pot with olive oil, add the bacon. Leave for a few minutes until it looks like the fat has rendered out.
- After the fat has cooked out, turn the heat up to high and fry the bacon until it has a slightly crispy crust on the outside. Remove the bacon from the pot and set aside on a paper towel.
- To the same pot the bacon was in, tip in the beef mince. Reduce heat back to medium. Separate the block of mince. Cook the mince until it has browned. Remove any fat, then set the mince aside in a bowl.
- Use ¼ cup of wine to deglaze the pot. Then add the sliced onion, and crush the garlic into the pot. Sauté the onion and garlic until the wine starts to cook out, and they start to caramelise slightly.
- To the aromatics place the grated carrot in. Along with the rest of the red wine. Let these simmer in the pot for a few minutes to soften the carrot and reduce the red wine.
- Tip the bacon back into the pot, and pour the tomato purée in as well. Here is time to add the seasonings too. Stir to combine and let thicken for a minute or so.
- Return the beef mince and coat in the sauce.
- Pour in the beef stock, then place a lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to medium-low temperature. Leave to simmer whilst you make the pasta, around 10-15 minutes.
- Drain your spaghetti, then place the pasta in the bowl first. Scoop your desired amount of the beef mince bolognese on top. Sprinkle the parmesan, mix it all together and serve while it’s hot!
