Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

This Spaghetti Bolognese recipe is a rich and classic recipe, which is made with quality minced beef and red wine. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, perfect for a family dinner.

Spaghetti Bolognese Ingredients

• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 onion
• 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 6 rashers of dry-cured higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
• Olive oil
• 500g minced beef
• 200ml red wine
• 1 x 280g jar of sun-dried tomatoes
• 2 x 400g tins of plum tomatoes
• 500g dried spaghetti
• Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil

How To Make Spaghetti Bolognese

1. Sauté the base: Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4. Peel and finely chop the garlic and onions. Pick and finely chop the rosemary, and finely slice the bacon. Heat a splash of oil in a large ovenproof casserole pan over a medium heat. Add the bacon, rosemary, garlic, and onion and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
2. Brown the beef and add wine: Add the minced beef to the pan, breaking it apart with the back of a spoon. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until it starts to brown. Pour in the red wine and let it bubble and cook away.
3. Add tomatoes and bake: While the wine reduces, blitz the sun-dried tomatoes in a food processor to a paste. Add the sun-dried tomato paste and the tinned plum tomatoes to the pan. Cover with a lid and place in the oven for 1 hour, removing the lid for the last 30 minutes.
4. Cook the spaghetti: About 10 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.
5. Combine and serve: Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it, reserving a mugful of the starchy cooking water. Return the spaghetti to its pan and add a few spoonfuls of the Bolognese sauce, a good grating of Parmesan, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Toss to coat, adding a splash of the reserved cooking water to loosen if needed. Divide the spaghetti between plates and top with a good spoonful of the remaining Bolognese. Serve with more grated Parmesan.

Recipe Tips

• How to get the richest sauce? The secret is the slow cooking time in the oven. This allows the flavors to deepen and the meat to become incredibly tender. Don’t rush this step.
• Can I make this ahead of time? Absolutely. The Bolognese sauce is a perfect make-ahead dish. The flavor is often even better the next day. Just store it in the fridge and reheat it gently on the stove.
• What if I don’t have red wine? You can substitute the red wine with an equal amount of good-quality beef stock to deglaze the pan. The flavor will be slightly different but still delicious.
• Why use sun-dried tomatoes? The blitzed sun-dried tomatoes add a deep, savory, and intense umami flavor to the sauce that you can’t get from fresh or tinned tomatoes alone.

What To Serve With Spaghetti Bolognese

This is a classic dish that is a complete meal, but it pairs perfectly with:

• Warm, crusty garlic bread
• A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette
• A glass of the same red wine used in the sauce

How To Store Spaghetti Bolognese

• Refrigerate: Store the leftover Bolognese sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It’s best to store the sauce and cooked pasta separately.
• Freeze: The Bolognese sauce freezes exceptionally well. Let it cool completely, then store it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Spaghetti Bolognese Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 1 serving
• Calories: 650 kcal
• Fat: 30g
• Carbohydrates: 55g
• Protein: 35g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Jamie Oliver Sardine Spaghetti
• Jamie Oliver Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca 
• Aubergine Parmesan Milanese Recipe