Spaghetti Bolognese
This Spaghetti Bolognese can be made as a quick 30-minute weeknight meal or a slow-simmered version for richer flavor. Both methods result in a thick, savory meat sauce that clings beautifully to the pasta.
Equipment
- Large pot or deep skillet
- Large Pot
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 lb / 500g beef mince (ground beef) OR half pork, half beef
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine (sub water or beef broth/stock)
- 2 beef bouillon cubes, crumbled OR granulated beef bouillon
- 800g / 28 oz can crushed tomato (or tomato passata)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp white sugar if needed
- 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
To Serve
- 400 g / 13 oz spaghetti, dried
- Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley optional
Instructions
Method 1: The Quick 30-Minute Sauce
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat, then add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes. The onion should soften and turn lightly golden, and the mixture should smell fragrant rather than sharp.
- Raise the heat to high and add the beef, breaking it up as it cooks until it is well browned. Look for real color on the meat and no obvious raw spots, because that browning builds a deeper savory base.
- Pour in the red wine and let it come to a simmer for 1 minute while scraping the bottom of the pot. The harsh wine smell should cook off quickly, leaving the pan smelling richer and cleaner.
- Add the beef bouillon, crushed tomato, tomato paste, sugar if needed, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and black pepper, then stir and bring everything to a simmer. Once the sauce starts bubbling, lower the heat to medium so it cooks at a gentle bubble rather than a hard boil.
- Cook the sauce uncovered for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then and adding water if it thickens more than you like. It should become richer, slightly darker, and thick enough to coat a spoon without turning pasty.
- Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed, then spoon over cooked spaghetti or finish by tossing the pasta in the sauce. The flavor should taste balanced and savory, with the tomato no longer feeling sharp or one-dimensional.
Tossing Sauce and Spaghetti (optional)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti for the time on the package minus 1 minute. The pasta should be flexible but still a little firmer in the center than you want to serve it.
- Reserve a mug of the pasta cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. That starchy water is what helps the sauce turn glossy instead of watery.
- Add the drained spaghetti to the bolognese with about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the reserved pasta water over medium heat and toss gently for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. The strands should turn red, the sauce should tighten slightly, and the pasta should look coated rather than merely topped.
- Divide into bowls and finish with Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley if using. The final dish should look glossy and cohesive, with sauce clinging to every forkful.
Notes
Slow Simmer Option: For deeper flavor, after adding all sauce ingredients, add 3/4 cup of water, cover, and simmer on very low for 2-2.5 hours. Uncover and simmer for 20 minutes more to thicken.
Finishing Tip: For a glossy sauce that clings to the pasta, toss the cooked spaghetti directly in the sauce with about 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water.
Storage: Store leftover sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of water if needed.
Troubleshooting Watery Sauce: If your sauce is too thin, let it simmer uncovered until it reduces to your desired thickness. Tossing the pasta in the sauce also helps it emulsify.
Nutrition information is an estimate based on common ingredients and serving sizes. Values may vary depending on brands, portions, and substitutions.