Name: Best spaghetti bolognese recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 105 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: 4 Tbsp olive oil; 1 brown onion, finely chopped; 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; 2 sticks celery, finely chopped; 1 carrot, peeled, grated; 250g beef mince; 250g pork mince; Sea-salt flakes, to season; ½ cup milk; ½ cup tomato paste; 1 cup red wine; 700g bottle passata; 1 Tbsp brown sugar; 2 fresh bay leaves; Freshly ground black pepper, to season; 500g spaghetti; Shaved parmesan, to serve

Kids love spag bol and they won’t think twice before tucking into this one. Little do they know, it’s full of healthy vegies.

Looking for more great value mince recipes?

Ingredients

4 Tbsp olive oil

1 brown onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 sticks celery, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled, grated

250g beef mince

250g pork mince

Sea-salt flakes, to season

½ cup milk

½ cup tomato paste

1 cup red wine

700g bottle passata

1 Tbsp brown sugar

2 fresh bay leaves

Freshly ground black pepper, to season

500g spaghetti

Shaved parmesan, to serve

Method

Heat ½ the oil in a large heavy-based saucepan over a low heat. Add onion, garlic, celery and carrot. Cook for 5 minutes or until onion is soft and transparent. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

Add remaining oil to pan. Increase heat to high. Add beef and pork and cook, breaking up with a flat-bottomed wooden spoon, until browned. Season with salt.

Reduce heat to medium. Add milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until milk evaporates. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add wine, passata, sugar, bay leaves and onion mixture. Season with pepper and stir to combine. Bring slowly to the boil, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.

Cook pasta in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water following pack instructions or until al dente. Drain. Add 2 large spoonfuls of sauce and toss to combine. Serve pasta topped with remaining sauce, with parmesan on the side.

Want to add in more vegetables?

Follow the recipe above but sneak in some extra vegie for the kids. Grate 100g peeled pumpkin, 1 large carrot and 2 small zucchini and add to the sauce in Step 2, halfway through cooking. Serve with grated cheddar instead of parmesan.

Can I freeze spaghetti bolognese?

You can freeze spaghetti bolognese, but the best way to do it is to just freeze the bolognese sauce without the pasta. Once your bolognese meat sauce is fully cooled, place it in a freezer safe bag or container. It can last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight before reheating and serving with a freshly cooked batch of spaghetti

Do you put milk in spaghetti bolognese?

Traditional bolognese sauce or ragu alla bolognese does in fact contain milk. Heralding from the city of Bologna, this pasta meat sauce uses milk to break down the mince meant properly as well as reduce the acidity from the tomatoes.

Secret ingredients Australians add to spaghetti bolognese

Although Australia is definitely not known for it’s Italian cuisine, some Aussies swear by specific additions that apparently improve the flavour of their spag bol. From Vegemite for a bit of umami or honey for a bit of sweetness, everyone has their own little bit to add in their recipe.

How do you deepen the flavour of bolognese?

You may also like

15 of our best tray bake recipes

Baked cauliflower cheese with breadcrumbs and walnut

15 quick and easy pasta recipes you’ll want to make tonight

Better Homes and Gardens

Better Homes and Gardens promotes inspired living for home loving Australians. With a total audience reach of over six million, Better Homes and Gardens is the country’s original and most successful multi-platform brand, combining a TV show, power-house print magazine and thriving digital and social platforms.

Instagram Facebook