Easy Spaghetti Bolognese (Rich Meat Sauce)
A rich, family-friendly spaghetti bolognese with ground beef, vegetables and tomatoes, simmered for deep flavor. Freezes perfectly.
Published
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 6
A good bolognese needs time more than skill. The vegetables, a splash of milk and a slow simmer turn a pound of ground beef into a sauce that feeds six.
Cook a double batch: freeze half for a quick dinner later, or turn it into lasagne.
Ingredients
- 500 g (1.1 lb) lean ground beef
- 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cans (400 g each) chopped tomatoes
- 120 ml (½ cup) milk
- 1 tsp dried oregano and 1 bay leaf
- 500 g (1.1 lb) spaghetti
- Salt, pepper and grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 8 minutes until soft.
- Turn up the heat, add the beef and cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking it up, until browned. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, then add the milk and simmer until it has almost evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes, oregano and bay leaf. Simmer gently, partly covered, for 30–40 minutes, stirring now and then. Season.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted water, drain and toss with the sauce. Serve with parmesan.
Nutrition per serving
- kcal
- 575
- Protein
- 32 g
- Carbs
- 75 g
- Fat
- 17 g
Tips
- Milk sounds odd but it’s traditional: it makes the meat more tender and the sauce rounder.
- The sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer.
- Swap half the beef for lentils for a cheaper, lighter sauce.
