Everyone needs a great everyday Spaghetti Bolognese recipe, and this is mine! The Bolognese Sauce is rich, thick and has beautiful depth of flavour. It’s perfect for a quick midweek meal but even better if you can simmer it for a couple of hours! Serve it over pasta, stuff into jacket potatoes, make an epic Lasagna or Baked Spaghetti Pie!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Spaghetti Bolognese
We Aussies have a thing about shortening words. Good day is g’day. Pavlova is Pav, afternoon is arvo, mosquitos are mozzies. Sharon is Shazz, Nagisa is Nagi (that’s yours truly).
So it is thoroughly Aussie to shorten Spaghetti Bolognese to Spag Bol!
And here she is – my Spag Bol. Rich, thick, incredible flavour in the sauce even if you only have time for a quick 20 minute simmer. Though if you can slow cook for a couple of hours, it really takes it to another level!
What goes in Spaghetti Bolognese
I’ve been loyal to this Meat Sauce recipe since I first learned to cook when I was a teenager. There are 3 little things in this recipe that might be a bit different to Bolognese recipes you’ve seen around:
1. Worcestershire sauce: it just adds that little extra something-something. I get antsy if I get caught in a situation where I have to do without;
2. Beef bouillon cubes (beef stock cubes) for extra depth of flavour in the sauce, to compensate for this being an everyday midweek version rather than a traditional slow cooked Bolognese Ragu which starts with a soffrito (onion, celery, carrot slowly sautéed) as well as pancetta.
3. Sugar, if needed: just a little bit goes a long way to transform the sauce if you happen not to be using high quality, sweet Italian canned tomatoes. Supermarket canned tomatoes here in Australia are notoriously sour. Especially the Australian ones – it pains me so much to say that, but it’s true.
How to make Bolognese Sauce
The making part is straightforward and quite quick too:
Saute garlic and onion – about 3 minutes;
Brown the beef – about 2 minutes;
Add everything else, give it a good stir then simmer for 20 minutes minimum (midweek), up to 3 hours (weekend indulgence!). Slow cooking makes the beef incredibly tender and the sauce develops extra flavour.
Difference between Bolognese and Meat Sauce?
Different name for the same thing! You’ll find Bolognese made all sorts of ways all across Italy and all around the world, but essentially mince meat (usually beef, sometimes combined with pork or veal) in a tomato based sauce flavoured with herbs.
The “proper” way to serve pasta: toss with the sauce
As with all my pasta recipes, I include a step to toss the pasta IN the sauce, rather than just placing pasta in bowls and spooning over sauce.
This makes the Bolognese sauce emulsify, so it thickens, becomes glossy and clings to the spaghetti. No more watery sauce at the bottom of your pasta bowl! This is how chefs and Italians make pasta. Try it once, you will be converted!
But it is an optional step. Sometimes, you just don’t have the energy to clean yet another pan. I hear ya. 🙂
What to serve with Spaghetti Bolognese
For a classic Italian feast, serve this with:
Garlic Bread – or even more indulgent, with Cheesy Garlic Bread (or go over-the-top with Crack Bread). Or, for a more traditional start, real-deal Italian Focaccia.
Garden Salad with Italian Dressing (hit of crisp fresh salad essential!)
Tiramisu to finish with an Espresso Martini on the side
For a super quick side salad option, make this Rocket Parmesan Salad with Balsamic Dressing. Probably my most made side salad because it’s literally a 2 minute effortless-no-chop salad!
This recipe is the way I have been making Spaghetti Bolognese for decades (gosh it’s scary saying that!!). I really love it, and I think the sauce is rich and loaded with flavour, especially for a 30 minute Bolognese recipe.
Though if you have the time, slow cook it for a couple of hours. The flavour develops and the meat becomes so luxuriously tender.
Either way, I hope you love it as much as I do! – Nagi xx
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped (brown, yellow or white)
- 1 lb / 500g beef mince (ground beef) OR half pork, half beef (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine (sub water or beef broth/stock)
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled OR granulated beef bouillon (Note 2)
- 800g / 28 oz can crushed tomato (or tomato passata)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tsp white sugar , if needed (Note 3)
- 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
- Sauté – Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 3 minutes or until light golden and softened.
- Cook beef – Turn heat up to high and add beef. Cook, breaking it up as your go, until browned.
- Reduce wine – Add red wine. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the alcohol smell is gone.
- Simmer – Add the remaining ingredients. Stir, bring to a simmer then turn down to medium so it bubbles gently. Cook for 20 – 30 minutes (no lid), adding water if the sauce gets too thick for your taste. Stir occasionally.
- Slow simmer option: really takes this to another level, if you have the time! Add 3/4 cup of water, cover with lid and simmer on very low for 2 – 2.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes or so. (Note 5) Uncover, simmer 20 minutes to thicken sauce. (Note 6 for slow cooker)
- Taste and add more salt it desired. Serve over spaghetti – though if you have the time, I recommend tossing the sauce and pasta per steps below.
Tossing Sauce and Spaghetti (optional, Note 4)
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook per packet directions MINUS 1 minute.
- Scoop out a mug of pasta cooking water and set aside, then drain the pasta.
- Add pasta into the bolognese sauce with about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of reserved pasta water over medium heat. Toss gently for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, or until the spaghetti turns red and the sauce thickens.
- Divide between bowls. Garnish with parmesan and parsley if desired.
Recipe Notes:
* Scaling recipe up (use auto recipe scaler) – If you double the recipe (or more!), then brown the beef in batches. If you try to cook it in one batch, you will end up stewing it rather than browning!
* Slow cooker: This is really fantastic made in a slow cooker! The meat becomes so tender and the sauce has incredible flavour. At step 3, cook until the wine liquid disappears completely, then transfer it into the slow cooker at step 4 and cook for low for 6 hours.
* Variations: Here are some ideas for ways to take this up a notch, if you are so inclined!
– Finely chop 1 carrot + celery and saute that with the onion to make a softrito. Cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes for extra amazingness!
– Add finely chopped bacon (smokey is the ultimate!) or pancetta, cook with the onion
– 1 tbsp soy sauce (my mother did this, I sometimes do! I’ve seen it in some chef recipes)
– Fresh or dried red chilli
– Bolognese gets better the longer it is cooked, and it’s even better the next day! 7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings, including pasta.
Nutrition Information:
Originally published August 2016. Updated with new commentary, new photos and most importantly, recipe video! No change to recipe – I wouldn’t dare! Too many readers love it as it is. 🙂
More family favourites we’ll love forever
Meatloaf – so much more than just a hunk of meat in loaf form!
Life of Dozer
You know those muddy looking ponds on golf courses? He loves ’em 😖
If we use fresh tomatoes instead of canned, do we have to adjust salt or sugar amounts?
I absolutely loved this recipe! It is now my go-to for bolognese, so delicious and fail-safe!
I added two tbs of Worcestershire sauce by accident! Any tips to balance flavors out?!
Hi Sarah, just add a 1/2 tsp sugar to balance it out – it will be fine 🙂 N x
I added a pasta sauce with caramelised onion and it seems very sweet. I haven’t added the salt yet. Any suggestions? I am preparing this for tomorrow. Thanks
I love this recipe, always delish. I do throw in some extra veggies like red pepper and courgette but my secret ingredient is a big dolop of nduja.
As always this recipe was easy, fast and quite delicious. Nagi – I love your website and your recipes (as do my family and friends)!!!
Wow, this is just incredible! I’m not a spaghetti bolognese fan and was making this on my girlfriends request. I was blown away by the depth of flavour and will 100% be making this again and again and again. Amazingly delicious!!
Try adding eggplant and mushrooms. It’s nice with a proper soffrito with celery,carrot, leek and onion.
I made this recipe once while incredibly HANGRY (only half-browned beef, no slow cooking, unblanched blenderized tomatoes since I didn’t have crushed) and my entire family loved it! Ate leftovers the next day and still loved it, so it definitely wasn’t my hangriness talking! The next week I decided to make it again this time with carrots instead of sugar, more onions and garlic and herbs, added bay leaf, more red wine (heh heh), blanched fresh tomatoes with extra diced tomato chunks mixed in, and slow cooked over an hour – STILL heavenly! Thank you for this recipe, THANK YOU!
Simple,soooo tasty along with so many of your recipes.
Your notes are all so helpful.
Hi Nagi,
I have made this quite a few times, changing the amounts of a few things up to great effect.
Last night I did the slow simmer option, and I have to say, oh my god. Been in the fridge overnight and all day today (the rest frozen for other lunches etc.) and sooooo much better than just normal!
Thanks for all the recipes you do for us all!
My favourite and my kid loves it too. I’ve tried a few different spag bol recipes and this is the yummiest. Love the thyme. Thank you.
When I was short of ingredients I used only 1 bouillon cube, and swapped 1 can of crushed tomato for 1 small fresh tomato and it still tasted great.
Oh my days! This is beautiful. I used 750g of pork and beef mince from Aldi (UK) and followed the recipe. I slow simmered for 2.5 hrs and used the soffrito base. So good I needed no salt and pepper – it was just beautiful and tasty and superb.
Hi Nagi
What is better to use in this, paasata or the crushed tomatoes?
Hi Jen, I always use crushed tomatoes. N x
Just checked if you had this recipe. You did . I didnt bother to check the comments. It was enough it was one of your recipes. I made it in my smart rice cooker. Excellent. Thank you
Thank you so much for this amazing bolognese recipe … I followed your recipe but without adding the red wine and it is so delicious 😋 my son eat 3 small bowls till now😂😂😂
This recipe is going into my book. I made it for dinner tonight and my almost 2yr old toddler enjoyed it and cleaned his bowl and so did my husband.
There were only 2 things I did differently- firstly I browned the mince then went ahead with onions garlic. Secondly I grated a carrot into the sauce. Couldn’t even tell that carrot was in there.
Thanks Nagi for this delicious recipe.
Hi Nagi,
What do you think of adding milk to the sauce. If yes, how much and when do you add it. Thank you 🙂
Hi Pem, I don’t use milk in my bolognese sorry! N x
This has officially replaced my dads spag bol recipe! I added the celery, carrot and chilli flakes and slow cooked it. Wow! So yum!!! Thanks Nagi!
Woah!!! Don’t tell Dad!! N x
Great recipe. Worked very well in the instant pot. I doubled the recipe to freeze some. Did not have to heat up the kitchen on a hot day. Added the celery, carrots and soy sauce as suggested. Will make again. As always, thank you Nagi!
That’s perfect Jane!!! N x