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 😖
One of my husbands favourite meals and this versions was super yummy, it will be my go to from now on Thanks Nagi you rock
How many husbands do you have? 😳
Tonight’s pasta dinner, with only an hour to go, after five hours in the slow cooker. The aromas are amazing. Started with the mirepoix because, duh, and all else fell into place. We have high quality toms here (from Italy) so the the two tbsp of sugar are overkill. And those of you quibbling about garlic, and the ingredient list… it’s tomato sauce. Add garlic, lose the questions, and taste your own sauce. It’s really fun that way! 🙂
Hi Nagi. On the minced beef and pork, should I use lean meat? Or fatty (80% or 90%) meat? Thanks.
I prefer fatty – but you can really use any here. N x
I’m a bit confused how much meat to use. Is it 1lb or 500g?
Hi Lisa, 1lb which is almost 500g – I have rounded up the extra 43g as it won’t make a difference in this recipe. N x
Oh my goodness! This is sooo delicious! We added diced shortcut bacon at the beginning – before the onion. And we added sliced kalamatta olives into the sauce before we started simmering. We also added grated carrot and grated zuchinni for some veg – and Oh my goodness, delicious, nurturing comfort food.
This looks so good! Can I substitute beef with lamb though?
Also, if I puree my tomatoes instead of using tomato paste, will it work?
Hi Siya, you can use lamb, but tomato paste is concentrate and completely different to pureed tomatoes (what we would call passata here) – N x
Yum thanks for this recipe Nagi! I made it in the slow cooker with 1kg mince, added some carrots celery and bacon to the initial sauté. 1x 700g bottle passata, no tomato paste, 1 cup chicken stock instead of wine. Cooked for 6hrs then turned on the sauté for 7min And the sauce thickened up nicely. Only took 30min to prep then I went about my day. Came home to amazing bolognese!! This is a keeper thanks again!!
Bit cold in Brisbane today, ok only 15 degrees but that’s cold for us so I have a big pot of this simmering on the stove. I included some carrot, celery, capsicum , spinach and mushrooms to beef up the veggie content. Going to freeze in batches ready for when needed as the weather cools. The kitchen smells amazing. Thankyou Nagi
Hi Nagi, is there anyway I can omit the wine or sub to something else?
hi, so sorry.. please ignore the question I just saw the substitute in the ingredients column…
Hi Nagi
What red wine do you recommend please? Thank you!!
Hi Jamie-lee, any dry red wine will work here! N x
How much pasta in a serving?
Hi Amanda, I use 80g of DRIED pasta per serve here. N x
I’m making this for my extremely picky daughter who will not eat the dish if she sees vegetables. I’m planning to puree them. How and when in the process should I do that?
Hi Sarah, which vegetables in this dish are you referring to? The tomatoes and onions? They cook down so much here she shouldn’t notice them. N x
It’s great
It’s lovely to find a bolognaise recipe for when I’m time short or have run out of carrot and celery. I made it with the added soy sauce, I hadn’t tried that before, thank your Mum. Very tasty.
I’d fallen into the habit of using a packet mix for flavour as I thought it was easier when cooking for little ones. But this is SO easy and SO delicious that I’ll be making this in future… 😋
Flavour to die for ! As a grumpy old man it brought sunshine in….especially as I made enough for two days !
My first time making bolognese and this is a winner in our house. Made with venison/pork mince and homemade passata and the richness of the sauce was lovely. Thank you for a simple, great recipe.
I’m making this for my extremely picky daughter who will not eat the dish if she sees vegetables. I’m planning to puree them. How and when in the process should I do that?
Love your Spaghetti Bolognese recipe!! So easy to put together. I did the long “let it cook” version. Also tossed the cooked spaghetti with the sauce as you suggest. Yummety yum yum! Hubby said best meal he has ever had!
Love your recipes, I’m a dreadful cook but your instructions are so easy to follow! I do not eat beef, is it possible to sub with lamb mince and either veg/chicken stock cubes? Also wondering what I can sub for Worcestershire sauce?
Great recipe! I’ve tried so many spag bol recipes including the ones with milk and they all fell a little short of the mark even after hours of simmering, finally found a keeper! Love doubling this one and keeping in the freezer to pull out for dinner when I can’t be bothered cooking.