
Our best ever spaghetti bolognese is super easy and a true Italian classic with a meaty, chilli sauce. This recipe comes courtesy of BBC Good Food user Andrew Balmer
Nutrition and extra info
- sauce only
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal624
- fat25g
- saturates10g
- carbs58g
- sugars12g
- fibre6g
- protein35g
- salt1.6g
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil
ol-iv oylProbably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon, finely chopped
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
Onion
un-yunOnions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 2 carrots, trimmed and finely chopped
Carrot
ka-rotThe carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root…
- 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2-3 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked and finely chopped
Rosemary
rose-mar-eeRosemary's intense, fragrant aroma has traditionally been paired with lamb, chicken and game…
- 500g beef mince
For the bolognese sauce
- 2 x 400g tins plum tomatoes
- small pack basil, leaves picked, ¾ finely chopped and the rest left whole for garnish
Basil
ba-zilMost closely associated with Mediterranean cooking but also very prevalent in Asian food, the…
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Oregano
or-ee-gar-noClosely related to marjoram, of which it is the wild equivalent, oregano has a coarser, more…
- 2 fresh bay leaves
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
- 125ml red wine
- 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
To season and serve
Method
Put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil.
Add 4 finely chopped bacon rashers and fry for 10 mins until golden and crisp.
Reduce the heat and add the 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 2 garlic cloves and the leaves from 2-3 sprigs rosemary, all finely chopped, then fry for 10 mins. Stir the veg often until it softens.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add 500g beef mince and cook stirring for 3-4 mins until the meat is browned all over.
Add 2 tins plum tomatoes, the finely chopped leaves from ¾ small pack basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 beef stock cube, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli (if using), 125ml red wine and 6 halved cherry tomatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes.
Bring to the boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cover with a lid. Cook for 1 hr 15 mins stirring occasionally, until you have a rich, thick sauce.
Add the 75g grated parmesan, check the seasoning and stir.
When the bolognese is nearly finished, cook 400g spaghetti following the pack instructions.
Drain the spaghetti and stir into the bolognese sauce. Serve with more grated parmesan, the remaining basil leaves and crusty bread, if you like.
Comments, questions and tips
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