
Whip up a huge batch of bolognese that's fit to feed a hungry crowd, or freeze half for a speedy midweek meal
Nutrition and extra info
- Freezable
- Easily halved
- Healthy
Nutrition: per serving
- kcal295
- fat12g
- saturates4g
- carbs13g
- sugars11g
- fibre4g
- protein34g
- salt0.87g
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil
ol-iv oylProbably the most widely-used oil in cooking, olive oil is pressed from fresh olives. It's…
- 6 smoked bacon rashers, chopped
Bacon
bay-konBacon is pork that has been cured one of two ways: dry or wet. It can be bought as both rashers…
- 4 onions, finely chopped
Onion
un-yunOnions are endlessly versatile and an essential ingredient in countless recipes. Native to Asia…
- 3 carrots, finely chopped
Carrot
ka-rotThe carrot, with its distinctive bright orange colour, is one of the most versatile root…
- 4 celery sticks, finely chopped
Celery
sell-er-eeA collection of long, thick, juicy stalks around a central, tender heart, celery ranges in…
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
- 2 tbsp dried mixed herbs
- 2 bay leaves
- 500g mushrooms, sliced
Mushroom
mush-roomThe mushroom is a fungus which comes in a wide range of varieties that belong to two distinct…
- 1½ kg lean minced beef (or use half beef, half pork mince)
- 6 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
Tomato
toe-mart-ohA member of the nightshade family (along with aubergines, peppers and chillies), tomatoes are in…
- 6 tbsp tomato purée
- large glass red wine (optional)
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
Sugar
shuh-gaHoney and syrups made from concentrated fruit juice were the earliest known sweeteners. Today,…
- parmesan, to serve
Parmesan
parm-ee-zanParmesan is a straw-coloured hard cheese with a natural yellow rind and rich, fruity flavour. It…
Method
Heat the oil in a very large saucepan. Gently cook the bacon, onions, carrots and celery for 20 mins until golden. Add the garlic, herbs, bay and mushrooms, then cook for 2 mins more.
Heat a large frying pan until really hot. Crumble in just enough mince to cover the pan, cook until brown, then tip in with the veg. Continue to fry the mince in batches until used up. Tip the tomatoes and purée in with the mince and veg. Rinse the cans out with the red wine, if you have some, or with a little water, then add to the pan with the vinegar and sugar. Season generously and bring to a simmer. Simmer slowly for 1 hr until thick and saucy and the mince is tender. Serve with pasta and parmesan.
If you want to make this in a slow cooker, visit our slow cooker bolognese recipe.
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