Description
This Spaghetti Bolognese features a rich and savory meat sauce that combines ground beef with tomatoes and aromatic herbs. It’s a quick and satisfying meal that’s perfect for any occasion, ensuring a flavorful dinner experience for everyone.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 medium onion)
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 lb ground beef (85 or 90%)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup dry red wine (or chicken, beef, or vegetable broth)
- ¼ cup water
- 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil or 10 torn fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8–12 oz pasta (preferably spaghetti) for serving
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Incorporate ground beef and season with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper; cook until browned, draining excess grease as necessary.
- Mix in tomato paste and sugar; cook while stirring until browned, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release browned bits, cooking until the wine reduces by half, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add water and canned tomatoes, crushing the tomatoes with a spoon or spatula as they cook.
- Stir in herbs and bay leaf, then simmer for at least 30 minutes with an offset lid, stirring occasionally.
- While the sauce simmers, cook pasta according to package instructions. Combine pasta with the sauce if preferred, reserving ¼ cup pasta water, then garnish with parmesan if desired.
Notes
For extra flavor, consider adding grated carrots or celery to the sauce during the onion sauté stage.
You can substitute the ground beef with ground turkey or bulk Italian sausage if preferred.
Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water; it helps the sauce adhere to the pasta better.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 430
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg