Everyone needs a great everyday Spaghetti Bolognese recipe, and this is mine! Whether you use this for a quick midweek meal or a slow cooked weekend indulgence, this Bolognese sauce is rich, thick and has beautiful depth of flavour. This is a staple recipe you’ll make over and over again….
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!
The one and only Spaghetti Bolognese
I’ve been loyal to this 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.
Toss the pasta with the Bolognese 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. 🙂
This 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! – Nagi xx
PS Complete this with a side of classic Garlic Bread and salad greens with Italian Dressing. 💯
MORE CLASSICS WE’LL LOVE FOREVER
- Beef Stroganoff
- Meatloaf – a family favourite forever and ever!
- Spaghetti Bolognese
- Beef Pot Roast
- Beef Stew
Spaghetti Bolognese
WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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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 mince / ground beef OR half pork, half beef (Note 1)
- 1/2 cup / 125 ml dry red wine (or sub with water or beef broth/stock)
- 2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled (Note 2)
- 28 oz / 800g can crushed tomato (or tomato passata)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 - 3 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)
- Salt and pepper
To Serve
- 400 g / 13 oz spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium high heat. Add onion and garlic, cook for 5 minutes or until light golden and softened.
- Turn heat up to high and add beef. Cook, breaking it up as your go, until browned.
- Add red wine. Bring to simmer and cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the alcohol smell is gone.
- Add remaining ingredients except salt and pepper. 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. (See note 5 for slow cooking option)
- Adjust salt and pepper to taste right at the end. 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:
* If you double the recipe, then brown the beef in 2 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!
- 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
- Finely chop 1 carrot + celery and saute that with the onion to make a softrito
- Bolognese gets better the longer it is cooked, and it's even better the next day. A traditional Italian Bolognese Ragu is cooked for around 2 hours! 7. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 servings.
Originally published August 2016. Updated with new commentary and most importantly, recipe video! No change to recipe.Nutrition Information:
LIFE OF DOZER
Monday’s Life of Dozer flashback: puppy Dozer before learning how to swim, gazing longingly out at the ducks in the dam.
And today’s flashback – Dozer after learning how to swim. This is why I don’t walk him on the golf course anymore!
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I have been cooking this nearly once a week since I discovered it. Hubby is obsessed, and the kiddies love it too! My cooking skills are very limited; but with your recipe I am basically the next Master Chef!
That’s awesome Cathleen!!!
Hi Nagi
Thank you for your fantastic recipes and blog, they have created a lot f discussion and new dishes. My wife and I spen5 25+ yrs in the financial industry and have now semi retired to a small farm. The amazing result from home grown beef, lamb, vegetables, fruit and dairy has enlivened our menu.
On your spaghetti bolognaise recipe you don’t use any oregano or basil, I use a bunch of each in the sauce, removing afte cooking. I am not however convinced about the Worcester sauce, foreign flavour!
Keep up the great work
Terry
Sounds delicious Terry!
Made this twice this week. Super fast and easy. Used demi glace instead of the dried boullion cubes. The second time I added bacon.
Huge hit and will be a staple in our house. I served it over spaghetti squash.
Woah that’s great to hear!
This is meat sauce, not bolognese, which is made with very little tomato and milk. I’m sure this is good meat sauce but it’s definitely not bolognese.
You’ll have to try it Debra! I’m sure everyone has their own interpretations ☺️
Went down well this evening with the whole family 👪
Nailed it Danielle!
Made this Spaghetti Bolognese for the first time and we loved it. I used 3 Italian sausages in addition to regular ground beef and, since I had the time, I let it simmer on the stovetop for 2 hours. Next time I will try cooking it in the slow cooker! Thanks for all your great recipes Nagi!
That sounds fabulous Pia!!!
This looks so delicious! We can’t have gluten though and I can’t find any gluten free bouillon cubes. What could we do to make sure it’s still as flavourful? Maybe do the slow cooking method and add beef broth in place of water?
Hi Nagi, I love your recipes, thanks so much. Just a question about the slow cooker method – could I cook it on the ‘high’ function and if so, how long?
Hi Hanna, I’d try on high for about half the time on a low setting. I hope you love it!
Made this for my 3 teenaged boys and boy oh boy did they ever love it!! Will def make again. Thanks for sharing your recipe!!
That’s great Kimberley!
I just made this for dinner and it came out delicious! I followed the recipe exactly as said except I only used one beef bouillon. Full of flavor, thank you for the recipe!
Great Matena, I’m so happy you loved it!
I feel like I should just copy and paste my reviews because everything I try on your site is just delish! We love bolognese and this has so much flavor. Thank you , thank you, thank you! Love to Dozer – tell him he has a really ruff life!
😂 Thanks so much Wendy!
Hi Nagi
Love your recipes! Been following you for last few months. Made your slow cooker Turkey for Thanksgiving and it was so moist. I have a question about this one- since we don’t eat beef, can this be made with ground chicken breast and what substitutions , if any, will need to be made. Thanks
Hi Anita, beef has a richer flavour but you could sub with chicken and pork mince and you should get a fantastic result!