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Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

 

In this post I’ll be sharing an easy Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe.

Bolognese, it is basically a thick meaty tomato sauce. Like many terms, we in America have widely adopted this one for our meat sauce used in pasta dishes. This sauce is perfect over spaghetti or other pasta of choice. The meat sauce can also be used in a lasagna dish.

True bolognese does originate in Italy and is called ragù alla bolognese. Their technique is slow cooked meat parts, vegetables, wine, and a small amount of tomatoes.

Our Americanized version of bolognese is quite a bit less time consuming since most of us do not have a lot of time to prepare meals. A classic spaghetti dinner with meat sauce is always a favorite meal.

As with any recipe, mine is just a guide, feel free to change the seasonings to suit your taste. If you prefer spicy, add some red pepper flakes. Adore basil? By all means garnish with some fresh chopped basil. Are you a garlic lover? Well, you get the idea.

I love serving this sauce over pasta with a side salad and cheesy garlic bread. Delish!

Easy Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients

  • Olive Oil
  • Lean Ground Beef
  • Ground Italian Sausage, I used mild
  • Onion, diced
  • Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • Crimini Mushrooms (baby bella), diced
  • Carrots, shredded 
  • Clove Garlic, minced
  • Tomato Paste
  • Marinara (can use a jar sauce if preferred)
  • Finely Chopped Tomatoes
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Kosher Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper
  • Granulated Sugar
Bolognese American Style

Meat Sauce for Pasta

 



You’ll want to use a large skillet with a lid or stock pot to prepare the sauce.

Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, ground beef, and ground Italian sausage. Next, you’ll want to crumble and brown the meat until it is cooked through.

Cooks Note: If you like, you can drain the drippings after the meat is cooked. Personally, I do not. The fat drippings are minimal and enhance the flavor of the sauce. 

As the meat cooks you can chop your vegetables.

Chopped Vegetables for Spaghetti Meat Sauce
 
 
Add the chopped vegetables to the cooked meat and saute together until the vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
 
Add the seasonings to the meat and veggies.
 
 
 
Add the tomato paste, marinara, and chopped tomatoes and mix to combine. Cover with lid and simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour, stir occasionally.
 
Serve over pasta. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano if desired.

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce

 
Easy Spaghetti Bolognese
 
 
Cheesy Garlic Bread
 
  • Fresh Italian Loaf
  • Softened Butter
  • Garlic Powder or Freshly Chopped Garlic
  • Italian Seasoning
  • Fresh Sliced Mozzarella 
  • Dried Parsley (optional)
Garlic Cheese Toast
 
 
Combine softened butter, garlic powder and Italian seasoning together. Slice Italian loaf into 1″ slices. Spread the butter mixture on each slice. Top with a slice of mozzarella cheese and sprinkle with a dried parsley flakes. Bake in a 375 degree oven 15-20 minutes, or until edges are toasted and cheese is melted.
 
Spaghetti Bolognese Sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Yield: 1 Pan of Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Easy Spaghetti Bolognese

Classic spaghetti dinner with a bolognese (meat sauce).

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp. Olive Oil
  • 1 lb. Lean Ground Beef
  • 1 lb. Ground Italian Sausage, I used mild
  • 1 Onion, diced
  • 1 Green Bell Pepper, diced
  • 1/2 c Crimini Mushrooms (baby bella), diced
  • 1/4 c Carrots, shredded 
  • 1 Clove Garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp. Tomato Paste
  • 3 c Marinara (can use a jar sauce if preferred)
  • 3 c Finely Chopped Tomatoes, such as Pomi
  • 1 tbsp. Italian Seasoning
  • 1.5 tsp Kosher Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar

Instructions

  1. Heat skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil, ground beef, and ground Italian sausage. Crumble and brown the meat until cooked through.
  2. Add the chopped vegetables to the cooked meat and sauté together until the vegetables begin to soften, about 15 minutes.
  3. Next, add the seasonings to the meat and veggies.
  4. Add the tomato paste, marinara, and chopped tomatoes and mix to combine. Cover with lid and simmer on low heat for at least 1 hour, stir occasionally.
  5. Serve over pasta. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano if desired.

Notes

*Cooks Note: If you like, you can drain the drippings after the meat is cooked. Personally, I do not. The fat drippings are minimal and enhance the flavor of the sauce. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 420Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 449mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 4gSugar: 10gProtein: 30g
 

See it at:
Full Plate Thursday
Weekend Potluck
Meal Plan Monday

Yield: 12 Servings

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Easy Garlic Cheese Bread made at home as a side for spaghetti

Authentic Italian style cheesy garlic bread recipe.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 tbs of Butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 tbs Fresh Garlic, finely minced
  • 1 Fresh Bakery Loaf of Choice (I used French Bread)
  • 1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning
  • Pinch of Salt
  • Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 lb Fresh Mozzarella Cheese, sliced
  • Dried Parsley Flakes (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F
  2. Prepare the garlic butter spread by adding the softened butter, garlic and seasonings to a small bowl and combine.
  3. Slice the bread into 1" pieces on the bias.
  4. Spread each bread slice with the garlic butter mixture and place on a baking sheet.
  5. Top each slice with fresh mozzarella.
  6. Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted and hot and bubbly.
  7. Garnish with dried parsley flakes if desired.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8-12 depending on loaf size

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 149Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 279mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 8g
 

Meet Julia

Author of Julia's Simply Southern

 

Sharing is Caring

Miz Helen

Monday 19th of December 2016

Hi Julia,I would love this awesome plate of Spaghetti-Bolognese ! Hope you have a fantastic week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday.Come Back Soon!Miz Helen

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