Quick Pasta Bolognese Sauce

I find it amusing that spaghetti bolognese doesn’t exist in Italy. An authentic Bolognese sauce is a slow-cooked ragu with vegetables and a mix of meats. It is used primarily for lasagne or with tagliatelle. (Thinner noodles, like spaghetti, are usually paired with lighter or creamy sauces.)

Anyway, spaghetti bolognese is one of the dishes I fed my daughter constantly when she was little. It was her favourite at home, when we travelled, when we went to a restaurant. I was totally fine with that; carbs, meat, vegetables (i.e. sneaky grated-in carrots or zucchini), and herbs. Healthier and more filling than, say, chicken nuggets and chips, which, to be honest, she didn’t like at the time … unless I made them.

“They dined on mince, and slices of quince
Which they ate with a runcible spoon;
And hand in hand, on the edge of the sand,
They danced by the light of the moon.”

-Edward Lear, “the Owl and the Pussycat”

Quick Pasta Bolognese Sauce

The Toddler Go-To

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Prep Time:5 minutes mins

Cook Time:1 hour hr

Keyword: bolognese, pasta, pasta sauce

Servings: 4 adults

Ingredients

• 500 g minced beef, or combination beef and pork for a milder sauce
• 1-2 x 400g tins peeled or cherry tomato Depending on shrinkflation you may need more than 1 tin. 2 tins will give you a more tomato-y budget-friendly mix
• ½ cup white wine – or if you prefer, beef or chicken stock. I don't mind the taste the wine brings to the dish and the alcohol steams off
• 1 onion, diced (or can use celery)
• 1-2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced, depending on your taste
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tbsp brown sugar
• olive oil
• herbs (dried and/or fresh – basil, oregano, parsley)
• 1 carrot grated or diced (optional)
• 1 zucchini grated or diced (optional)
• 2 rashers bacon or pancetta (optional, for deeper flavour)
• splash milk (optional)
• salt, pepper, fresh herbs, parmesan

Instructions

• Fry onion until translucent.
• Fry bacon or pancetta, if using, and drain off any excess fat.
• Sauté vegetables, if using, for a few minutes.
• Add mince and fry until no longer pink, breaking up lumps with wooden spoon. Add splash of milk, if using (helps to tenderise the meat) and mix through.
• Add tin/s tomato, including juices, wine or stock, sugar, dried herbs, tomato paste. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add a little extra stock or milk if getting dry.
• Season to taste and add any fresh herbs you like. Serve with pasta and parmesan.