Beef mince, bacon and red wine cook down with tomatoes and oregano into a thick, glossy sauce in about 45 minutes, after only ten minutes of chopping. It turns an ordinary Tuesday into a proper Italian dinner for four.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Serves
- 4 servings
You will need large deep frying pan · sieve · large pot · wooden spoon · colander · grater
Ingredients
Bolognese sauce
To serve
Method
Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the mince, break it up with a wooden spoon and fry for 5 to 6 minutes until lightly browned, then tip into a sieve to drain off excess fat.
Return the pan to medium heat with the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion, bacon and garlic and cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens and the bacon starts to colour.
Put the drained mince back in the pan and fry for another 3 minutes until well browned. Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes to cook off the sharpness.
Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, bay leaf and oregano, and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and rich. Add a splash of water if it catches before then, and remove the bay leaf at the end.
About 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to the packet, since wholewheat and legume pastas often need a minute or two less or more. Drain, keeping back a mug of the cooking water.
Toss the spaghetti with a few spoonfuls of sauce and a splash of the pasta water to loosen. Divide between bowls, spoon over the rest of the bolognese and finish with the Parmesan and spring onions.
Tips
- For a lower-GI plate, use wholewheat, lentil or chickpea spaghetti, keep portions to about 75 g dried pasta per person and add a green salad on the side.
- Swap the wine for the same amount of extra beef stock if you prefer to cook without alcohol.
- The sauce keeps for 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer, and tastes even better the next day.
- Use 2 tbsp tomato sauce instead of tomato paste if that is what you have, for a slightly sweeter result.
Easy Stovetop Spaghetti Bolognese: your questions answered
Can I make bolognese ahead for the week?
Yes, cook the sauce on a Sunday and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days, then just boil fresh spaghetti and reheat the sauce on the night.
Why drain the mince before adding the other ingredients?
Draining off the excess fat keeps the sauce from turning greasy and lets the bacon, wine and tomatoes carry the flavour.
Do I have to use spaghetti?
Not at all; penne, fusilli or tagliatelle hold the meaty sauce just as well, and wholewheat or legume pasta works if you want more fibre.
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