Description
This Spaghetti Bolognese features a rich, homemade meat sauce packed with flavor. With simple preparation and fresh ingredients, it’s the perfect comfort food for a quick yet satisfying dinner.
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
- ¼ cup water
- 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 teaspoons dried basil or 10 torn basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8–12 oz pasta for serving – spaghetti recommended
Instructions
- Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until softened for about 3 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant for about 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, cooking until browned. Drain excess grease if needed.
- Mix in tomato paste and sugar, cooking until the tomato paste is browned for about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom to release browned bits. Cook until the wine reduces by half for about 3-5 minutes.
- Add water and canned tomatoes, breaking them apart as they cook.
- Stir in basil, parsley, oregano, and bay leaf until combined, then let simmer for at least 30 minutes with a lid propped open, stirring occasionally.
- While sauce simmers, cook pasta according to package instructions. Combine pasta and sauce just before serving, reserving a bit of pasta water if needed. Simmer together until sauce clings to noodles for several minutes.
- Serve, garnished with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
For a richer flavor, consider using a blend of ground beef and Italian sausage.
Adjust the amount of red pepper based on your heat preference.
Basil can be replaced with fresh herbs for a brighter taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 75mg