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here’s something magical about Bolognese; it just seems to be most people’s go-to sauce, and I know it most certainly is mine. This recipe is perfect for when you get hit with that “big saucy bowl of pasta” mood and can easily be ready in around 30is minutes. The sweet scent of sautéed onions and carrots mingles with the robust earthiness of browned meat. The red wine vinegar’s subtle fragrance lifts the whole pot, while the tomatoes add a fresh acidity and bring all that sauce. It’s a smell that fills the kitchen, promising warmth, comfort, and satisfaction. It also encourages a cook to celebrate how a few ingredients can make for a deliciously tasty bolognese sauce.
Also, you can use whatever pasta you like or even an application; for example, use it in loaded nachos, baked potatoes, lasagna, fluffy rice, mash, etc. It’s the type of sauce that clings lovingly to any pasta of your choice and will make every bite feel luxurious yet comforting, diviiine.
Bolognese Basics:
- The Base: Using a good amount of olive oil adds so much to the overall taste and mouthfeel of the sauce. So don’t be too shy. Caramelizing the onion and carrot adds the needed sweetness and depth of flavor that then get amplified by the sauteed garlic, chili, and origanum.
- The Bolognese Sauce: Adding the canned tomatoes with additional water and then allowing the sauce to simmer on medium heat for 20-30 minutes is where all the magic happens. You want to make sure to allow it to simmer long enough so that 1/3 of the water has evaporated; otherwise, you’ll have a watery sauce and not a saucy sauce. So as soon as half of the bubbles create this little volcano. Add the fresh basil and salt to taste, and you’re good to go!
- The Pasta: A crucial component of any pasta dish. No one prefers overcooked pasta, so make sure to undercook the pasta rather than overcook it. You can always continue cooking the pasta in the mince sauce with an added dash of water/pasta water if you want top be safe. Note: A foolproof way to ensure your pasta is perfect every time is to bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Then add the pasta and stir to ensure the pasta doesn’t stick together, and boil for 2 minutes. Then remove it from the heat and allow the pasta to rest in the hot water for 10 minutes. Immediately drain the pasta and add it to your sauce. Perfect pasta every time!
As with most dishes, the longer the bolognese sauce gets to simmer, the better, but in this case she can easily be done in a jiffy. Also, if you love leftovers, then make sure to cook up enough because, for me, there’s nothing better than warming up some pasta leftovers in a pan (with a bit of extra butter or olive oil) and letting it become all crispy and caramelized (joh – my mond water sommer nou!).
The sweet scent of sautéed onions and carrots mingles with the robust earthiness of browned meat. The red wine vinegar’s subtle fragrance lifts the whole pot, while the tomatoes add a fresh acidity and bring the sauce. It’s a smell that fills the kitchen, promising warmth, comfort, and satisfaction.
Bolognese isn’t flashy or complicated—it’s honest, humble, and deeply satisfying. It’s the kind of dish that invites you to slow down, savor, and appreciate the beauty of simple ingredients transformed by time and care.
K’ love you bye.
🖤
Lila
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large white onion diced
- 1 medium carrot peeled and finely grated
- 3 cloves garlic finely sliced
- 1 tsp dried origanum
- 1 medium chili finely sliced
- 500 grams ground lean beef
- 800 grams crushed or diced canned tomatoes
- 1 tsp fine sea salt or pink salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar optional
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 6 large fresh basil leaves roughly chopped, plus extra for garnishing
- 350 grams spaghetti or pasta of choice
- parmesan freshly grated for garnishing
Instructions
- Starting with the Bolognese sauce, bring a large saucepan to a medium high heat, add olive oil, onion, and carrot. Sauté until lightly caramelized, about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef, origanum and salt. Mix quite vigorously, ensuring there aren't any lumps of meat. Sauté until the majority of the mince has browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add the canned tomatoes and 400ml water. Followed by red wine vinegar and sugar, if using. Allow to simmer, uncovered and on a medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer until the sauce's bubbles are no longer filled with liquid, about 20-30 minutes. Stir in the chopped basil and salt to taste. Meanwhile, prepare the pasta.
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Now you can add the pasta to the water and boil as per the packet instructions, ensuring the pasta isn't overcooked. Note: a full proof technique to ensure the pasta is cooked perfect is as follows - add the pasta to the rapidly boiling water and boil for 2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and remove the pot from the hat. Allow the pasta to soak in the water for 10 minutes, no more, no less. After that, drain the pasta and add to the finished sauce.
- Add the drained pasta to the sauce. Gently mix until all the strands are coated with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and basil if you wish and deeevour!
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