Description
Enjoy the rich and comforting taste of Spaghetti Bolognese, made with ground beef, herbs, and tomatoes. This simple dish is perfect for quick weeknight meals or cozy family dinners, offering a delightful blend of flavors that makes every bite enjoyable.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup finely chopped yellow 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
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 8–12 oz pasta (spaghetti recommended)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add finely chopped onion and cook until softened, around 3 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add ground beef, along with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper, cooking until browned. Drain excess grease if necessary.
- Incorporate tomato paste and sugar, stirring constantly until the paste caramelizes, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine, scraping the pan to loosen browned bits, and cook until reduced by half, roughly 3-5 minutes.
- Add water and canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon as you cook.
- Mix in dried basil, parsley, oregano, and a bay leaf, and stir until well combined. Simmer with a partially covered lid for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions while the sauce simmers. Combine sauce and pasta, adding reserved pasta water as needed, and simmer until well coated.
- Serve topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
For a richer flavor, allow the sauce to simmer longer than 30 minutes.
You can use any pasta you prefer, but spaghetti is traditional for this dish.
Feel free to substitute ground beef with Italian sausage for a different taste.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 80mg