Description
Enjoy a delicious Spaghetti Bolognese that combines rich ground beef with ripe tomatoes and aromatic herbs. This easy meal is perfect for a comforting dinner at home, bringing a taste of Italy to your table with minimal effort.
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 (or broth)
- 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 (spaghetti preferred)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add chopped onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Incorporate ground beef, seasoning with salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper. Cook until meat is browned, draining excess grease if necessary.
- Add tomato paste and sugar to the mixture, stirring constantly until the tomato paste caramelizes, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release browned bits. Cook until wine reduces by half, around 3-5 minutes.
- Add water and canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon while cooking.
- Stir in basil, parsley, oregano, and the bay leaf until combined. Allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes with a slightly ajar lid, stirring occasionally.
- Cook pasta according to package directions while sauce simmers. Combine pasta with meat sauce when ready, adding a splash of reserved pasta water for consistency. Simmer together for a few minutes until sauce clings to noodles.
- Serve the dish topped with parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
Feel free to substitute ground beef with Italian sausage for extra flavor.
This sauce can be made ahead of time and freezes well for later use.
Adjust the amount of crushed red pepper to taste for desired spiciness.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 600
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 31g
- Cholesterol: 90mg