Description
Classic Spaghetti Bolognese is a hearty Italian-inspired dish featuring perfectly cooked spaghetti tossed in a rich, savory sauce made from ground beef, onions, garlic, tomatoes, and aromatic herbs. This comforting meal is ideal for family dinners and can be prepared using simple pantry staples.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pack of spaghetti
Meat Sauce
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 1 white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 796 ml canned diced tomatoes
- 1 can tomato paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 chili pepper
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Oregano, to taste
- Rosemary, to taste
- 2 beef stock cubes
- Bay leaves, to taste
Instructions
- Boil Pasta: Fill a large pot with water and season it generously with salt until it tastes as salty as the ocean. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
- Add Spaghetti: Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and stir to prevent it from sticking together. Boil for 10 to 15 minutes until it is semi-cooked (al dente).
- Drain Pasta: Drain the pasta well and set aside.
- Prepare Bolognese Sauce – Sauté Aromatics: In a large pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and minced garlic and fry until browned and fragrant.
- Cook Ground Beef: Add the ground beef to the pot and break it apart with a spoon as it cooks. Season with salt, black pepper, and crumble in the beef stock cubes to enrich the flavor. Cook until the beef is browned all over.
- Fry Tomato Paste: Make a small space in the pot and add the tomato paste. Let it fry on the side for 5 to 7 minutes until it starts to separate and caramelize, then mix it through the meat.
- Add Tomatoes and Simmer: Pour in the canned diced tomatoes and let the sauce cook for 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Season Sauce: Stir in Worcestershire sauce and optional liquid smoke. Add rosemary, oregano, bay leaves, chili pepper, sugar, and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Simmer to combine all flavors.
- Combine Pasta and Sauce: Add the drained spaghetti to the pot of sauce along with a splash of reserved pasta water. Stir everything together to coat the pasta well. Allow it to cook together for 5 minutes to let the sauce absorb into the noodles.
- Serve: Remove bay leaves and chili pepper if desired, plate the spaghetti bolognese hot, and enjoy!
Notes
- For a spicier version, keep the chili pepper in the sauce when serving or add crushed red pepper flakes.
- Use fresh herbs if available for a brighter flavor.
- The liquid smoke is optional but adds a subtle smoky depth to the sauce.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining to help loosen and coat the sauce if needed.
- Leftover sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: Spaghetti Bolognese, Italian pasta dish, ground beef sauce, easy dinner recipe, classic pasta
