Description
Rich and hearty spaghetti bolognese weaves classic Italian flavors into a comforting meal that delights palates. Slow-simmered beef ragù nestled over perfectly al dente pasta promises a memorable dining experience you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat:
- 1 kilogram (2.2 pounds) beef stewing steak, minced or chopped
Pasta:
- 300 grams (10.6 ounces) fresh spaghetti
Base Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 stick celery, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
Herbs:
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 small bunch fresh basil
Liquids and Sauces:
- 50 milliliters (1.7 fluid ounces) olive oil
- 50 grams (1.8 ounces) butter
- 500 grams (17.6 ounces) passata
- 100 milliliters (3.4 fluid ounces) beef stock
- 1 glass red wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato puree
Cheese:
- Parmesan or pecorino, to serve
Instructions
- Sauté diced onion, celery, and carrot in a blend of oil and butter over medium heat until vegetables soften and become translucent, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Introduce ground beef to the pan, breaking it into small fragments and cooking until deeply browned and caramelized, creating rich flavor layers.
- Incorporate minced garlic, fresh thyme, and basil, stirring quickly to release aromatic herbs, then fold in tomato puree for deep, concentrated tomato essence.
- Pour passata, beef stock, and red wine into the mixture, creating a robust sauce base that will develop complex flavors during slow cooking.
- Reduce heat to low and allow sauce to gently simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching and ensure deep flavor development.
- During final 30 minutes of sauce simmering, prepare spaghetti in salted boiling water until perfectly al dente, typically 8-10 minutes.
- Drain pasta thoroughly and fold into the rich bolognese sauce, ensuring each strand is generously coated with the meaty, aromatic sauce.
- Plate the spaghetti bolognese and garnish with freshly grated parmesan cheese and torn basil leaves for a classic Italian presentation.
Notes
- Select ground beef with around 20% fat for richer, more flavorful sauce that stays moist during long cooking.
- Chop vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and balanced texture throughout the sauce.
- For deeper umami flavor, consider adding small amounts of pancetta or beef bouillon cube while sautéing meat.
- Make sauce ahead and refrigerate overnight to allow flavors to develop and intensify, creating a more complex bolognese.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 35 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 40 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg