Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

This Spaghetti Bolognese is not just any Bolognese — it’s the only spaghetti Bolognese you will ever need if you are looking for depth of flavor. This easy, from-scratch Bolognese sauce originates from the city of Bologna, built on a classic ragu base with a few carefully chosen tweaks. The best part is that you decide if you want to make it in 20 minutes, an hour, or more — the longer the time, the deeper the flavors.

What is Spaghetti Bolognese?

Spaghetti Bolognese is an Italian meat-based tomato sauce typically served with spaghetti. This dish is loved worldwide for its rich, savory flavor and versatility. It's often made with a combination of meat (usually beef) and vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery, all simmered in a tomato sauce. Over time, it has become a go-to family-friendly dinner.

Serve it over Pasta With Meatballs, use it to layer Lasagana sheets and much more!

Spaghetti Bolognese Ingredients

For the best Spaghetti Bolognese, the quality of your ingredients plays a significant role in the final taste. Use the best ingredients you can find to create a rich and flavorful sauce.

• Spaghetti: Choose high-quality pasta for the best texture and flavor. A good spaghetti will hold the sauce well, giving you that perfect bite with every forkful.
• Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil for its rich flavor and smooth finish.
• Soffritto (Onions, Garlic, Carrots, Celery): This is your flavor base, creating layers of savory goodness that will enhance the sauce. Slow cook these ingredients to form the foundation of your Bolognese.
• Herbs & Spices: Add garlic and herb seasoning or Italian meat seasoning for an aromatic boost. These spices will infuse the sauce as it simmers, filling your kitchen with delicious smells.
• Fresh Parsley & Basil: Fresh basil is ideal for adding to tomato sauces, while chopped parsley is a great choice for finishing a Bolognese. Add them after cooking for a burst of fresh flavor.
• Tomatoes: Use high-quality canned tomatoes. If needed, enhance the flavor with additional tomato paste, passata, and salt. Check out my easy tomato sauce recipe for more tips on choosing the best tomatoes.
• Tomato Paste: This adds concentrated tomato flavor. It’s best to stir it into the aromatics (onion, garlic, etc.) to bring out its richness before adding liquids.
• Red Wine: While optional, red wine adds depth and richness. If you prefer not to use wine, substitute with stock or water. The sauce simmers long enough that the wine’s taste is subtle but contributes to the overall richness.
• Passata: Passata adds a smooth, robust tomato flavor and color to the sauce, bringing everything together.

How To Make Spaghetti Bolognese

Tip: Use a Dutch oven, saucepan, or non-stick pan with high sides to hold your tomato sauce.

Step 1: Make the Soffritto (Optional but Recommended)

If you have time, start by making the soffritto for the best flavor base:

1. Heat olive oil in your pan over medium heat.
2. Add the diced onions, garlic, celery, and carrots, along with a pinch of salt.
3. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.

Step 2: Cook the Beef Mince

If you're skipping the soffritto, heat the oil in your pan and go straight to cooking the beef mince:

1. Add the beef mince to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break it up, allowing it to cool and soak in the flavors.
2. Continue stirring until the beef goes from pink to brown.

Step 3: Season and Add Tomato Paste

1. Season with salt, pepper, and garlic & herb or Italian seasoning to taste.
2. Stir in tomato paste and cook for a couple of seconds to deepen the flavor.

Step 4: Add Wine and Tomatoes

1. Pour in the red wine (Cabernet or Merlot work well with beef), allowing it to cook off for a couple of minutes.
2. Add the canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a wooden spoon.

Step 5: Add Passata and Simmer

1. Stir in the passata for a rich, smooth tomato flavor.
2. Let the sauce simmer on low for 1.5 to 2.5 hours, stirring occasionally, to deepen the flavors.

Step 6: Combine with Pasta

1. Once the sauce has simmered to perfection, add the cooked spaghetti directly to the sauce, tossing well to coat.

Tips for Success

• For Quick Bolognese: Use high-quality canned tomatoes, passata, and a bit of tomato paste for a rich flavor in less time.
• For Longer Simmering: Let the sauce cook longer for a deeper, more complex flavor.
• Don't Rush: Cook the sauce over medium or low heat to avoid burning.
• No Need to Drain Pasta: Add the cooked pasta directly to the sauce for better flavor absorption.

How to Serve Spaghetti Bolognese

Serve the Bolognese sauce over the spaghetti, and enjoy with a side of garlic bread or a simple Italian salad. For added richness, top with grated Parmesan cheese or a sprinkle of fresh basil.

How to Make Quick Spaghetti Bolognese Delicious

To make a quick, yet flavorful spaghetti Bolognese:

• Use high-quality canned whole plum tomatoes and passata for a richer sauce.
• Add a bit of tomato paste to deepen the flavor.
• Spice it up with Italian seasoning and freshly ground black pepper.
• Choose a lean ground beef with some fat content (10%-20% fat) to ensure a rich and flavorful sauce.
• Let it simmer for at least 20 minutes to develop a deeper taste, even when short on time.

FAQ’s

Can I make Spaghetti Bolognese ahead of time?
Yes, Spaghetti Bolognese tastes even better the next day! Prepare the sauce and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat on the stove and serve with freshly cooked pasta.

Can I freeze Spaghetti Bolognese?
Yes, Spaghetti Bolognese freezes well. Store the sauce in an airtight container for up to 2-3 months. Reheat and serve with fresh pasta when ready.

What other meats can I use in Spaghetti Bolognese?
You can use a mix of beef and pork mince, or even ground turkey or chicken for a lighter version. However, the classic version uses beef.

Can I use store-bought pasta sauce instead of making the Bolognese sauce from scratch?
While store-bought pasta sauce can be convenient, making Bolognese sauce from scratch adds more depth and flavor. It’s definitely worth the extra effort!

Variations

• Meat: Combine beef and pork for a richer flavor.
• Add-Ins: Add mushrooms, pancetta, or bacon for extra depth.
• For Non-Italian Flavor: Add Worcestershire sauce for a different twist.
• Balance Acidity: If the sauce is too acidic, add a pinch of sugar, but this is not needed for slow-cooked sauces.

Make Ahead and Storage

• Make Ahead: Prepare the sauce a day or two in advance and refrigerate, reheating when ready to serve.
• Freezing: This sauce freezes well for up to 2-3 months. Portion out in smaller quantities for convenience.

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More Spaghetti Dinners

• Tomato, Bacon and Spaghetti
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• Spaghetti Meatballs Recipe
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Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Miranda | My Anosmic Kitchen

This Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe isn't just any bolognese—it's the only one you'll ever need if you're after rich, deep flavor. This easy, from-scratch sauce originates from Bologna, based on a classic ragu with a few carefully chosen tweaks. The best part? You can decide how long to cook it—whether in 20 minutes, an hour, or longer. The longer it cooks, the richer the flavors become

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Go to Collections

COURSECourse Dinner

CUISINE Italian

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the soffritto

• ▢ 3 tbsps. olive oil
• ▢ 1 onion finely chopped
• ▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
• ▢ 2 celery stalks chopped fine
• ▢ 2 carrots chopped fine
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt

Without the soffritto (add oil, onions and garlic and these ingredients)

• ▢ 500 grams beef mince
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic & herb
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Italian meat seasoning
• ▢ 2 tbsps tomato paste
• ▢ ½ cup red wine
• ▢ 2 canned tomatoes 800 grams (2 medium 400 grams each)
• ▢ 1 cup tomato passata
• ▢ 400 grams spaghetti

Optional at the end of cooking

• ▢ fresh basil or parsley chopped
• ▢ taste for salt and pepper
• ▢ parmesan cheese

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Instructions 

• Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or non stick pan (large with sides to prevent the sauce from spilling over)
• Soffritto: Cook the onions, celery, carrots and a pinch of salt for 10 minutes on low heat. Add the garlic and cook another 1 to 2 minutes.
• Brown the meat: Add the beef mince and cook till nicely browned. While browning add the spices and seasoning. Use a wooden spoon to break the mince up as it cooks.
• The short version: Skip the 10 minute soffritro and instead heat the oil, brown the meat, season/spice and add onions and garlic.
• Add the tomato paste, red wine and let it cook through on medium heat, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Slow simmer: Add the tomatoes and passata and mix. Bring the pot up to a boil and then drop the heat to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours. Check halfway through and you will possibly need to add a cup of water to keep it going and not burning. Keep the lid on at a slant. When you see it's reaching a thickness that you are happy with, remove the lid for the last 30 minutes. This is cooked on very low heat with a simmer here and there. It can go for 2.5 hours with the occasional stir.
• 30 Minute version: Cook on medium to high heat for 20 to 30 minutes with no lid. To amp up the flavor in the shorter version, add a tablespoon of sauce and make sure to add the spices in the beginning. The sauce can be any of the taste you prefer: Worcestershire sauce, soy, braai/barbecue. You can also add beef stock cubes for added flavor and a teaspoon of sugar to cut the acidity in the tomatoes.
• Remove the pot/saucepan from the stove, and as it cools down, add fresh parsleyor basil.
• Serve with cooked spaghetti, parmesan cheese and freshly chopped herbs.

Spaghetti

• Cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions but with a minute or so less than required. Using a large spoon or pasta ladle to transfer the spaghetti directly from the pot to the sauce pot (no draining) while the sauce pot is on medium heat. The pasta will transfer with some of its water, that's good. You don't need much, a couple of splashes is okay. Leave it on the stove for about minute as you stir. Remove from heat and serve. Extra layer of flavor: Add cheese and fresh chopped parsley into the sauce and spaghetti mix.

Notes

• Short cooking time: Without the soffritto brown the mince first in oil then add the onions, garlic, seasoning and spice. Continue with the rest of the recipe. 

Tomatoes: When the sauce does a slow simmer over hours there's no need to add sugar. The longer the tomatoes cook, the less is the acidity. The better quality tomatoes the less the acidity. Some less than par tomatoes can be very acidic. 

Creme de la creme bolognese:  Add fried pancetta or bacon. 

Season:  During cooking and towards the end of cooking, taste for salt.

Beef Mince: Add the beef mince and use a wooden spoon to break it up so that it can not only cool (and not stick to the pot and burn) but collect the soffritto flavors better as it cooks. Keep stirring/mixing until the beef mince goes from pink to brown.

Buying Beef Mince: A good ratio of fat plays a role since fat equals flavor. Lean beef mince with 10% or 20% fat is good. When you use meat with no fat you might find yourself having to add oil because the meat will possibly stick to the bottom of the pot. 

Visit out shop for spices, seasoning and extra virgin olive oil. 

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