Spaghetti Bolognese consists of cooked spaghetti served with rich, thick tomato based vegetable sauce. Spaghetti Bolognese is a comforting dish loaded with vegetables and tomatoes. Lets get on to learn Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe with step by step pictures and video.
Spaghetti Bolognese is a true Italian classic made by serving cooked spaghetti along with a rich tomato based bolognese sauce. This delicious Spaghetti Bolognese can be a perfect midweek dinner or lunch for a family of 4.
About Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese is basically serving cooked spaghetti with a thick tomato based vegetable sauce. The first time I saw Spagetti Bolognese was in a show and I was way too tempted to taste it, as it looked so delicious. So after googling made up my mind to try a vegetarian version minus meat and wine so that even kids can also enjoy.
It orginates from Bologna, Italy. Although in Italy it is made with ‘tagliatelle’ a flat pasta but Spaghetti Bolognese has become very popular in all parts of the world.
My recipe for Spaghetti Bolognese may not be authentic as it does not use meat and red wine but sure a family and kid friendly version to par with the classic.
Spaghetti Bolognese Ingredients
- Spaghetti : Choose regular or durum wheat spaghetti.
- Vegetables : I used onion, tomato, carrots and button mushrooms. Choose red ripe tomatoes for best taste and flavour. Mince all the vegetables to get a more thick sauce.
- Spices, Herbs : Garlic, Bayleaf, Parsely, Oregano and Chilliflakes are used here. You can also use fresh basil leaves if you like. Freshly cracked pepper adds a nice flavour.
- Vegetable Stock : You can either use vegetable stock or spaghetti cooked water to simmer.
- Olive oil : Olive oil gives best flavour to this dish.
More Pasta Recipes
Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese Sauce known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese is a meat based sauce. Outside Italy, Bolognese sauce refers to a tomato-based sauce to which minced meat is added.
Traditionally Bolognese sauce is made by slowcooking meat in a tomato based sauce with a hint of red wine, flavoured with garlic, oregano and other herbs, spices. But here I have shared a easy vegetarian recipe which uses mushrooms,carrots replacing meat and uses stock in place of red wine.
Making Bolognese Sauce from scratch is so fresh and aromatic when compared to the store bought ones. Also you can plus or minus the ingredients as per your preference and taste
Reference Source : Wikipedia
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📖 Recipe Card
Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
To cook Spaghetti
- 200 gms spaghetti
- 5 cups water
- salt to taste
For Bolognese Sauce
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
- 1 cup mushrooms finely chopped
- 2 cups tomato puree
- 1 small bayleaf
- 1.5 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon parsley
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed pepper
- 1/2 cup stock or pasta cooked water
For Serving
- cheese as needed
- chilli flakes as needed
- oregano as needed
- parsley as needed
- pepper as needed
Instructions
- Boil a large pot with 5 cups of water along with salt.
- Add 200 gms spaghetti. Let it cook. You can follow pack instructions or cook until fork tender.
- Once it is almost done reserve around 1/2 cup of spaghetti cooked water. Cook until it is fork tender.
- Drain water and set aside. Reserve the water incase if the spaghetti is dry you can add more while preparing the sauce. Set aside.
- Now add 2 tablespoon olive oil and heat it – add 1 tablespoon garlic, saute for few seconds.
- Then add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion along with salt. Saute until transparent.
- Add 1 cup finely minced mushroom and 1/2 cup carrot.
- Saute for few mins until it completely shrinks.
- Add 2 cups tomato puree. I have used fresh tomato puree(pulse tomatoes in mixer until pureed), you can use tinned puree too. Give a quick mix.
- When it starts to boil cook covered for few mins until raw smell leaves.
- Open then add 1 small bayleaf, 1.5 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon parsely and 1 teaspoon oregano.
- Add 1/2 cup pasta cooked water or vegetable stock. If adding red wine add now.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper. I used my pepper mill to crack pepper.
- Mix well and simmer for about 10-15 mins until the sauce is thick. But make sure to stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom.
- After few mins the sauce becomes thick. Bolognese sauce ready.
- Serve spaghetti with a generous serving of bolognese sauce on top along with cheese, herbs and spices.
- Alternatively you can toss spaghetti in the sauce. Mix well.
- Season with grated cheese, oregano, chilli flakes before serving.
- Delicious Spaghetti Bolognese ready to be served!
Video
Notes
- Swap dried herbs with fresh if you get it. Add fresh basil leaves for more flavour.
- Add fresh tomatoes to make puree for best color and flavour. You can use store bought tomato puree too.
- I use spaghetti made with durum wheat, you can use any variety fo spaghetti.
- This is medium spicy, if you prefer less then add 1 teaspoon chilli flakes to reduce spice level.
- Add more cooked pasta water if needed while simmering. While simmering make sure to stir on and off to avoid burning.
How to make Spaghetti Bolognese
Cook spaghetti
- Boil a large pot with 5 cups of water along with salt to taste.
2.Add 200 gms spaghetti .
3.Let it cook. You can follow pack instructions or cook until fork tender.
4.Once it is almost done reserve around 1/2 cup of spaghetti cooked water.
5.Cook until it is fork tender.
6.Drain water and set aside. Reserve the water incase if the spaghetti is dry you can add more while preparing the sauce. Set aside.
Cooking vegetables
7.Now add 2 tablespoon olive oil and heat it – add 1 tablespoon garlic, saute for few seconds.
8.Then add 1/2 cup finely chopped onion along with salt.
9.Saute until transparent.
10.Add 1 cup finely minced mushroom and 1/2 cup carrot.
11.Saute for few mins until it completely shrinks.
Cooking tomato puree
12.Add 2 cups tomato puree. I have used fresh tomato puree(pulse tomatoes in mixer until pureed), you can use tinned puree too.
13.Give a quick mix.
14.When it starts to boil cook covered for few mins until raw smell leaves.
Adding herbs and spices
15.Open then add 1 small bayleaf, 1.5 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 teaspoon parsely and 1 teaspoon oregano.
16.Add 1/2 cup pasta cooked water or vegetable stock. If adding red wine add now.
17.Add 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper. I used my pepper mill to crack pepper.
Simmering Bolognese Sauce
18.Mix well and simmer for about 10-15 mins until the sauce is thick. But make sure to stir in between to avoid burning at the bottom. Slowcooking is the key to get a perfect Bolognese Sauce.
19.After few mins the sauce becomes thick like this.
20.Bolognese sauce ready.
Serving Spaghetti Bolognese
21.Serve spaghetti with a generous serving of bolognese sauce on top along with cheese, herbs and spices. This is one way to serve Spaghetti Bolognese.
Tossing Spaghetti with Bolognese Sauce
22.Alternatively you can toss spaghetti in the sauce.
23.Mix well until the sauce coats spaghetti evenly.
Serve with seasoning
24.Serve hot with cheese and seasoning on top.
Delicious Spaghetti Bolognese ready to be served!
Expert Tips
- Add fresh tomatoes to make puree for best color and flavour. You can use store bought tomato puree too.
- Swap dried herbs with fresh if you get it. Add fresh basil leaves for more flavour.
- I used spaghetti made with durum wheat, you can use any variety of spaghetti you have.
- This is medium spicy, if you prefer less spicy then add 1 teaspoon chilli flakes to reduce spice level.
- Add more cooked pasta water if needed while simmering. While simmering make sure to stir on and off to avoid burning.
Variations
- Use fresh herbs and spices for best flavour.
- You can add chopped tomatoes too but I prefer adding tomato puree to get a more saucey consistency.
Storing and Serving Suggestion
Bolognese sauce stays well in room temperature for 1 day only. You can refrigerate the sauce to extend shelf life. Then reheat and use it when needed.
You can freeze the sauce and use it too. When required thaw it and then use it.
Spaghetti mixed with sauce can stay in fridge for 2 days but the flavour might vary so consume as fresh as possible.
FAQs
1.What is Spaghetti Bolognese?
Spaghetti Bolognese is an Italian classic made by serving cooked spaghetti along with a rich tomato based bolognese sauce made usually with minced meat cooked in red wine,herbs and spices. I have given the vegetarian simple version of spaghetti bolognese that any one can try as the ingredients are easily available.
2.What is the best pasta to use for Spaghetti Bolognese ?
Traditionally a flat pasta variety named ‘tagliatelle’ is used for Spaghetti Bolognese in Italy. Other variations being Spaghetti, Fettuccine, Penne pasta, Linguine, Rigatoni etc.
3.Can Spaghetti Bolognese be made without meat?
Yes I have given the vegetarian recipe here. You can replace minced meat with vegetables that are finely chopped which gives a rich thick sauce.
4.Can I add cream / milk to Spaghetti Bolognese?
Though the classic version of Spaghetti Bolognese is made with a tomato base however you can use fresh cream or milk to make it more creamy, thick and balance the tanginess of tomatoes. Make sure to add full fat milk mixed with cream else it will become watery.
5.How should the Bolognese Suace look / taste like?
Bolognese Sauce will be thick,tangy, chunky and rich. It tastes a bit like a tomato based pasta sauce.
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