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Spaghetti Bolognese

Healthy weeknight version — lean mince, veg-loaded, weighed pasta.

Serves 4

Photo of Spaghetti Bolognese

Ingredients

  • 500g 5% lean beef mince (or turkey mince)
  • 1 onion, coarsely grated
  • 1-2 carrots, grated
  • 2 handfuls spinach, roughly chopped (optional, wilts in)
  • 1 tin (400g) Mutti finely chopped tomatoes
  • 1 beef stock cube + ~200ml boiling water
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée (optional, deepens the sauce)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder (or 2 cloves if you have fresh)
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried Italian herbs
  • 1 dried bay leaf
  • Splash of soy sauce (savoury depth)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 300g dried spaghetti (~75g per person — weigh it)
  • Optional: light scatter of grated cheese to serve

Method

  1. Coarsely grate the onion and carrots — grating means the onion melts into the sauce with no chunks. Heat a splash of oil (or a little stock) in a large pan over medium heat and cook the grated onion and carrot 4-5 min until softened and the raw onion bite has gone.
  2. Turn the heat up, add the mince, and brown it, breaking it up with a spoon — about 6-8 min until no pink remains.
  3. Stir in the garlic powder, oregano, Italian herbs and tomato purée; cook 1 min.
  4. Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, bay leaf and a splash of soy sauce. Stir and bring to a simmer.
  5. Once bubbling, drop to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered 20-30 min, stirring now and then, until thickened. Stir the spinach through in the last few minutes to wilt. Season to taste; remove the bay leaf.
  6. Meanwhile, weigh and cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water per packet (~10 min). Drain, saving a splash of pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.
  7. Serve sauce over the spaghetti. Aim for half the plate as veg/sauce, a measured nest of pasta, and only a light scatter of cheese.