This recipe is for a quick and easy weeknight bolognese.
Sure, a true bolognese that simmers for hours on the stove is what dreams are made of, but that's not super realistic for a weeknight.
Luckily, you can still get a rich and complex sauce in under 30 minutes by using dried herbs, high-quality canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and red wine.
I love this meaty sauce tossed with thick fettuccine noodles but feel free to use whatever noodles you want.
This meal is a crowd-pleaser and also makes great leftovers - the flavors deepen as it sits.
Plus, pasta sauce is the ultimate veggie vehicle.
I just love how you can include all sorts of delicious vegetables & not even notice. Not that vegetables need hiding, but hey you might as well bump up the nutrients in your pasta sauce if you can!
Lots of vegetables incorporate well into pasta...
... but mushrooms and carrots are two of my favorites.
Finely chopped mushrooms blend particularly well with meaty bolognese sauce.
When they cook down, the mushrooms look just like little chunks of ground beef, so you can't even tell they're in there!
(I use regular white button mushrooms since they have the mildest flavor. It's a great way to add more fiber and some vitamin D to your meal as well)
Finely chopped carrots also blend right into bolognese. They cook down into a nice, soft texture and the bright orange color enhances the vibrant red of tomatoes.
The result? A thick and hearty veggie-packed (EASY! QUICK!) bolognese sauce that coats each strand of noodles and is absolutely packed with flavor.
How good does that look??
If you're looking for a great side dish to round out this meal, I suggest a simple side salad or quick kale salad. The bitter greens really help cut the richness of the pasta.
Enjoy!
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 ¼ lb ground beef, 85% lean
- 4 oz white button mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp paper towel and finely chopped
- 2 whole carrots, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 ½ tablespoons dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 ¼ cup dry red wine, like Cabernet Sauvignon
- 28 oz can crushed San Marzano tomatoes
- ½ tablespoon kosher salt, plus extra to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus extra to taste
- 1 lb dried fettuccine pasta
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and saute for about a minute, breaking up with a spatula as you stir.
- Once the meat is broken up and just starting to brown, add the mushrooms and carrots and continue to cook until the meat is nicely browned and all the liquid from the cooked mushrooms has evaporated.
- While the meat browns, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Next, add the garlic, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste to the skillet that contains the meat. Add an extra splash of olive oil if the mixture seems dry. Saute for about one minute, stirring, until the garlic is nice and fragrant.
- Add 1 cup of the red wine, the canned tomatoes, salt, and pepper to the meat mixture and stir to combine. Let simmer over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the fettuccine to the boiling water and cook according to package directions until al dente. When the pasta is done, drain in a colander and lightly toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent it from sticking while you finish the pasta sauce.
- To finish the sauce, stir in the nutmeg, heavy cream, and ¼ cup wine. Let simmer for about 5 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
- Add cooked fettuccine noodles into each person's bowl, top with bolognese sauce, extra Parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
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