Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic Italian dish that has become a favorite worldwide. Here’s an authentic recipe for spaghetti bolognese that will take you straight to Italy.

Ingredients for spaghetti bolognese:

• 1 lb ground beef (preferably lean)
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• celery stalk, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• Tin of crushed tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb spaghetti
• Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Instructions:

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8-10 minutes.
2. Remove the beef from the skillet and set it aside. Drain any excess fat from the skillet.
3. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
4. Add the beef back to the skillet and stir to combine with the vegetables.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, beef stock, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
6. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. While the sauce is simmering, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Make sure to salt the water before adding the spaghetti.
8. Once the sauce is done, taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
9. Once the spaghetti is cooked, drain it and add it to the saucepan with the bolognese sauce. Toss everything together until the spaghetti is coated in the sauce.
10. Serve the spaghetti bolognese hot, topped with grated parmesan cheese (if desired). Enjoy!

Note: Traditional bolognese sauce is meant to be quite thick, so if you find that your sauce is too thin, you can let it simmer for longer to thicken it up. Additionally, if you prefer a spicier sauce, you can add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the saucepan when you add the other spices.