Name: Spaghetti Bolognese
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 lb spaghetti (uncooked); 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 lb ground beef (extra lean); 1 large onion (chopped); 4 cloves garlic (minced); 1 tbsp oregano (dried); 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 cup red wine; 28 oz crushed tomatoes ((1 can)); 2 tbsp basil (chopped); 1/2 tsp salt (or to taste); 1/2 tsp pepper (or to taste); 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated); 2 tbsp basil (chopped, for garnish)

Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic Italian meat sauce that is a staple in most families. My super simple Spaghetti Bolognese is the perfect dinner for any night of the week and will wow your family or guests.

a bowl full of spaghetti bolognese with parsley in the background

Spaghetti Bolognese is one of those recipes that takes me back to my 20’s. It was one of those dishes that my sister used to make all the time and I’d always stop over for dinner and we’d have a big bowl of Spaghetti Bolognese. I can even go as far as saying that it was her specialty. The odd thing is that we loved to serve it with feta cheese, not Parmesan. If it sounds strange to you, don’t knock it till you try it.

But since then I’ve obviously learned to make it by myself and it’s one of those dishes that really everyone loves, including my husband who hates pasta. Nobody ever says no to a good comforting bowl of spaghetti Bolognese.

spaghetti bolognese in a large skillet with grated parmesan cheese and parsley

What Is Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is such a classy Italian dish with a meaty sauce and while I love to use ground beef for my sauce, you could combine beef and pork. You’ll also want to use a good dry red wine in the sauce, it will just give you a deeper rich flavor. If you don’t want to use alcohol, simply substitute it with a low sodium beef broth.

How To Make Bolognese Sauce

Cook the meat: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook for 3 minutes, breaking it as you go, until no longer pink.
Add veggies, spices and wine: Add the onion and garlic and cook for another 3 minutes until the onion softens. Add the oregano, red pepper flakes, tomato paste and stir. Stir in the red wine and cook for about 5 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off.
In goes the crushed tomatoes: Add the crushed tomatoes, basil and season with salt and pepper. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a medium-low. Cover the pot and cook for about 20 minutes.
Finish the sauce: Stir in the heavy cream and adjust for seasoning if needed. If your sauce is too thick add some of the pasta water to thin it out.

a plate with spaghetti bolognese and a fork

I love to add a little bit of heavy cream to my Bolognese sauce to make it a bit creamier. I really think it makes a huge difference. You can try this with feta cheese as my sister and I would have it, but if you’re not that brave, I strongly recommend using some good freshly grated Parmesan cheese and lots of fresh basil to finish it off.

If you love this hearty pasta dish, check out my Braised Beef Ragu Fettuccine.

It really is comfort in a bowl.

How To Serve

While this spaghetti bolognese can be served on its own, a nice crusty bread would be perfect. Simply slice it, drizzle it with some olive, some Parmesan cheese and lightly toast.

Serve this with a great simple salad such as greens mixed with olive oil and some balsamic vinegar.

tongs lifting up some spaghetti bolognese from a skillet

More Delicious Pasta Recipes To Try:

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