Everyone needs a Spaghetti bolognese recipe on their lunch or dinner menu. It’s one of those classic meals packed with an assortment of rich flavours that give you gourmet ON A BUDGET! I always say that a nice meal doesn’t have to break the bank! Here is one that will make you say “WAHALA!!”
Wow, today I was called an ajebutter because of this recipe. I don’t know… is it weird to eat something other than eba or poundo in the afternoon? Well, I enjoyed my spaghetti bolognese lunch and it didn’t take too much gra-gra effort. In fact, most days I prefer to kick back and enjoy simple things…like this pasta with some cabernet sauvignon!!
But the love I have for bolognese goes way back to high school in Nigeria. You know how children trade stuff like ” Monday meat for your Tuesday turkey?”. My case was always ” Wednesday fish for Thursday meat sauce”! I called it meat sauce back then. Even the cafeteria servers knew that I was obsessed and some were nice enough to give me extra spoons (Thanks aunty Maureen!)
Now, I have a really deep appreciation for the dish and I hope you feel it too by the time you are done with your second plate because… believe me… it is so hard to stop eating this deliciousness!!q
Spaghetti bolognese recipe
Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic Italian dish that has found a permanent place in kitchens worldwide. Its rich and hearty flavors, coupled with the simplicity of its preparation, make it a go-to choice for families, gatherings, or solo dining.It originates from the city of Bologna, Italy. The marriage of this rich meat sauce with pasta, specifically spaghetti is one worth trying in your household.
Ingredients for spaghetti bolognese recipe
To make a truly delicious Spaghetti Bolognese, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Ground Meat: can be beef, pork or a mix of beef and pork, but you can use any ground protein of your choice
- Onions and garlic: For the aromatic base for the sauce.
- Canned Tomatoes: Choose high-quality canned tomatoes for a rich tomato flavor.
- Tomato Paste: For concentrated tomato flavor.
- Herbs and Spices: Typically, bay leaves, thyme, oregano for a depth of flavour
- Beef bullion: this adds more depth to the sauce.
- Sugar: a bit controversial, but it cuts the acidity of the tomatoes
- Salt and Pepper: To taste.
- Oil: For sautéing and flavor.
Preparing the sauce
The key to a great Spaghetti Bolognese is patience. Here’s a step-by-step guide to preparing the sauce:
- Heat olive oil in a large pot.
- Sauté the onions and garlic
- Add ground meat. Brown the meat while breaking it apart with a spoon.
- Stir in the tomato paste, canned tomatoes, herbs, and spices and let it gently simmer.
- Add al dente pasta and pasta water, toss, reduce the heat and let it cook.
How to cook pasta
While the sauce simmers, you can prepare the spaghetti:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and toss it with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Variations of spaghetti bolognese recipe
Spaghetti Bolognese is a versatile dish, and there are countless ways to make it your own:
in this recipe I added Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke for a different flavour but it is up to you to customize it to your taste. Here are some ideas
- Vegetarian/Vegan: Substitute the meat with mushrooms, lentils, or plant-based meat alternatives like beyond meat for a vegetarian or vegan version.
- Gluten-Free: Use gluten-free pasta for a gluten-free option.
- Cheese: Experiment with different types of cheese like Pecorino Romano or mozzarella for a unique twist.
What kind of pasta do I use?
The best part of this recipe is that you can alternate between pasta. In this recipe, you can use rotini, macaroni, penne, linguine… GO WILD!!
Make sure to check out my Instagram @nigerianfoodiehub! I post all kinds of short and delicious recipes there for you to try out, that way you never run out of ideas!
More Nigerian recipes
Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 pack of spaghetti
- 1.5 lb ground beef
- 1 white onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 796 ml canned tomatoe diced
- 1 can of tomatoes paste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- liquid smoke optional
- 1 chilli pepper
Spices
- salt
- black pepper
- oregano
- rosemary
- 2 stock cubes
Instructions
Boil Pasta
- Fill large pot with water, season it with salt till water is as salty as the ocean, stir and bring water to boil.
- Add pasta to water and stir to prevent the pasta from sticking together
- Boil for 10- 15 minutes till it's semi-cooked
- Drain pasta and set aside
Prepare Bolognese
- In a pot, heat oil and fry onion and garlic till browned
- Add beef to pot and break apart with spoon as it cooks and browns. Season with salt, pepper and beef bullion
- Create a little space in pot and add in tomato paste. Allow it fry on the side till it begins to separate ( should take 5-7 minutes) then mix it with the meat
- Pour canned diced tomatoes into the pot and cook for 10-15 minutes
- Add in Worchesershire sauce and liquid smoke to your sauce( optional). Season again with salt, beef bullion, rosemary, oregano, bayleaves, 1 chilli pepper and sugar
- Add drained spaghetti into the pot of sauce with a little pasta water and stir well. Allow it cook for 5 minutes
- SERVE
