Bianca’s Bolognese
A Pinch of Background
I don’t know about you, but spaghetti was the first dish I ever attempted to cook as a kid. It was actually my sister and I cooking together for the first time, and although it looked beautiful once we plated it, I’ll never forget when we both said “well that was fast,” after only about 15 minutes of “cooking” it from start to finish…
No, ladies and gentlemen, spaghetti and meat sauce does not take 15 minutes to make. Thank goodness for takeout because it truly came to the rescue that day. But that day is honestly one of of my favorite memories. I’m happy to share that i’ve figured out a delicious meat sauce ever since!
Everyone needs a classic pasta sauce recipe readily available. Although this recipe is not a classic bolognese with carrots, celery and sometimes even milk, which are all very fine things, this is still a dependable sauce that pairs well with any pasta. My take is really all about using pantry staples and quality beef. We also want to make sure to season every layer of the sauce. The best part is that it’s ready in under 30 minutes! This is my simple go to meat sauce for any pasta shape and size, and I hope it will be yours too. Boil some water for your pasta and let’s get started!
Our Ingredients
1 sweet yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped or minced
1 pound of ground beef (grass-fed is best if you can get your hands on it!)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 24 ounce can of crushed tomatoes or tomato puree
1/2 teaspoon of oregano or your favorite Italian seasoning blend
1 teaspoon of garlic granules
1 pinch of grated nutmeg
1 chicken bullion cube (vegetable or beef bullion are perfectly fine as well, you can even use a cup of stock)
3/4 cup of pasta water
A drizzle of balsamic vinegar
Always have extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper ready!
Instructions
Heat up some olive oil in a pan over medium-low heat. Once the oil starts to lightly ripple, add your onions and a few pinches of salt and pepper. Cook until translucent. Then add your garlic, stirring frequently.
Once the garlic becomes fragrant, place the heat on medium high and add your ground beef to the pan, breaking it up into larger globs with the back of a wooden spoon. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper. Stir occasionally, with a few breaks in between, so that the meat can brown.
Once your meat starts to brown, break up your bouillon cube and sprinkle over the meat. Add your garlic granules, oregano, nutmeg, and, of course, a few generous pinches of salt and pepper. Drizzle a bit of olive oil to make sure the spices do not dry out the meat and onions. Stir together, taking a few breaks in between, until the meat is fully cooked.
Add your tomato paste, stir together until fully incorporated with the meat. Cook until everything starts to cling to the tomato paste and it turns into a brick red color. You will also see a few red and brown bits start to develop at the bottom of the pan. Now would be the time to add about a cup of red wine if you’d like and cook until it is evaporated, but this is completely optional. Moving right along…
Add your can of tomatoes and a few pinches of salt and pepper (remember how I said we will season every layer…? Told you!). You may also add a bit more oregano if you’d like to, depending on your preferences.
Assuming you were making your pot of pasta in the meantime, add your pasta water, and stir until fully incorporated. Bring to a simmer, and cook covered for 8 minutes, and then uncovered for around 5 mins. You’ll know it is ready when you can scrape the bottom of the pan with your spoon and the sauce slowly follows along the path of the spoon.
We’re done! Drizzle a little olive oil on top. Serve over your favorite pasta, add freshly grated parmesan and some chopped parsley to finish it off. Enjoy!
