This fast-track recipe for Quick & Easy Spaghetti Bolognese makes a meat sauce that’s bursting with Italian flavor and cooks in just 30 minutes!
What’s your favorite pasta dish? That’s a difficult question, right? There are so many great ones! I could never pick just one, but this recipe is definitely one of my favorites.
Not only is this Spaghetti with Bolognese incredibly delicious, but it’s easy to make as well!
Whether you’re new to cooking or have advanced skills, this simple version of an Italian classic can be home-cooked from scratch and enjoyed by the whole family.
Every Sunday when I was a kid, our sauce would cook all day, and in our house, that was meat sauce. Who knew meat sauce didn’t have to take all day?
Why this recipe works:
- Cooking with fresh aromatics like garlic and onion adds big flavor, which is key to quick and easy recipes.
- Using a combination of fresh and dried herbs gives it a boost in flavor.
- Seasoning the sauce well with salt and pepper makes all the difference in shortening cooking time; it brings out the flavors of all the ingredients.
Making Bolognese meat sauce from scratch can not only be quick and easy, but delicious too!
Which Canned Tomatoes
Whole Plum Tomatoes are best because they are picked and canned at perfect ripeness. Canned tomato manufacturers save the best tomatoes for canning whole because they need to look pristine.
Whole peeled tomatoes break down easier too because the fully intact tomatoes have less surface area exposed to chemicals that keep them from breaking down too much in the can.
Choosing the Right Meat
Ground Chuck (Lean Mince in the UK) is beef cut from the shoulder. It has the best flavor. It’s a moist meat that ranges from 15 to 20% fat. It also has a rich flavor and tender texture.
Ground Sirloin (Extra Lean Mince in the UK) is beef cut from the mid-section. Its one of the leanest, most expensive varieties of ground beef. It ranges from 10 to 14% fat. The lower fat content ensures a sauce with less grease.
Perfect Spaghetti
Use a large pot with enough water to make sure Spaghetti doesn’t stick together. A good rule of thumb is to use at least four quarts of water for every pound of Spaghetti.
When cooking the Spaghetti, salt like you mean it. This is the only chance you get to add flavor to your spaghetti.
Test the Spaghetti by tasting it. Use the cooking time on the package as a guide, but set the timer one or two minutes earlier. Taste the Spaghetti and go from there to ensure the texture is right. Spaghetti should be al dente with a little bite.
Flavoring the Sauce
When you change a long cook dish to a quick and easy recipe, the best way to add flavor is to season well. So many people are afraid of salt, but you can learn to use it well.
The key to seasoning is to taste your food. Start with a little salt in the beginning and allow the food to cook before tasting for seasoning.
The reason you should wait is that as food cooks down, the liquid evaporates, but the salt remains. Taste at the end and season to taste (adding a little at a time).
Seasoning should be done well so no salt will be added at the table.
Over salted your food? All may not be lost. Did you know acid neutralizes the flavor if salt? If you’ve over seasoned a dish, add a little white vinegar a little at a time (tasting in between). You won’t taste the vinegar, but you’ll also tasteless salt.
How To Make Quick & Easy Spaghetti Bolognese:
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the garlic and fry another minute.
Add the ground beef
Fry until fully cooked and no pink shows at all in the meat. Then add the tomato paste and mix with the meat.
Add the oregano.
Add chopped tomatoes, parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
Simmer 15 minutes.
Serve with freshly cooked spaghetti.
This dish a real crowd-pleaser and loved by adults and kids alike!
Other Pasta Dishes You’ll Love
Cook’s Tips:
- Seasoning the meat with salt and pepper adds an extra kick of flavor which is key to speeding up the cooking time of this sauce.
- Make this sauce your own by adding whatever fresh or dried herbs of your choice or even some red wine which can be added and cooked down before adding the tomatoes.
- When adding the dried oregano, try rubbing it between your palms to release maximum flavor.
- Use good quality tomatoes when shopping for ingredients – don’t skimp, the better quality the tomatoes, the better the sauce will be.
- If you have the time, simmering the sauce for longer will add a deeper flavor.
- For extra depth of flavor, add a half cup of the wine of your choice before adding the tomatoes.
Freezing and Making Ahead:
- To freeze Bolognese sauce, store in an airtight, freezer safe container and freeze up to four months (once defrosted, it cannot be frozen again).
- This Bolognese Sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container for two days.
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Quick and Easy Spaghetti Bolognese
With this Spaghetti Bolognese recipe, the technique of the Italian classic has been simplified so you can create a tasty meal in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1-2 tablespoons dried oregano
- 1 28 ounce can of crushed or pureed tomatoes
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 good sized handful fresh parsley chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ pound spaghetti
- Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese for serving optional
Instructions
-
Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the garlic and fry another minute.
-
Add the ground beef; fry until fully cooked and no pink shows at all in the meat (about 8 minutes). Add the oregano and tomato paste and mix with the meat.
-
Add the tomatoes, parsley, and bring to a boil. Season with the salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, and cook for at least 15 minutes (you can cook longer for a deeper flavor).
-
In the meantime, cook the spaghetti according to the package instructions. Drain and serve topped with the sauce and cheese (if using).
Recipe Notes
- Use lean, low-fat meat to avoid a greasy sauce.
- Seasoning the meat with salt and pepper adds an extra kick of flavor which is key to speeding up the cooking time of this sauce.
- Make this sauce your own by adding whatever fresh or dried herbs of your choice or even some red wine which can be added and cooked down before adding the tomatoes.
- When adding the dried oregano, try rubbing it between your palms to release maximum flavor.
- Use good quality tomatoes when shopping for ingredients - don’t skimp, the better quality the tomatoes, the better the sauce will be.
- If you have the time, simmering the sauce for longer will add a deeper flavor.
- For extra depth of flavor, add a half cup of the wine of your choice before adding the tomatoes
Update Notes: This post was originally published on Feb 2, 2015, but was republished with step by step instructions, new photos, tips, FAQs and a video in August of 2018.
morton wishart says
Nearly had to substitute my first choice with fish and chips until I came across this recipe for spag bog. Great thanks.
Erren says
Oh wow, that’s wonderful to hear! 🙂
Beverley Sulzberger says
Excellent easy recipe. I add red pepper flakes for extra kick.
Erren's Kitchen says
Sounds good Beverley, Thank you for your feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed!
Ronnie says
This is the perfect no-fuss recipe bolognese recipe which my kid loves. You can add things like Worcester sauce and red fine or other spices and herbs like basil to enrich the taste but if this is the most straightforward way to cook it if time is not on your side (which happens a lot to us parents :D) Thanks for sharing
Erren's Kitchen says
Amazing Feedback Ronnie that is awesome to hear thank you!
azoreseuropa says
To be honest, it is an okay taste. Not great. This will be my last try and I am move to better one. This recipe is a little bit disappointment and not great.
Erren says
Sorry to hear it. Any feedback is always welcome – good, bad, or indifferent.
jennifer says
hi lol
Erren says
Hi 🙂
Laila says
Made this today for my extremely fussy kids and they loved it! It was so quick and easy too.
Erren's Kitchen says
Thank you, Laila That’s amazing to hear, Thank you for your feedback!
Sophia says
Excited to be making this for dinner tonight! I was wondering if you have the nutrition facts for the sauce alone, sans spaghetti? I have a spaghetti squash I’m going to make instead. Thank you!
Erren's Kitchen says
No sorry Sophia I have software that does the nutritional facts automatically for me which includes spaghetti so it isn’t me that does it, sorry!
Jane H says
Just Googled “easy bolognese sauce” because I mistakenly thought there was a store bought jar of sauce lurking in the back of my cupboard when there wasn’t.
Fortunately for me, I had all the ingredients needed and an odd Rosemary and Red Wine stock cube, so I threw that in too and I have to say it tastes amazing. won’t be bothering with store bought from now on .
Thanks !
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi, Jane that is amazing to hear! Thank you for your feedback was lovely to hear I could help!
Kay says
This is the first time I’ve cooked bolognese from scratch – I’m so excited that it was this tasty without coming out of a jar! All the tips and commentary were so useful – it means I’m learning more not just about this recipe, but about cooking in general. Thanks so much – this will be my go-to pasta recipe now!
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Kay, Your positive feedback is amazing to hear and I am so glad I could help you. I hope you keep trying new things I’m sure you’ll get the taste for cooking from scratch more and more!