Spaghetti Bolognese

The all-time favourite dish and the most searched for recipe on this site. This is not a true bolognese sauce, but a variation that is used anywhere north of Italy. I tend to prepare huge amounts and freeze what I don't eat. I've carefully measured the ingredients and played around with different amounts and found the recipe below to be the best - but please feel free to modify! This will give you a not too salty bolognese with a very slight sharpness to it - my kids eat it as well. If you like your food hot, add more of the chili paste. Also, some people like more garlic in their sauce, so feel free to add more.

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5 star rating based on 6451 reviews

Ingredients for 4

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Bolognese Sauce

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Ingredients
1 kgchopped tomatoes (1100 grams)
350 gramsbeef mince
2 onionsonion (medium size, 160g each) (350 grams)
60 gramstomato concentrate
2 1/2 teaspoonshoney (12 grams)
2 3/4 clovesfresh garlic (medium size, 3g each) (8 grams)
3/4 teaspoonshot chili paste (4 grams)
3/4 teaspoonssalt (4 grams)
3/4 teaspoonspaprika (2.5 grams)
2 teaspoonsdried oregano (2 grams)
3/4 teaspoonsground black pepper (1.5 grams)
80 mlsred wine
80 mlsolive oil
2 splashesworcester sauce (4 grams)
Salt content: 0.2% (by weight, not counting salt in other ingredients)

Spaghetti

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Show US units

Ingredients
800 gramsspaghetti
1 1/4 tablespoonbutter (16 grams)
3/4 teaspoonssalt (4 grams)
2.5 litreswater (2500 mls)
1 1/4 tablespoonolive oil (20 mls)
Salt content: 0.2% (by weight, not counting salt in other ingredients)
Serve with chopped basil and grated reggiano cheese

Method

Bolognese Sauce

Peel and chop the onions. Pour the olive oil into a sizeable saucepan, heat it and fry the onions until translucent. Add the mince and fry until the mince is brown and crumbly. Now add the wine, worcester sauce, spices, tomatoes, squeezed garlic, chili paste, honey and tomato concentrate. Simmer for at least 45 minutes, or, if you have the time, for 2 hours.

Spaghetti

Bring the water to a boil. Add the olive oil and salt, then the spaghetti.
I normally use a timer to keep track of the cooking time (check the pasta package) - it tends to be between 9 and 12 minutes depending on the variety.
Check at the lower end of the cooking time to see if they are "al dente" - meaning they still have a bit of a bite. Now put out the whole lot into a colander which you have placed in your sink. Turn on the cold water and rinse the spaghetti under the water (whilst they are still in the colander).
Put the saucepan back onto the hob and add the butter. Melt the butter, then put the spaghetti back into the saucepan and heat them up whilst turning them. The pasta will taste great, not stick together and be just right. You can also re-heat it if someone appears late for dinner.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Bolognese Sauce

Recipe PhotoOur ingredients.
Recipe PhotoTake the top and bottom off the onions.
Recipe PhotoPeel them
Recipe PhotoCut them into chunky slices
Recipe PhotoHalve the slices ...
Recipe Photo... and cut them into strips
Recipe PhotoIf your garlic has any green bits inside, take them out - prevents bad breath and indigestion.
Recipe PhotoPut the olive oil into a sizeable saucepan.
Recipe PhotoNow add the chopped onions.
Recipe PhotoThese are the dried spices to be added later.
Recipe PhotoWhen the onions have changed colour, add the mince
Recipe PhotoA nice splash of Worcester Sauce won't hurt.
Recipe PhotoFry the mince and the onions until the mince is nice and crumbly - we want to get rid of most of the excess moisture.
Recipe PhotoNow add the glass of red wine.
Recipe PhotoThese are the dried spices (salt, pepper, paprika, oregano).
Recipe PhotoAdd the tinned chopped tomatoes.
Recipe PhotoPress the garlic cloves into the sauce.
Recipe PhotoAdd the chilli paste ...
Recipe Photo... the honey ...
Recipe Photo... and the tomato concentrate.
Recipe PhotoLet it simmer on low heat for a minimum of 45 minutes - stirring occasionally so it won't burn. This is to reduce the sauce so it will be nice and thick and blend together. I normally simmer the sauce for two hours.
Recipe PhotoAh! You won't want to stop tasting ...

Spaghetti

Recipe PhotoBring the water to a boil, add salt and olive oil. Put the spaghetti into the boiling water. You can bend them around the saucepan once they have been in the boiling water for a couple of seconds. These photos show a single portion of spaghetti.
Recipe PhotoNothing wrong with using a timer - taste the spaghetti after the recommended cooking time is over. They should be "al dente".
Recipe PhotoWhen the spaghetti are to your liking, pour them into a colander and rinse them under cold water - yes, you want the pasta to actually cool down.
Recipe PhotoMelt the butter in your saucepan ...
Recipe Photo... and put the well-drained spaghetti back into the saucepan.
Recipe PhotoNow stir whilst re-heating the pasta in the melted butter until they are hot.
Recipe PhotoPresto - your spaghetti bolognese! This is my favourite dish of all times. Serve with grated Reggiano and some chopped basil.

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Comments:
10lovely..i always do it
8very nive
10This is best spag bol recipe. Its the original page i thought myself how to make spag bol years ago, i printed out the instructions but lost after a house move. only now have a found the page again. Thank you for the step by step guide its a gem for those who self thought how to cook online
8Top drawer mate!! Nice and easy!!
8Looks like a really good meat sauce, but please don't call it a bolognese sauce, which it does not resemble in any way.
10Brilliant
10Pats geriausias Spaghetti Bolognese receptas, tiesiog tobulas !!!
10Great
10absolutely perfect !
10i love this recipe. my family say its better than restaurant taste
10Brilliant. So flavoursome, unbelievably moreish.
10Put carrot, magnificent.
10Yummy
10very nice
10Really tasty, beautiful flavours. I add a couple of bay leaves to mine and some fresh tomatoes/passata but that's it. perfecto!
10Great
9Very nice maybe next time i will put mushrooms or/and smoked bacon.
10This is brilliant. Thanks for the practical, easy to follow steps.
9Easy to follow instructions
10Perfect!
10Easy and tasty!! Had been using this recipe for the past 8 years!
10best ever!
10Best ever tasted! It's soo indifferent from the other stuff and it's made from scratch. Love it!
10Super great for TBI clients
10Fabulous ...the best bolognese ever &#128076
10Brilliant
10Brilliant
10Fanx. Shall try this tonight.
10Sweet recipe
5you have tried but still try to put more interesting picture that will attract people
10brilliant , my son wants to learn how to cook , but being special needs has trouble reading , excellent keep up the good work.
10Brilliant recipe - have made many times always with compliments!
10Amazing recipe
10Good to see photos and good tips makes it so easy
10Excellent recipe. Used weekly
10Was so helpful going to make a good tea tonight
10My 'go to' recipie everything
9thanks good guide
10The best spaghetti bolengese ever!!
10step by step guide so easy thank you
10This is the best set out recipe I've ever come across. Well done & many thanks from a novice... Tastes great too!
1010 i gave it a perfect rate because it is very detailed.,oh how to prepare ,good and great.
10wow great step by step thank you
10Wonderful, ur recipe are straight.
10It is great I can get any recipe I want
10Declicious, Thanks.
10fantastic
10Spot on ! Gora dwi wedi blasu !! A*
10Wonderful illustration of the recipe, thank you.
10very good advice thankz.