Spaghetti Bolognese – Rich and rustic slow cooker spaghetti Bolognese with a sauce bursting with flavor to cover your pasta (or veggies) of choice!
Bolognese sauce is straightforward to make on the stovetop, but what about in the slow cooker? Even better when the slow cooker takes care of everything! This dish will be a hit with your family!
This traditional dish is a delicious and cost-effective way to feed your family! What you want to serve with your pasta is ground beef gently cooked in fragrant tomato sauce with onions, garlic, carrots, and celery! We’ve been craving comfort food that’s also nutritious recently.
What might I create to appease both adults and children who are finicky eaters? This recipe is a traditional Italian beef sauce that is a family favorite. My incredibly easy pasta is the perfect weeknight dish that will impress your family or visitors.
Table of Contents
What Is Spaghetti Bolognese?
Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic Italian meal with a meaty sauce, and though I prefer to use ground beef in mine, it will merely give you a richer flavor. I use a low-sodium beef broth instead. Our favorite method to eat Bolognese is in a slow cooker or crockpot. Meat that is so soft and supple that it comes apart all over your spaghetti. This family recipe makes enough for any leftovers to be frozen for an emergency meal or enough for the next day. Simply cook some more spaghetti, and you’ll enjoy a restaurant-quality supper for the second day in a row! NO COOKING IS ALLOWED! Except for cooking the pasta, which is an easy task in and of itself. OR, do like we do and slather the leftovers all over bread.
Spaghetti Bolognese In a Slow Cooker:
Over the years of cooking this sauce, I’ve discovered that browning the beef prior before putting it in the slow cooker tastes fantastic. I used to pour everything in the slow cooker without browning the beef beforehand, but we didn’t like the taste of “stewed beef.”
I’ve also discovered that cooking the onion and garlic before adds a fantastic depth of flavor.
How To Make Spaghetti Bolognese :
- Cook the meat: In a large pan or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes, breaking up the ground beef as it cooks, until it is no longer pink.
- Cook for another 3 minutes, until the onion softens, before adding the vegetables, spices, and wine. Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Stir in beef bouillon and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the majority of the liquid has evaporated.
- Toss in the smashed tomatoes, basil, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower to a medium-low heat. Cook for 20 minutes with the lid on the pot.
- Finish the sauce by whisking in the heavy cream and, if necessary, adjusting the spice. If the sauce is overly thick, thin it up with some of the pasta water.
To make my Bolognese sauce creamier, I like to add a tiny touch of heavy cream. I believe it makes a significant impact. You can make it with feta cheese, like my sister and I do, but if you’re not feeling courageous, use some nice freshly grated Parmesan cheese and plenty of fresh basil to finish it off.
Spaghetti Bolognese Ingredients:
Since I first began to cook as a youngster, I’ve stuck to this Meat Sauce recipe. There are three minor differences in this recipe from other Bolognese dishes you may have seen:
- Worcestershire sauce: it just adds a little something extra to the dish. If I’m in a scenario where I have to go without, I feel irritable;
- Beef bouillon cubes (beef stock cubes) for added flavor depth in the sauce, to compensate for the fact that this is an ordinary midweek version rather than a classic slow cooked Bolognese Ragu that starts with a Soffrito (slowly sautéed onion, celery, and carrot).
- Sugar, if desired: if you aren’t using high-quality, sweet Italian canned tomatoes, a little amount goes a long way to change the sauce. In Australia, supermarket canned tomatoes are infamously sour. It hurts me to say this, but it’s true, especially with the Australians.
What’s the difference between a Bolognese sauce and a meat sauce?
It’s the same thing with a different name! Bolognese is cooked in a variety of ways all throughout Italy and the world, but it’s basically minced meat (typically beef) in a tomato-based sauce with herbs.
Tossing the pasta with the sauce is the “correct” method to serve it:
Instead of just placing pasta in bowls and spooning over sauce, I toss the pasta IN the sauce, like I do with all of my pasta dishes.
The Bolognese sauce thickens, turns glossy, and adheres to the spaghetti as a result of this. There will be no more dripping sauce at the bottom of your spaghetti bowl! Chefs and Italians create pasta in this manner. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll be converted!
It is, however, an optional step. You just don’t have the energy to clean another pan every now and then. I get what you’re saying.
What to serve with Bolognese Spaghetti:
Serve this with the following for a traditional Italian meal:
- Garlic Bread – alternatively, for something a little more decadent, Cheesy Garlic Bread (or go over-the-top with Crack Bread). For a more traditional start, true Italian Focaccia is a good choice.
- Garden Salad with Italian Dressing (necessary for a crisp, fresh salad!)
- Finish with a Tiramisu and a Espresso Martini on the side.
Make this Rocket Parmesan Salad with Balsamic Dressing for a fast side salad.
This is how I’ve been preparing Spaghetti Bolognese for decades (oh, that sounds terrifying!!). I adore it, and I believe the sauce is very thick and flavorful, especially for a 30-minute Bolognese. Slow cook it for a couple of hours if you have the time. The meat acquires a rich flavor and becomes very soft. In any case, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
The Best Bolognese Sauce Has A Secret:
1 pound of lean beef, 1 tablespoon olive oil, canned diced tomatoes, and tomato passata are used in this dish. Ingredients that are very healthy.
This sauce’s foundation is a mixture of chopped onion, carrot, and celery sautéed in olive oil. It’s known as “Soffritto” in Italy, and it’s used as a base for a variety of sauces, soups, and stews.
I’ve been preparing Bolognese sauce for a long time and have tweaked it several times in search of the right flavor. The version I’m presenting today is unquestionably my finest and final version.
This traditional Italian sauce is simple to make and requires no particular skills other than patience and time. The final product is amazing and far from store-bought.
However, if you want something quick and meatless, try the tomato and basil pasta sauce, which takes only 20 minutes to prepare!
Time Saving Advice From Me:
To save time, chop all veggies in a food processor. This method of processing your vegetables also results in a smoother sauce.
When I have some free time or just want to relax in the kitchen without being interrupted, I dice all of the veggies by hand. Onions, carrots, and celery are some of the vegetables used in this dish. Everything. But because I didn’t have much time last night, I just tossed everything in the food processor and gave it a spin. Same flavor, less work, and even finicky diners won’t realize how many vitamins are concealed in that spaghetti sauce.
MORE DELICIOIUS RECIPES HERE:
Baked Garlic Parmesan Zucchini Chips
Did you make this recipe ? be sure to follow me on Pinterest, rate the recipe and tag #saltedcaramelgirl on Instagram!
Spaghetti Bolognese
Rich and rustic slow cooker spaghetti Bolognese with a sauce bursting with flavor to cover your pasta (or veggies) of choice! Bolognese sauce is straightforward to make on the stovetop
Ingredients
- 1 pound uncooked spaghetti
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound extra lean ground beef
- 1 big onion, chopped 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes 1 tbsp oregano, dry
- tomato paste, 2 tbsp
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- Tomatoes, crushed (28 oz) (1 can)
- 2 tblsp basil leaves, chopped
- 12 teaspoon salt, or salt to taste
- 12 teaspoon of pepper, or to taste
- a quarter-cup of heavy cream
- 12 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp basil, chopped, as a finishing touch
Instructions
Cook the pasta as directed on the packet. Keep the pasta water in case the sauce calls for it.
In a large pan or saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook for 3 minutes, breaking up the ground beef as it cooks, until it is no longer pink.
Cook for another 3 minutes, or until the onion softens, before adding the onion and garlic.
Stir in the oregano, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste. Stir in the red wine and heat for 5 minutes, or until the liquid has mostly evaporated.
Season with salt and pepper and add the smashed tomatoes and basil. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then lower to a medium-low heat. Cook for 20 minutes with the lid on the pot.
Add the heavy cream and taste to see if it has to be adjusted for seasoning. If the sauce is overly thick, thin it up with some of the pasta water.
Toss the spaghetti with the sauce in a large mixing bowl. Parmesan cheese and basil are sprinkled on top. Serve right away.
Notes
To freeze, let the sauce cool fully before transferring it to airtight containers. Because the sauce tends to discolor, I use disposable containers. The nutrition information is calculated on a per-serve basis out of a total of nine servings. The recipe says it serves 8, but you'll end up with around 2 extra servings!
Canned tomato — The sourness of mid-range canned tomatoes is well-known. A little of sugar may make a huge impact. The amount needed may vary depending on how sweet or sour the tomatoes and tomato paste are - taste and adjust accordingly. The higher the quality, the less sour they are, and hence the less sugar you will use.
Tossing the pasta sauce – See the post's comments on emulsifying the pasta sauce. This is how pasta is cooked the “right” manner in Italy, and how it is served in restaurants.
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