QiMeal
Spaghetti Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese · ready in 3 h · 6 servings · 910 kcal per serving · medium · 19 ingredients
A slow-simmered meat sauce in the Bologna spirit: soffritto, wine, broth, and milk, served over al dente spaghetti with Parmesan and basil.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 2 h 40 min
- Total
- 3 h
- Serves
- 6
- kcal
- 910
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients · 6 servings
- 600 gSpaghetti pasta
- 600 gGround beef
- 150 gPork belly, diced
- 800 gCanned tomato, crushed
- 60 gTomato concentrate
- 150 gOnion, diced
- 150 gCarrot, diced
- 120 gCelery, diced
- 3 cloveGarlic, minced
- 250 mlDry red wine
- 500 mlBeef broth
- 200 mlMilk
- 60 gParmesan cheese, grated (to serve)
- 10 gFresh basil, torn (to serve)
- 30 mlSunflower oil
- 2 gOregano, dried
- 3 tspSalt
- 1 tspBlack pepper, ground
- 5 LWater
Equipment
stovetop, knife, cutting board, box grater, measuring jug, kitchen scale, heavy pot, pasta pot, wooden spoon, tongs, colander, slotted spoon
Instructions
- Mise En Place
Gather and measure all ingredients, dice vegetables, grate Parmesan, and set out a heavy pot, pasta pot, knife, board, spoon, tongs, and colander. · 20 min
What to look for: All vegetables are evenly diced and every ingredient is within reach.
- Render Pork Belly
Fry the pork belly in the heavy pot with 10 ml sunflower oil until the fat renders and the cubes brown, then lift it out. · 8 min
When it is done: Pork will continue cooking in the sauce and should reach at least 63°C / 145°F before serving.
- Soften Soffritto
Soften onion, carrot, and celery in the same pot with remaining oil for 8-10 minutes, then stir in garlic for 1 minute. · 11 min
What to look for: The vegetables look glossy, softened, and lightly golden without scorching.
- Brown Ground Beef
Add ground beef, salt, black pepper, and oregano, then break up and brown the meat until no raw patches remain. · 10 min
When it is done: Beef will finish during simmering and should reach 71°C / 160°F before serving.
- Deglaze Sauce Base
Pour in red wine and scrape the pot until the wine has mostly evaporated, then stir in canned tomato, tomato concentrate, and broth. · 8 min
What to look for: The wine smell softens and the sauce base turns deep red and evenly mixed.
- Slow Simmer Sauce
Simmer gently for 1 hour 40 minutes, stirring often, and return the pork belly so the sauce becomes thick, meaty, and glossy. · 1 h 40 min
When it is done: Beef is safely cooked above 71°C / 160°F and pork belly above 63°C / 145°F.
- Finish Pasta
Stir in milk for the last 20 minutes, then boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente and reserve 100 ml cooking water. · 20 min
What to look for: The sauce turns slightly softer in color and the spaghetti bends but keeps a firm center.
- Serve Bolognese
Toss spaghetti with enough sauce to coat, loosen with reserved water if needed, and serve topped with Parmesan and fresh basil. · 3 min
What to look for: Each strand is coated with sauce and the cheese begins to melt on top.
Nutrition (per serving)
| kcal | 910 |
|---|---|
| Protein | 43 g |
| Carbohydrates | 96 g |
| of which sugars | 14 g |
| Fat | 39 g |
| of which saturated | 14 g |
| Fibre | 8 g |
| Sodium | 1931 mg |
Nutri-ScoreC
Allergens
Contains: gluten, milk, celery, sulphites
Ingredient substitutions
Ground beef
- Pork belly: Use only if beef is unavailable; the sauce will be fattier and less classic.
Pork belly
- Ground beef: Use extra beef if pork belly is unavailable; the rendered pork richness will be missing.
Canned tomato
- Tomato concentrate: Dilute with broth during cooking; the sauce will be denser and less fresh.
Tomato concentrate
- Canned tomato: Cook longer to reduce moisture and build concentration.
Onion
- Garlic: Use sparingly as an aromatic fallback; it will not replace onion sweetness.
Carrot
- Sugar: Adds sweetness only; it cannot replace the body of carrot in the soffritto.
