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Spaghetti Bolognese: 4 Hour Slow-Cooked Meat Sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese with Rich Meat Sauce
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A classic spaghetti bolognese recipe with a rich, slow-simmered meat sauce, perfect for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 6 ounces tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • Fresh basil leaves for garnish (optional)
  • Parmesan cheese for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  3. Add ground beef and ground pork to the pot. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  4. Pour in the red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
  5. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, and basil. Season with salt and pepper.
  6. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavor.
  7. About 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, cook the spaghetti according to package directions.
  8. Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot. Add about half of the bolognese sauce and toss to coat.
  9. Serve the spaghetti topped with the remaining sauce. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Notes

  • For an even richer flavor, you can add a bay leaf to the sauce while it simmers.
  • If you don’t have red wine, you can substitute with beef broth.
  • This sauce freezes well, so feel free to make a larger batch.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://sundayflavor.com/spaghetti-bolognese-rich-meat-sauce/