This weeknight bolognese is a quick and easy Italian meat sauce that is packed with flavor but takes less time than a traditional bolognese. It's so good, you might never take the time to make the 4-8 hour version again.
When it comes to pasta dishes, many times I'm looking for quick and easy dishes - from penne al baffo to bucatini cacio e pepe to garlic butter pasta to spicy rigatoni.
But traditionally bolognese isn't one of those dishes. By taking a few shortcuts, including using some dried herbs and tomato puree so the sauce is already broken down, you get that rich/comforting flavor you expect from a dish that is known to take hours.
It truly lives up to the name of weeknight bolognese!
Why This Recipe Works
- Quick to prepare - instead of simmering for hours, you can have this pasta dish on the dinner table under 45 minutes.
- Flavorful - with beef, wine, cream and cheese, this is Italian comfort food 101.
- Restaurant worthy - despite it's short cook time, you'll be impressed by the bold flavors.
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Ingredient Notes
- Beef - bolognese is a fancy meat sauce, so ground beef plays an important part in the flavor.
- Herb/spices - the herbs and spices are key to adding flavors quickly to the dish. Basil, I always go with fresh however as the dried just doesn't taste the same.
- Wine - you need a quality dry red wine as it helps dissolve the fats but also adds some acidity to bring balance to this weeknight bolognese.
- Tomatoes - using a combination of tomato puree and tomato paste helps thin the sauce but also adds a rich tomato flavor.
- Cream - an important ingredient to the dish, as it adds some richness.
- Pasta - I like to use orecchiette as it really soaks up the sauce.
Ingredient Swaps
While this weeknight bolognese is pretty perfect, you can mix up the ingredients. Some variations include:
- While ground beef is traditional for this recipe, you can also use ground pork or even ground turkey/chicken.
- I use dried herbs as they are easier and quicker, but fresh works too. Just triple the amount as they aren't as potent.
- I like the added creaminess from heavy cream, but milk is a good substitute.
- I'm a fan of orecchiette , but you can use any pasta you like - from pappardelle to rigatoni to penne.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Cook the chopped onion in a skillet with olive oil over medium heat before adding the beef and browning.
Add in the garlic, herbs and red pepper flakes, cooking for another minute.
Deglaze the skillet with the wine, scarping up any brown bits.
Add in the tomato puree, paste, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the nutmeg, basil and cream to the sauce. Stir in the pasta and Parmesan cheese and serve.
FAQs
Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce that includes tomatoes, wine and either milk or cream and originated in Bologna, Italy - hence the name. It's different from spaghetti sauce which in general is primarily tomatoes but no meat.
Yes. Wine is a key ingredient to giving this bolognese its depth of flavor. And using a wine you'd be willing to drink is even more important so don't go cheap on the wine.
Remember, once you open the wine to cook you have to drink it and that's never a bad thing.
This weeknight bolognese will last about 3 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
You can also keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
My preferred method is placing the leftover pasta in a skillet with a splash of water. Cook on medium-low until heated through.
You can also microwave. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with a splash of water and microwave for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another minute or until heated through.
Side Dish Suggestions
While this weeknight bolognese recipe is perfect on its own. You can serve with a variety of sides including:
Equipment
The equipment you use is important to how the weeknight bolognese turns out. What is needed is the following:
- Skillet/Dutch oven - you want something large enough to cook the sauce.
- Spoon - you want a good wooden spoon to stir everything together.
- Cheese grater - I mentioned multiple time but use a cheese block and grate yourself.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use quality dry red wine that you’d be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. Chianti or Pinot Noir are best.
- If using fresh herbs, triple the amount as it isn't as strong.
- Cook the pasta until just al dente as it will cook more when tossing in sauce.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan to finish the sauce. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
Other Pasta Recipes
If you’ve tried this weeknight bolognese or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Weeknight Bolognese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ sweet onion, diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 1 (29 oz can) tomato puree
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried nutmeg
- ¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
- ⅓ cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 lb orecchiette
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoon of olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and add ground beef, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon. Cook for about 5-7 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and beginning to brown.
- Stir in garlic, oregano, thyme and red pepper flakes and cook for an additional minute. Pour wine in to scrape up any brown bits. Add the tomato puree, tomato paste salt and pepper, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat, simmering for 10 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering bring pot of salted water to boil and cook pasta according to directions.
- With pasta cooking finish the sauce by adding the nutmeg, basil and cream. Drain pasta and add to sauce, stirring in Parmesan cheese. Top with some Parmesan and basil.
Notes
- Use quality dry red wine that you’d be willing to drink. The flavor of the sauce comes from the wine. Chianti or Pinot Noir are best.
- If using fresh herbs, triple the amount as it isn't as strong.
- Cook the pasta until just al dente as it will cook more when tossing in sauce.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan to finish the sauce. Never buy pre-shredded Parmesan cheese as it contains wood pulp. Blocks of Parmesan cheese are also cheaper.
Chris says
Bolognese is one of my favorites!