Description
A hearty and flavorful Hidden Veggie Bolognese packed with finely diced and grated vegetables like zucchini, carrot, celery, and mushrooms, simmered with ground beef and a rich tomato sauce, perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner served over your choice of pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
Veggies:
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion (or 2 small onions), finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 large zucchini (courgette) or 2 small zucchini, peeled and grated
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
- 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms, finely diced (Swiss brown recommended)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
Meat & Sauce:
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) passata
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
- 2 bay leaves (dry or fresh)
- 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
Pasta & Serving:
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine or pasta of choice, cooked as per packet instructions
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the veggies – Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened. Add the celery, carrot, zucchini and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until softened. Don’t skip the salt as it draws out moisture and helps the veggies soften without browning. Then add the mushrooms and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
- Add the beef – Add the minced beef to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the beef is browned evenly.
- Add the remaining ingredients – Stir through the tomato paste, then immediately add the passata, beef stock, bay leaves, caster sugar, and salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer – Reduce the heat to medium–low and cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar. Let the sauce simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Toss the sauce with pasta and serve – Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Toss the cooked pasta through the sauce using tongs until well coated. Serve immediately sprinkled with the freshly grated parmesan cheese for added flavor.
Notes
- Using salt when cooking the vegetables is important to draw out moisture and soften them without browning.
- You can substitute the minced beef with minced turkey or plant-based mince for alternate dietary preferences.
- For a richer flavor, allow the sauce to simmer longer to concentrate the taste.
- Parmesan can be omitted or replaced with a vegan alternative for dietary restrictions.
