Description
This Veggie Bolognese is a hearty and flavorful twist on the classic Italian meat sauce, incorporating finely diced and grated vegetables for added nutrition and texture. Cooked slowly to blend the rich flavors of beef, fresh veggies, and tomato passata, it pairs perfectly with your favorite pasta for a comforting, family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 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 (I used Swiss brown)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
Meat and 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 and Garnish
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine (or pasta of choice), cooked as per the 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 diced onion and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Sauté vegetables – Add the finely diced celery, grated carrot, grated zucchini, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables have softened. The salt helps draw out moisture and tenderize the veggies without browning them.
- Add mushrooms and garlic – Stir in the diced mushrooms and freshly minced garlic. Continue cooking and stirring for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms soften.
- Brown the beef – Add the minced beef to the pan, stirring and breaking it up with a spoon. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the beef is browned all over.
- Incorporate tomato paste – Stir the tomato paste into the beef and vegetable mixture, allowing it to cook briefly to enhance flavor.
- Add liquids and seasoning – Immediately pour in the passata, beef stock, bay leaves, caster sugar, and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the sauce – Reduce heat to medium–low, cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar, and let the sauce simmer gently for 25–30 minutes. Stir occasionally until the sauce thickens and flavors meld.
- Toss pasta and serve – Remove and discard the bay leaves. Combine the cooked fettuccine with the sauce using tongs to coat evenly. Serve immediately, sprinkled generously with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- Using sea salt helps draw out moisture from the vegetables, ensuring they soften properly without browning.
- Grating the carrots and zucchini means they cook quickly and blend seamlessly into the sauce, adding moisture and nutrition.
- Swiss brown mushrooms are preferred for their meaty texture and earthy flavor, but any mushroom variety can be used.
- If you want to make this dish vegetarian, substitute the ground beef with finely diced mushrooms or plant-based mince and use vegetable stock instead.
- For a richer sauce, you can add a splash of red wine during the simmering stage.
- Leftover sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
