Easy Weeknight Pasta Bolognese - ready in about an hour, this pasta sauce tastes like it's been simmering all day!
Onions, carrots, garlic, celery, ground beef, crushed tomatoes, parsley and basil. Everyone loves this easy weeknight bolognese!
Pasta Bolognese gets it's name because it's a pasta sauce that originated in Bologna, Italy. Which I'm guessing must also be where bologna comes from.
The classic bolognese sauce can use several kinds of meat, usually beef, veal, and pork. It can have wine or heavy cream. Depending on the recipe you'll find it cooks anywhere from 2 hours to 4 ½ hours.
We love pasta, but it's a bit of an ordeal. A worthy ordeal, but still an ordeal. Not something I want to tackle on a Monday or a Tuesday.
What if I told you that you could have an easy Weeknight Pasta Bolognese, ready in about an hour? You can, and it's so good!
I found this recipe for Simple Bolognese in Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes from Giada De Laurentiis. Giada talks about loving bolognese sauce so much that her mother had to come up with an easy bolognese recipe that was quicker than the traditional.
I so envy a childhood filled with pasta like this. The pasta of my childhood came in a blue box, with a foil packet of bright orange cheese powder.
Instructions.
The secret to making an easy weeknight bolognese sauce is a food processor. The bolognese sauce calls for minced onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. I've minced it by hand and I've minced it with a food processor and it's so much easier. Just cut the onion, celery, and carrots into about 2 inch pieces and toss them and the garlic into the food processor.
Pulse until they are finely minced - you want pieces that are about ¼ inch to ⅛ of an inch.
You then brown the vegetables with the ground beef. Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, and salt and pepper and cook for 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Stir in the cheese and serve over your favorite pasta.
Smile and accept all the compliments.
More simple pasta recipes.
Recipe.
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Weeknight Pasta Bolognese
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 stalk celery minced
- 1 carrot peeled and minced
- 1 pound ground chuck
- 28 ounce crushed tomatoes canned
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
- 8 basil leaves chopped
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup Pecorino Romano cheese freshly grated
- ½ pound dried pasta
Instructions
- Over medium heat, heat the oil in a medium skillet. When almost smoking, add the onion and garlic and sauté for about 8 minutes.
- Add the celery and carrot and sauté for about 5 more minutes.
- Increase the heat to high and add the ground chuck. Brown the meat, breaking up large clumps for about 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
- Add the tomatoes, parsley, basil, ½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
- Add pasta to sauce and stir in the Pecorino Romano cheese and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
Caroline says
Looks great, and in all honesty I think nearly every Bolognese I make is a quick version! Have never tried using the food processor to break up the veg for it, though, must give that a try.
Pam Greer says
The food processor makes it so easy and so finely diced.
Ginny says
Nothing beats a great and simple pasta meal in the middle of the week. Love your herbs and flavorings!
Pam Greer says
Thank you! Yes pasta is a perfect middle of the week pick me up!
Katie Crenshaw | A Fork's Tale says
Bolognese is so flavorful. This recipe looks so easy. I am definitely adding it to my list to try. It is the perfect comfort food for the winter.
Pam Greer says
I agree!
marisa says
Bolognese is my bf's favorite. I'm going to have to make this version!
Pam Greer says
Yes, you need to try it! So easy and still delicious!
Sherri says
Thanks for reminding me of that awesome cookbook by Giada. I definitely need to revisit my cookbook collection soon. I used to cook from them all the time when I first got married. This Bolognese is perfect for weeknights but also for busy weekends too when the kids have games, play dates, school projects, etc. etc. So many amazing flavors coming together in this dish! Yum! 🙂
Pam Greer says
I know! I pulled it out the other day and started paging through it and saw all the recipes that I used to make all the time!
Bella Rum says
You know, I think I actually saw her make this on the show and even looked it up on line with every intention to make it. I must try this. I love Giada and anything Italian.
Chris says
Pam, that is a great shot. That steam just lightly coming off is fantastic.
Lea Ann (Cooking on The Ranch) says
Sounds like a cookbook I need to get. Nice photo Pam.
Couscous & Consciousness says
I was definitely hooked at easy! I love bolognaise and yours looks wonderful.
Mary says
Pam, this looks and sounds delicious and you photo of the dish is sensational. My family loves this kind of meal and I'll have to give this a try. Have a great weekend. Blessings...Mary.
grace says
i love bolognese for its delicious taste and for the fact that it lends itself to some extremely entertaining faux-italian pronunciation. 🙂
Kim says
Bolognese is probably one of my favorite meals of all time. A definite go-to dish.
June says
Yum - never get enough of it and even love the leftovers cold for breakfast. Don't say it...I know 🙂
Betsy Adams says
Sounds delicious, Pam... I always love spaghetti dishes ---and as you said, leftover spaghetti is also delicious!!!Hugs,Betsy
Amy says
You had me at "easy"...and also? A Bolognese that doesn't have to simmer for 3 hours? I'm in.
Marjie says
That's my traditional Friday night dinner right there. Gotta love easy and filling.
La Table De Nana says
We are having a very similar one tonight:)
Joanne says
So many comfort food dishes take an absurd amount of time to make...I love one that comes together easy-peasy!