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Weeknight Bolognese on a plate
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Weeknight Bolognese

Weeknight Bolognese whips together your favorite Italian dish in a cinch no matter how chaotic your day has been. A new family favorite!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Italian
Keyword bolognese recipes, pasta sauce recipes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 1191kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef, 80/20
  • 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 3/4 cups red wine, divided
  • 1 (28-ounces) can tomato sauce
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 pound spaghetti
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Garnish:

  • 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

Instructions

  • Heat the oil (2 tablespoons) in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef (1 pound) and brown, crumbling with a wooden spoon, until there is no longer any pink, about 6-8 minutes.
  • Add the garlic (1 tablespoon), Italian seasoning (1 tablespoon), rosemary (1 teaspoon), and red pepper flakes (1/4 teaspoon) to the skillet and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes or until the garlic has softened.
  • Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the red wine and scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.
  • Stir in the tomato sauce (1 can), tomato paste (2 tablespoons), salt (2 teaspoons), and black pepper (1/2 teaspoon) until evenly combined. Bring to a boil, then immediately reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
  • While the sauce simmers, cook pasta (1 pound) in well-salted water according to package instructions. Drain well. Return pasta to pasta pot.
  • Stir in the nutmeg 91/4 teaspoon), cream (1 cup), and remaining 1/4 wine to the sauce and continue to simmer for another 10 minutes.
  • Pour the sauce and Parmesan (1/2 cup) over the pasta and toss to evenly coat. Transfer to a serving bowl, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve.

Notes

  1. Italian Seasoning: Ever wonder what, exactly, is in Italian seasoning? The exact combination can vary, but at its core, Italian seasoning mixes are the herbs most associated with Italian cooking. Commonly, you’ll see oregano, basil, and thyme, as the mixture in the McCormick version.
  2. Red Wine: Since red wine has such a prominent richness in this dish, you want to make sure you choose the best red wine for sauces. I, personally, love a good Pinot Noir wine — they’re dark but not bitter, with smooth, earthy notes that don’t overpower the other ingredients. But feel free to adapt your wine choice based on your own tastes!
  3. Beef: For this recipe, I recommend using 80/20 ground beef. What is that? 80/20 refers to the fat content found in ground beef. You can buy beef with less fat (90/10), but this recipe benefits from added fat for flavor and texture.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/4 of the recipe | Calories: 1191kcal | Carbohydrates: 105g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 57g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Cholesterol: 171mg | Sodium: 2795mg | Potassium: 1346mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1321IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 269mg | Iron: 5mg