11 easy ways to jazz up your spaghetti bolognese
The humbleย Spaghetti Bologneseย is a family favourite in so many households. But there are SO MANY ways to makeย reliable spag bolย EVEN BETTER!!!ย Find out howโฆ
Bolognese has so many advantages for you and your family including:
- Itโs easy toย sneak in LOADSย of hidden veggies.
- It canย be prepared in a slow cooker (just pop it in there on low once you have got to the simmering stage).
- It can beย made in bulk and frozen in single or family size serves for busy nights.
- You canย cook the whole thing (pasta and all) in the one pot to save washing up โ check out ourย One Pot Spag Bol here.
But what else could we be doing to ourย Bolognese to take it to the next level?
11 easy ways to jazz up your spaghetti bolognese
1. Add Sun-Dried Tomatoes
You really want that depth of flavour that comes from the long slow cooking of a Bolognese, but havenโt got the time for a three hour simmer? Add some finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes. Sweet, sharp and savoury all at once. YUM!
2. Sneak More Veggies In
Most recipes will see you smuggling in some carrot and courgette but you can go so much further than that.ย Bolognese is a great disguise for whatever you have on hand โ think grated fresh beetroot (yes!), finely chopped mushrooms, aubergine, leek, finely diced red peppers, grated pumpkin or sweet potato. Even finely chopped spinach can be added.
A great tip for saving time on your vegetable prep for Bolognese is to pop everything into a food processor โ not only is it faster, it makes everything small and unrecognisable to small children. A second tip is to go slow โ donโt try to add ALL of these veggies at once or your cover will be blown.
3. Go Vegetarian
Feel like skipping the meat altogether? You can! Just use lentils instead of the mince. Remember though that the meat does add a lot of flavour, so you could consider adding a splash or two of soy sauce for a little more depth of flavour.
Members of theย 28 Day Weight Loss Challengeย have access to our great recipe for this Lentil Bologneseย on the recipe hub.
4. Include Wine
You can use stock alone, but adding about ยฝ to 1 cup of wine really helps balance out the heavier flavours of the meat. The good news is, it really doesnโt make much difference whether you choose red or white โ so go with whatever you have on hand.
5. Add Mushrooms
What most people love about Bolognese is the depth of flavour. A great way to punch things up a notch is to add a packet of rehydrated porcini mushrooms. Just cover them in boiling water and set aside for 10-15 minutes before draining, chopping, and adding to your pot after browning the meat.
6. Pour In Some Milk
Yes, milk! Try splashing some milk onto your Bolognese just before serving, and then give it a good stir. It will give your Bolognese a nice silky texture.
7. Mix Up Your Meats
There is no reason to go for 100 per cent beef mince in your Bolognese โ you could try chicken, prawns and chorizo. Or add some bacon!
In fact, a lot of people swear by the combination of pork and veal mince. Experiment with different types of mince and meats until you find what works for you and your family.
8. Try Courgette Noodles
Just when you thought you couldnโt add any more veggies, we suggest courgette noodles! These are a great way to add another serve of veg to your Bolognese. Not all kids will go for it, but why not try it, or just offer it to the adults?
You can also try peeling the courgette first before spiralising it (or use a veggie peeler for ribbons) and then offer half courgette noodles and half spaghetti so that it will look more like spaghetti.
9. Add Instant Coffee (Yes, REALLY!)
No, we havenโt totally lost our minds here. Again, itโs about adding more depth to the flavour of your Bolognese. It doesnโt taste like coffee, but you will really notice the difference if you add a teaspoon of instant coffee to your hot stock before adding it to the pot.
10. Include Dark Chocolate
You may have heard of dark chocolate being added to Mexican dishes, but it can work with your Bolognese too.
Simply grate a square of dark chocolate (at least 70%) over your pot, then stir it through, just before serving. The sweet chocolate helps to balance out the acidity of the tomatoes. You could also try using ยฝ a teaspoon of cocoa or cacao instead.
11. Forget The Pasta
Who says you need to serve it with pasta or noodles at all? Bolognese works so well in other ways too โ on top of a jacket potato, with brown rice and salad, on a wrap, in a taco.
Try mixing it up with some cooked gnocchi, sprinkle it with cheese and bake it in the oven. Or fill some baked halvesย of red peppers with Bolognese and sprinkle with fresh parsley. Itโs also fab whenย made into a toasted sandwich with a sprinkling of cheese.
You can find these recipesย on ourย 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge.
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