- 500g beef mince
- 1 onion
- 3 carrots
- 2 celery sticks
- 400g chestnut mushrooms
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tbsp Worcester sauce
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 330ml cherry tomato passata
- 400g spaghetti
- 40g Parmesan
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- Sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1.
Warm a deep frying pan or wok for 2 mins, then add ½ tbsp oil and the mince. Fry for 5-8 mins, stirring now and then to break up any lumps, till the beef is browned.
- 2.
While the mince fries, peel and finely chop the onion. Peel and finely chop the carrots. Trim the celery sticks and finely chop them.
- 3.
Stir the veg into the mince and pop on a lid (or use a baking tray if you don’t have a lid). Fry, stirring now and then, for another 5 mins till the veg start to look glossy.
- 4.
While the veg fry, finely slice the mushrooms. From this point, either follow the slow cooker method or the hob method.
- 5.
In the slow cooker Scoop the mince and veg into your slow cooker. Add the mushrooms, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp Worcester sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a gentle stir to mix. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and cherry tomato passata and gently stir.
- 6.
Put the lid on the slow cooker and set it to medium. Cook for 6 hrs, stirring once or twice during the cooking time (for faster bolognese, set the slow cooker to high for 4 hrs or go really low and slow by setting it to slow for 8 hrs).
- 7.
When the sauce is 30 mins from being cooked, put a large pan of salted water on to boil. When boiling, add the spaghetti and simmer for 8-10 mins. Drain and pile onto 4 warm plates. Taste the bolognese sauce and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Spoon over the spaghetti and serve with the parmesan cheese for grating.
- 8.
On the hob Add the mushrooms to the beef and veg, put the lid back on and fry for 5 mins till the mushrooms are juicy. Stir in 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tbsp Worcester sauce and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a gentle stir to mix. Tip in the chopped tomatoes and passata and gently stir.
- 9.
Cover the pan or wok. Set the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hr, stirring now and then, till the sauce has thickened and the mince is tender.
- 10.
When the sauce is 30 mins from being cooked, put a large pan of salted water on to boil. When boiling, add the spaghetti and simmer for 8-10 mins. Drain and pile onto 4 warm plates. Taste the bolognese sauce and add a pinch more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Spoon over the spaghetti and serve with the parmesan for grating.
- Tip
Eat & keep
If you want to keep some spag bol for later, pop it in a bowl and make sure the sauce and spaghetti are well mixed together. Divide into individual containers, cool and then store in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating till piping hot.