This Weeknight Bolognese Tastes Like It's Been Simmering for Hours on a Sunday

I love a long-simmered Bolognese sauce — I yearn for it. Unfortunately, I rarely have the time on a weeknight to make that happen, even if my job is cooking. While I would never sit here and lie to your face (through my words, through a screen) and say this is just as good, it’s about as close as you can get in under an hour.

To get there, I’m pulling out all the flavor stops and techniques. First, I’m mixing my beef with a little baking soda. Not enough to make it taste weird, just enough to tenderize the beef and help it brown more efficiently. Without getting too technical, baking soda changes the pH of the beef, helping it retain more moisture when cooked — if the water stays in, the beef stays more tender and the outsides can brown much faster.

I’m also skipping carrots and celery (you can still add them if you have a little extra chopping time), but keeping pancetta, onions, and garlic, and adding a little beef bouillon to boost the flavor you might get from a long-simmering braise. This way, everyone can have a bowl of bolo any day!

Why You’ll Love It

• Tender, but not time-consuming. Get the texture of slow-braised sauce quickly with a little sprinkle of baking soda (don’t worry, you won’t taste it!).

• Minimal chopping. We’re sticking to the aromatic basics for a weeknight sauce that’s high on flavor and low on prep.

Key Ingredients in Spaghetti Bolognese

• Beef: Use lean ground beef to make the meaty sauce.

• Pancetta: For ease, buy a pack of the pre-chopped stuff.

• Aromatics: Onion, garlic, dried oregano, and beef bouillon help build big flavor, quickly.

• Baking soda: A little mixed into the ground beef acts as a tenderizer and encourages browning.

• Tomatoes: A combination of umami-rich tomato paste and canned crushed tomatoes lend the ideal texture and depth of flavor.

• Parmesan cheese: Stir some Parm into the sauce and sprinkle a little more on top for serving.

• Cream: A little cream (or half-and-half) will help keep the sauce tender, rich, and balance the tomato acidity.

• Spaghetti: Even though it’s in the name, you can use whatever long or short pasta shape you like, so long as it’s sturdy enough to hold up to a meaty sauce!

How to Make Spaghetti Bolognese

1. Tenderize the beef. Combine ground beef and baking soda in a bowl and let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients and start the sauce.

2. Cook the aromatics and brown the beef. Cook pancetta until lightly browned, then add onions and garlic. Add the ground beef, breaking up into smaller pieces. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil.

3. Deglaze the pan. Add tomato paste, dried oregano, and red pepper flakes. Cook until darkened in color, then stir in red wine and beef bouillon. Cook until the wine is nearly evaporated.

4. Simmer the sauce. Add heavy cream and a can of crushed tomatoes and simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened. Meanwhile, cook the pasta until almost al dente, reserving some of the cooking water before you drain.

5. Sauce the pasta. Add the spaghetti, some of the pasta water, and shredded Parmesan to the pot of sauce. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce clings to the pasta. Serve with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

Helpful Swaps

• Swap red pepper flakes for a teaspoon or two of Calabrian chili paste.

• Add finely chopped carrots and/or celery if you have a little extra time or extra vegetables in your crisper.

• Garnish with some chopped parsley or a chiffonade of fresh basil.

• Use a potato masher to get the finest texture of ground beef.

• Use wider pappardelle or a short pasta shape like rigatoni or paccheri.

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Rewarm in a covered pot and toss with the cooked spaghetti, cooking water, and Parmesan before serving. Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

What to Serve With Spaghetti Bolognese

• Caesar Salad

• Roasted Broccoli

• Sautéed Mustard Greens

• Celery Salad with Green Apple Vinaigrette

• Melting Cauliflower

• Chopped Broccoli Salad with Warm Honey Vinaigrette

Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Zero to braised in under an hour.

Prep time 15 minutes

Cook time 40 minutes

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon water

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 pound lean ground beef

• 4 ounces diced pancetta (about 1 cup)

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Olive oil, as needed

• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup tomato paste

• 2 teaspoons dried oregano

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional), plus more for serving

• 3/4 cup dry red wine

• 1 beef bouillon cube, crumbled, or 1 teaspoon beef bouillon paste

• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

• 1/3 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

• 1 ppound dried spaghetti

• 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese (about 1/2 cup store-bought pre-grated), plus more for serving

Instructions

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1. Stir 1 tablespoon water and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda together in a large bowl. Add 1 pound lean ground beef and stir until well combined. Let sit for at least 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients and start the sauce.

2. Cook 4 ounces diced pancetta in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in 1 finely diced medium yellow onion and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 4 minutes. If the pan begins to dry out, add up to 1 tablespoon olive oil.

3. Add the beef mixture and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, until cooked through, 5 to 6 minutes. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

4. Stir 1/4 cup tomato paste, 2 teaspoons dried oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using into the beef mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup dry red wine and 1 crumbled beef bouillon cube, and cook until the wine is almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes and 1/3 cup heavy cream, and bring to a simmer.

5. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened and the flavors meld, 15 to 20 minutes. (If you have time, you can always simmer longer to build even more flavor.) Taste and season with more kosher salt as needed.

6. While the sauce is simmering, add 1 pound dried spaghetti to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for 1 minute less than al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain.

7. Add the spaghetti, 1/2 cup of the pasta water, and 1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese to the sauce. Cook, tossing constantly, until the sauce clings to the pasta, adding more pasta water a little at a time as needed to thin out. Serve with more grated Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The sauce can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container, or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Rewarm in a covered pot and toss with the cooked spaghetti, cooking water, and Parmesan before serving.

Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

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