Spaghetti Bolognese recipe – best spag bol

Rich, hearty and deeply satisfying, this classic spaghetti bolognese recipe combines tender beef mince with a fragrant tomato and herb sauce, gently simmered for depth and richness. Each bite melts into the next, making it the ultimate comfort food favourite.

 

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This GoodFood recipe gets rave reviews. So, while it’s inspired by the Italian original ragù alla bolognese (see the recipe here), this is very much a British family classic — hearty, meaty, and perfect for big bowls and crusty bread

By Andrew Balmer
From BBC Good Food

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This recipe earns a Nutri-Score of B, thanks to its use of lean beef mince, vegetables like carrots and celery, and a low-sugar tomato base. The addition of herbs and a moderate portion of parmesan also contributes positively to its nutritional value.

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Ingredients

For the bolognese sauce

• olive oil 1 tbsp
• smoked streaky bacon 4 rashers, finely chopped
• onions 2 medium, finely chopped
• carrots 2, trimmed and finely chopped
• celery sticks 2, finely chopped
• garlic cloves 2, finely chopped
• rosemary 2-3 sprigs, leaves picked and finely chopped
• beef mince 500g
• plum tomatoes (tinned) 2 x 400g tins
• basil small pack, ¾ finely chopped, remainder whole for garnish
• dried oregano 1 tsp
• bay leaves 2, fresh
• tomato purée 2 tbsp
• beef stock cube 1
• red chilli 1, deseeded and finely chopped (optional)
• red wine 125ml
• cherry tomatoes 6, halved

To season and serve

• parmesan 75g grated, plus extra to serve
• spaghetti 400g
• crusty bread optional, to serve

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Method

Make the bolognese sauce

1. Heat a large saucepan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Let it warm up before proceeding to the next step to ensure the bacon crisps nicely.
2. Add the finely chopped bacon and fry for about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally until the bacon turns golden and crisp, releasing its smoky flavour into the base of your sauce.
3. Reduce the heat slightly. Stir in the finely chopped onions, carrots, celery, garlic and rosemary. Fry gently for another 10 minutes, stirring often until the vegetables soften and start to caramelise, creating a flavourful base.
4. Turn the heat back up to medium-high and add the beef mince. Break it up with your spoon and cook for 3-4 minutes until browned all over. Browning the meat properly here enhances the rich meaty flavour.
5. Add the tinned plum tomatoes, chopped basil, oregano, bay leaves, tomato purée, beef stock cube, optional chilli, red wine and cherry tomatoes. Use your spoon to break up the tomatoes and mix everything well.
6. Bring the sauce to the boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should become rich, thick and deeply flavoured.
7. Stir in the grated parmesan. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed—remember your stock cube adds salt, so check before adding more.

Cook and serve the spaghetti

1. About 10 minutes before the sauce is done, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of salted water following the packet instructions.
2. Drain the spaghetti and either stir it through the sauce for an even coating or plate the pasta and spoon the sauce over the top.
3. Serve with extra grated parmesan, a few whole basil leaves and crusty bread on the side if desired.

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Suggested Wine Pairing

Majestic: Villa Borghetti Valpolicella Ripasso

This rich Italian red complements the bold flavours of the bolognese. Notes of cherry, spice and subtle oak highlight the savouriness of the beef mince and smoky bacon.

Tesco: Finest Montepulciano d’Abruzzo

This medium-bodied red offers plum and red berry notes, pairing well with the tomato-based sauce and herbs. Its smooth tannins enhance the dish’s depth without overpowering it.

Sainsbury’s: Taste the Difference Chianti Classico

Bright acidity and cherry fruit make this Chianti a perfect match for spaghetti bolognese. The herbal undertones tie in beautifully with the oregano and basil in the sauce.

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What can you serve with this

1. Garlic bread – Enhances the dish with a crispy, buttery contrast that soaks up the bolognese sauce wonderfully.
2. Mixed green salad – Offers a fresh, peppery balance to the richness of the sauce.
3. Focaccia – A fluffy, herby bread perfect for dipping into leftover sauce.
4. Roasted vegetables – Add a nutritious and flavourful side, especially with Mediterranean spices.

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Nutri-score Health Check

This spaghetti bolognese recipe scores a Nutri-Score B. The inclusion of lean beef mince, fibre-rich vegetables, and minimal added sugar helps balance its nutritional profile. Positive factors include vegetable content, low sugar and moderate cheese use. Less healthy elements such as bacon and parmesan are used in moderation. This score has been automatically calculated from the ingredients in the recipe and is only a guide.

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Recipe FAQ

• Can I use dried basil instead of fresh? Yes, use 1 tsp dried basil if fresh is unavailable.
• Should I add extra salt? Taste before adding as the stock cube provides salt already.
• Can I omit the wine? Yes, substitute with beef stock or water, though the wine adds depth.
• Is this recipe freezer-friendly? Yes, you can freeze the sauce (not the pasta) for up to 3 months.
• Can I make this vegetarian? Yes, substitute beef mince with mushroom mince and use a vegetable stock cube.
• What kind of spaghetti works best? Classic durum wheat spaghetti is ideal, but whole wheat can be used for extra fibre.
• What are the best pasta shapes for Bolognese?
  • Spaghetti – classic and always reliable. Holds sauce decently with its long, thin strands.
  • Tagliatelle – wider ribbons that cling beautifully to the thick meat sauce. Very traditional in Italy.
  • Pappardelle – even wider than tagliatelle, great for a luxurious feel.
  • Fettuccine – another flat ribbon, slightly narrower, but still great with bolognese.
  • Rigatoni or Penne – tubular shapes that trap the sauce inside. Chunkier bite and very satisfying.
  • Fusilli – spirals that pick up little bits of meat and sauce in the grooves.
• Can I add more vegetables? Absolutely, courgette or mushrooms make great additions.
• How do I thicken the sauce? Simmer uncovered at the end to reduce the liquid if needed

Pro Tip:

If your sauce is on the thick side, wider or textured pasta (like tagliatelle or rigatoni) gives it more surface area to cling to. If it’s a bit saucier or looser, spaghetti or fettuccine is ideal.

Storing FAQ

• How long can I store the sauce? Store in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Can I freeze the spaghetti? It’s better to freeze just the sauce and cook fresh spaghetti when needed.
• How should I store leftovers? Place in an airtight container and refrigerate once cooled.
• Can I freeze the entire dish? Not recommended. Freeze only the sauce for best texture.

Reheating FAQ

• How do I reheat the sauce from frozen? Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat gently in a pan or microwave until piping hot.
• Can I microwave leftovers? Yes, microwave on full power for 2-3 minutes, stirring halfway through.
• Should I reheat the pasta separately? If stored together, reheat gently with a splash of water to loosen the sauce.
• How do I avoid drying out the sauce? Add a splash of stock or water when reheating.

What’s the difference between tradition Bolognese and British Bolognese?

As mentioned above this particular recipe is more of a British-style spaghetti bolognese recipe than an authentic Italian ragù alla bolognese. Here’s why:

🇮🇹 What’s different from traditional Bolognese:

• Tomato-heavy: The recipe uses two tins of plum tomatoes and tomato purée, while authentic Italian ragù usually contains less tomato, relying more on a balance of meat, soffritto (onion, celery, carrot), wine, and sometimes milk or cream to mellow the acidity.

• Garlic and chilli: While garlic is a favourite in many Italian dishes, traditional bolognese often skips it entirely, and chilli definitely isn’t typical.

• Spaghetti pasta: In Italy, ragù alla bolognese is classically served with tagliatelle, not spaghetti — spaghetti is more of a British twist.

• Bacon instead of pancetta: Using smoked streaky bacon gives a deeper, saltier profile — classic versions usually use unsmoked pancetta.

🇬🇧 British Bolognese Features:

• Bold, rich tomato flavour

• Often includes garlic, herbs like oregano, and a little chilli kick

• Served over spaghetti, always a family favourite in the UK

• More sauce-like in consistency, ideal for spooning over pasta

Here’s a detailed side-by-side comparison between the official Italian Ragù alla Bolognese and the more familiar British-style Spaghetti Bolognese recipe. This will give you a better understanding of how tradition and adaptation differ.

Feature	🇮🇹 Official Ragù alla Bolognese	🇬🇧 British Spaghetti Bolognese
Meat	Finely chopped or minced beef (often flank/skirt) + pork pancetta	Usually minced beef only (sometimes lean mince)
Base vegetables	Onion, celery, carrot (finely chopped soffritto)	Onion, garlic, carrot, celery (often more pronounced flavours)
Tomato content	Tomato paste only, in small quantity	Canned tomatoes or tomato-based sauces; sometimes purée too
Wine	Dry white (or red) wine	Usually red wine, sometimes omitted
Milk or Cream	Milk added to reduce acidity and enrich texture	Rarely used, sometimes replaced with cream or omitted entirely
Herbs /Spices	Minimal – possibly salt, pepper, nutmeg	Often includes dried oregano, basil, bay leaves, or even chilli
Pasta pairing	Always fresh tagliatelle (egg pasta)	Always spaghetti (dried pasta)
Cheese topping	Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, optional	Parmesan or cheddar, often served generously
Cooking time	Minimum 2 hours of slow simmering	Usually under 1 hour
Texture	Rich, thick, and finely bound to pasta	More saucy, sometimes watery or stew-like
Purpose	Mainly for special or Sunday meals, part of a traditional meal	Quick midweek dinner or family staple

History and Culture of Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese, as it’s widely known in the UK and beyond, is a much-loved comfort dish with rich meat sauce, tangled through strands of pasta — but its origins are often misunderstood.

The roots of this dish lie in Bologna, a historic city in northern Italy, famed for its culinary traditions. There, the authentic version is known as Ragù alla Bolognese. This traditional meat-based sauce dates back to at least the 18th century, with early versions recorded in Pellegrino Artusi’s 1891 cookbook La Scienza in Cucina e l’Arte di Mangiar Bene. The classic ragù is slow-cooked with finely chopped beef (or veal), soffritto (a mix of onion, carrot and celery), white wine, milk or cream, and just a touch of tomato for depth — creating a rich, velvety sauce that’s worlds apart from its tomato-heavy cousins.

Interestingly, spaghetti is not the pasta of choice in Bologna. Locals serve their ragù with tagliatelle, a wider, egg-based pasta that better holds the thick sauce. In fact, many Italians don’t even recognise “spaghetti bolognese” as a real dish — it’s considered a global reinterpretation rather than a traditional plate.

Despite that, the British version of spaghetti bolognese has taken on a life of its own. Emerging in popularity post-WWII as Italian immigrants brought their flavours to UK kitchens, the dish evolved using local ingredients and preferences — adding more tomatoes, garlic, and even chilli. It became a staple weeknight dinner by the 1970s and 80s, beloved for its bold flavour, versatility, and comfort factor.

Today, spaghetti bolognese holds a firm place in British food culture. It’s a go-to recipe for families, students, and anyone craving a hearty, filling plate of food. It bridges culinary worlds — a fusion of Italian tradition and British home cooking — and continues to evolve with each generation of home cooks.

There is an official version of ragù alla Bolognese, and it’s recognized by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina (Italian Academy of Cuisine). In fact, they registered the official recipe with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce in 1982 to preserve the authenticity of this beloved dish.

Final Thoughts

• Ragù alla Bolognese is a refined, slow-cooked meat sauce meant to complement the silkiness of tagliatelle, not drown it.

• British spaghetti bolognese (“spag bol”) is a delicious comfort dish, evolved for weeknight ease and available ingredients—essentially a culinary remix.

• They’re both delicious in their own right, but understanding the traditional roots gives you a deeper appreciation of the dish.

• Have fun – make the authentic Italian original for the family but don’t tell them – see which one everyone prefers.

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