Description
This Hidden Veggie Bolognese is a flavorful and nutritious twist on the classic Italian meat sauce, packed with finely diced and grated vegetables including zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, and celery. The sauce is cooked slowly to develop rich flavors and served over tender fettuccine pasta, topped with freshly grated parmesan. Perfect for incorporating extra veggies in a delicious way, this recipe yields a hearty meal ready in just 50 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion (or 2 small onions), finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1 large zucchini (courgette) or 2 small zucchini, peeled and grated
- ½ tsp sea salt flakes, plus extra to taste
- 200 g (7 oz) mushrooms, finely diced (Swiss brown recommended)
- 1 tsp freshly minced garlic
Meat and Sauce
- 500 g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef
- 2 tbsp tomato paste (concentrated puree)
- 700 g (1 lb 9 oz) passata
- 2 cups (500 ml) beef stock
- 2 bay leaves (dry or fresh)
- 1 tsp caster (superfine) sugar
- Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
To Serve
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine or pasta of choice, cooked according to packet instructions
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan
Instructions
- Cook the veggies – Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Softening the vegetables – Add the diced celery, grated carrot, grated zucchini, and ½ teaspoon of sea salt. Cook while stirring for 4–5 minutes until the vegetables are softened but not browned. The salt helps draw out moisture to soften the veggies effectively.
- Add mushrooms and garlic – Stir in the finely diced mushrooms and freshly minced garlic, cooking for another 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
- Add the beef mince – Incorporate the ground beef into the pan and cook, stirring frequently, for 2–3 minutes until browned evenly.
- Combine tomato paste and liquids – Stir through the tomato paste to coat the meat and vegetables. Immediately add the passata, beef stock, bay leaves, caster sugar, and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste. Stir to combine and bring the mixture to a simmer.
- Simmer the sauce – Reduce heat to medium–low and cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar. Allow the sauce to simmer gently for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens and the flavors meld.
- Prepare pasta and serve – Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Toss the cooked fettuccine pasta through the sauce using tongs to ensure an even coating. Serve immediately with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Using sea salt when cooking vegetables helps draw out moisture and soften them without browning.
- Finely dicing and grating vegetables helps them blend into the sauce for added nutrition without altering classic texture too much.
- Simmering uncovered or slightly covered helps thicken the sauce by reducing excess liquid.
- You can substitute fettuccine for any pasta of your choice according to preference.
- Use fresh parmesan for the best flavor and melting texture on serving.
- Ground beef can be substituted with ground turkey or plant-based mince for variations.
