Description
This Hidden Veggie Bolognese recipe is a hearty and nutritious twist on classic bolognese sauce, incorporating finely diced and grated vegetables like zucchini, carrots, and celery into a rich beef and mushroom tomato sauce. Cooked slowly to develop deep flavors, it’s perfect served with your favorite pasta and topped with freshly grated parmesan.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Base
- 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
Pasta and Serving
- 400 g (14 oz) fettuccine (or pasta of choice), cooked as per packet instructions
- ½ cup (50 g) freshly grated parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- Cook the veggies – Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes until slightly softened.
- Sauté the base vegetables – Add the celery, carrot, zucchini and ½ teaspoon of salt. Cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until softened. The salt helps draw out moisture and soften the veggies without browning.
- Add mushrooms and garlic – Add the mushrooms and garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the mushrooms have softened.
- Brown the beef – Add the minced beef and cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until browned evenly.
- Add tomato paste and liquids – Stir through the tomato paste, then immediately add the passata, beef stock, bay leaves, caster sugar, and season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
- Simmer the sauce – Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium–low and cover the pan with the lid slightly ajar. Let it simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens.
- Finish and serve – Remove the bay leaves from the sauce. Toss the cooked pasta through the sauce using tongs to combine well. Serve topped with freshly grated parmesan.
Notes
- The hidden vegetables increase the nutritional value and add natural sweetness to the sauce.
- Using salt when cooking the veggies helps extract moisture and prevents browning, allowing better softening.
- For a leaner option, substitute beef mince with lean turkey or chicken mince.
- Any pasta shape can be used based on preference; fettuccine works beautifully.
- Leftover sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
