Description
This One Pot Pasta Bolognese is a quick and delicious Italian-inspired comfort meal made in a single pot. Featuring lean ground beef simmered in a rich tomato and beef broth sauce with aromatic herbs and spices, it’s combined with spaghetti cooked directly in the sauce to absorb maximum flavor. Finished off with Parmesan, it’s hearty, flavorful, and perfect for an easy weeknight dinner with minimal cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 500g / 1 lb lean beef mince
- 700g / 24.5 oz tomato passata (puree)
- 3 cups beef broth (or stock cubes + water)
- 2 tsp Italian mixed herbs
- 1/4 – 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes), adjust to taste
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp black pepper
- 350g / 12 oz uncooked spaghetti
- Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Saute onion & garlic: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over high heat. Add the minced garlic and finely chopped onion and cook for about 2 minutes until they become translucent and fragrant.
- Cook beef: Add the lean beef mince to the pot and cook it thoroughly, breaking it up with a spatula or wooden spoon as it browns evenly and loses its red color.
- Add tomato passata: Once the beef is browned, pour in the tomato passata, stirring to combine all ingredients.
- Rinse out bottle: Pour some beef broth into the now-empty passata bottle, shake to loosen remaining sauce, and pour this broth back into the pot to not waste any flavor.
- Add remaining ingredients: Add the rest of the beef broth along with Italian mixed herbs, chilli flakes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Stir everything together well and bring the mixture up to a boil.
- Add spaghetti: Fan out the uncooked spaghetti evenly around the pot. Let it sit for 30 seconds to start softening, then gradually push the pasta down into the liquid to submerge it evenly.
- Cook pasta: Once all pasta is submerged, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle boil and cook for 12 minutes. Stir the pasta every minute or so to prevent sticking, stirring more frequently towards the end. Around 8 minutes into cooking, lower the heat to medium to avoid burning the bottom but ensure the sauce is still simmering gently.
- Remove from heat and toss: When the pasta is just cooked but still slightly firmer than desired and with sauce still present, remove the pot from heat. Toss everything well for about 30 seconds which allows the sauce to thicken further and the pasta to finish cooking.
- Serve: Serve immediately garnished generously with freshly grated Parmesan cheese for a rich and savory finish.
Notes
- Use lean beef mince to reduce excess fat and keep the sauce light.
- Tomato passata is a smooth tomato puree that provides a fresh tomato flavor; canned crushed tomatoes can be used but may alter texture.
- Beef broth can be homemade or prepared from stock cubes dissolved in water.
- Italian mixed herbs usually include oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary—feel free to adjust based on preference.
- Chilli flakes can be adjusted to your spice tolerance, or omitted for a milder dish.
- Other pasta types can be used but thickness and cooking times may vary.
- Stirring regularly is important to prevent pasta sticking to the pot’s bottom and to ensure even cooking.
- The recipe is designed for a large, deep pot to allow enough liquid and room for stirring.
- Parmesan cheese adds a salty, umami finish but can be substituted with vegan cheese for a dairy-free option.
