When the weather turns a little colder we definitely start craving more comfort food. This pasta bake is a classic. Delicious Bolognese sauce packed full of flavour caught in each little pasta shell and adorned with golden cheese. I like to pack my Bolognese full of veggies too so that it makes the dish a little healthier.
Please feel free to use any pasta of your choice, including gluten-free, just ensure that the shape is suitable for a robust, chunky sauce.
Pasta Bake with Bolognese Sauce
When the weather turns a little colder we definitely start craving more comfort food. This pasta bake is a classic. Delicious Bolognese sauce packed full of flavour caught in each little pasta shell and adorned with golden cheese. I like to pack my Bolognese full of veggies too so that it makes the dish a little healthier.
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Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 Medium Carrot finely chopped
- 1 Small Onion finely chopped
- 1 Large Rib of celery finely chopped
- 2 Cloves of garlic (crushed)
- 500 Grams Minced/Ground Beef
- 1-2 tsp Italian Herb Mix
- 1 Can of tomatoes (approx 400g)
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper to taste
- 1 tsp Fresh basil finely chopped Optional
- 1 tsp Fresh Italian Parsley finely chopped Optional
- 1 Cup Baby Spinach roughly chopped Optional
- 250 Grams Pasta of your choice I used Conchiglie (shells)
- ½ Cup Grated Mozzarella
- ¼ Cup Finely grated Parmesan
Instructions
- Add water and salt to a large pot for the pasta and slowly bring to a boil
- Add the olive oil to a large saucepan or pot, then add the carrots, onion and celery (this combination is called a soffritto) and sweat them off for around 5 minutes on medium heat. You just want to soften the vegetables, you do not want to brown them. Around half way through, add the crushed garlic
- Preheat your oven to 180°C
- Add the minced beef to the mixture and break it up with a spatula or spoon. Add the herbs and some salt and pepper and mix through. Stir while the meat browns a little. Around 5 minutes (turn the heat up slightly if you need to, but you do not want to fully cook the meat at this point)
- Add the tin of tomato, the sugar (this balances the tomato's acidity), and the fresh herbs. Turn the heat down to let the mixture cook on a slow simmer. Add a lid and let the mixture cook slowly for around 10 to 15 minutes. Remember to stir it occasionally and also taste and adjust the salt and pepper as needed
- In the meantime add your pasta to the boiling water and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally and/or adding some oil to the water so that the pasta doesn't stick. Drain the pasta and set aside. It should be a little under done as it will cook further in the oven
- When the Bolognese is ready, mix through the pasta and chopped spinach and add to an oven dish. Sprinkle the cheeses evenly over the top and bake for around 25 – 30 minutes until the cheese has melted and starts turning golden
- Serve and enjoy
Notes
Feel free to add additional veggies to this dish if you would like to increase the nutrients. Chopped peppers or mushrooms work great as well. You can use any pasta of your choice, including gluten-free, just ensure that the shape is suitable for a robust, chunky sauce. You can also omit the cheese if you wish or use a non-dairy alternative.
This dish is also great for meal-prepping and freezes really well. You can either freeze the Bolognese on it’s own and serve with fresh pasta when you want to use it. Perfect for Spaghetti Bolognese. Or you can make the entire dish, stopping before you add the cheese. Just ensure that you cool the Bolognese or whole dish before covering and placing it in the freezer. When you want to use it, remove it the night before or in the morning and let it defrost thoroughly. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in the oven.
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