One Pot Creamy Bolognese Recipe
Rich beef bolognese cooked together with pasta shells and finished with cream and cheese. All ready in 30 minutes!
Servings 4 -6 Servings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion peeled and finely diced
- 1 carrot peeled and finely diced
- 1 stick celery finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped into small chunks
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 450 g (1 lb) minced beef
- 3 tbsp tomato puree (paste)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 300 ml (1 ¼ cups) beef stock (water + 2 stock cubes is fine)
- 120 ml (½ cup) milk half fat or full fat
- 800 g (28 oz) tinned finely chopped tomatoes (2x 400g(14oz) tins)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 300 g (10 ½ oz) pasta shells
- 120 ml (½ cup) double (heavy) cream
- 100 g (1 packed cup) grated cheddar
To serve:
- Small bunch chives chopped
- Chilli flakes
- grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute.
- Add the minced beef and cook for 5-6 minutes, until browned. Stir often, breaking up any large chunks of meat with a spatula.
- Add the tomato puree, oregano, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock, milk, tinned tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir together and bring to the boil.
- Stir in the pasta shells, bring back to the boil, then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 17-22 minutes, stirring a couple of times during cooking, until the pasta is cooked through.
- Remove the lid, then stir in the cream and cheese, until the cheese melts
- Serve topped with chopped chives, chilli flakes and grated parmesan.
Notes
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, you can make the whole thing ahead, then cool, cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
Reheat in a pan, on the hob, over a medium heat, stirring often. You'll probably need to add a few splashes of water or stock to loosen up the sauce.
Note: As the dish cools, the pasta will continue to absorb liquid, so the pasta will be a little softer upon reheating.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, leftover portions can be placed in freezer-proof containers and frozen.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as per the 'make ahead' instructions above. Ingredient swaps/additions
The cooking time will be the same. Alternative to cream You can leave out the cream entirely if you wish. You can add an extra splash of water or stock to loosen up the sauce if you like.
Alternatively, you can add a couple of spoonfuls of creme fraiche or 4 tbsp (¼ cup) coconut milk. Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, based on this recipe making 6 servings. Nutritional information does not include toppings.
Defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat as per the 'make ahead' instructions above. Ingredient swaps/additions
- Swap out the beef mince for pork or turkey mince
- Swap out the pasta shells other pasta shapes such as rigatoni or spirals
- Add in extra veggies - such as chopped courgette or mushrooms (add at the same at the tinned tomatoes), or you could stir in baby spinach for the last minute of cooking.
The cooking time will be the same. Alternative to cream You can leave out the cream entirely if you wish. You can add an extra splash of water or stock to loosen up the sauce if you like.
Alternatively, you can add a couple of spoonfuls of creme fraiche or 4 tbsp (¼ cup) coconut milk. Nutritional information is approximate, per serving, based on this recipe making 6 servings. Nutritional information does not include toppings.
Nutritional Information
Calories: 596kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 933mg | Potassium: 824mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3125IU | Vitamin C: 43mg | Calcium: 249mg | Iron: 4mg
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