Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce 

31 May, 2024

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As we move from one season to the next I notice our main meals have a comforting element to them. With cooking applications in the cooler months leaning towards slower cooking to bring out the flavours and tenderise. Simple ingredients combine to become more than the sum of their parts. The slow-cooked bolognese sauce I share below is an example of this approach. When I have the time it is my preferred way to prepare this pasta sauce for the resulting flavour and comforting texture. 

Before we get to the recipes a note on serving quantities as my savoury recipes are generally created to serve four. This is the stage of life I am currently in where I cook for a family. However, I realise this isn’t the case for everyone reading these recipes. Savoury recipes can be halved or doubled with similar results if you are cooking for a smaller or larger number. This is not always the case for sweet baking which can be more technical, but they will often keep well for several days. Although, I must say dinner leftovers make an easy lunch the next day, or can usually be portioned and frozen for another meal. 

More Warming Dinner Recipes on Homegrown Kitchen

• Mid-Winter Pie with Root Vegetable Crust
• Garlic Mushroom & Barley Orzotto
• Winter Beef & Ale Stew with Parsley Dumplings (another family favourite)
• Soul-Warming Winter Shank Soup

Slow-Cooked Bolognese Sauce 

We have all made a quick bolognese-style pasta sauce to get a fast meal on the table. However, when time allows slowing down the cooking process makes a big difference in extracting the flavour and tenderising the meat. This is the kind of dish you want to spend your time over, possibly setting aside a weekend afternoon to let the sauce gently blip away on the stovetop (see the recipe for a slow- or multi-cooker option). 

The first step is to cook down the trio of onions, carrots and celery until lightly caramelised. This adds an underlying sweetness and complexity to the sauce. I use a combination of beef and pork mince (use all beef mince if preferred) which once slow-cooked results in a tender texture. The grated apple is a bit of a wildcard addition, which you won’t even know is there once the cooking is complete bringing a balance to the dish. If you can get your hands on celeriac it can be used in place of the celery (about 200g) for an added creaminess to the sauce. 

Servings 4

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1-2 celery stalks or medium fennel bulb, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• salt to season
• 300 g beef mince
• 300 g pork mince (or use all beef mince)
• 1 braeburn or granny smith apple, grated (skin on)
• 400 g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 cup (250g) chicken or beef stock (use ½ cup if using the slow cooker option)
• 2 tsp dried oregano or marjoram
• cracked pepper
• 300 g dried spaghetti (can use gluten-free)
• chopped parsley and grated parmesan to serve

Instructions

• In a large heavy-based pan, heat the olive oil over moderate heat. Add the prepared onion, carrot and celery (aiming for around the same quantity of each) along with a generous pinch of salt. Sauté for 15 minutes until reduced in bulk by about a half and light caramelisation (golden edges) is visible.
• Move the vegetables to the side of the pan (or move them to a plate) and add the mince. Don’t break up the mince straight away, leaving it to brown in large chunks, then flip over and brown on the other side. You don't want to brown the meat too fast or it can toughen. Season with salt as you go.
• Add the grated apple and mix with the mince and vegetables. Cook over the heat until the mince is now evenly browned and the apple has softened.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, stock, oregano, and season with cracked pepper. Bring to a simmer then turn down the heat and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for an hour or so, until the bolognese is thick. *See notes below for slow cooker/multi-cooker timing.
• Once the sauce is cooked down, adjust the seasoning and it is ready to serve. The sauce can be prepared ahead of time and stored in a container in the fridge for up to 2 days, or frozen for 3 months.
• When ready to serve, cook the spaghetti. Bring a large saucepan (3-4 litres) of water to a rapid boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water followed by the pasta. Cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes (or 15-20 minutes for gluten-free). Drain in a colander and drizzle with olive oil.
• Serve immediately with chopped parsley and grated parmesan.

Notes

*Cooking the sauce in a slow cooker or multi-cooker.

At step 4. the sauce can be cooked in a slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours, or a multi/pressure cooker for 20 minutes letting the pressure release naturally. For both of these options, there won’t be as much moisture evaporation so reduce the stock quantity to ½ cup (125ml).