Recipe: Slow Cooked Bolognese Sauce
Summary: This rich slow-cooker sauce can be spooned over spaghetti, polenta or penne pasta, and served with grated Parmesan on the side. Use leftover sauce to incorporate into a baked ziti or zesty stew. Family secret included!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, finely chopped
- 1 medium green bell pepper
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 heaping tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 pounds lean ground beef
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar (a little bit more, maybe a couple- to taste makes a big difference)
- Pinch of nutmeg (eyeball it in your palm not too much)
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes
- Pasta of your choice
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Pour Olive Oile in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery, bell pepper and carrot and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to high, add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, sugar, Italian seasoning and nutmeg.
- Pour in wine and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook at a lively simmer until most of liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer mixture to slow cooker, stir in tomatoes, cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Remove top, stir and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, about 30 minutes longer.
- Boil water to a rapid boil in a pot, add your pasta cook till al dente, carefully drain (not completely so it doesn’t stick) (al dente is almost done with just a little resistance to the bite, it continues to cook- don’t rinse) then plate up and add your Bolognese Sauce and sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Serve with some Garlic Bread and a small side salad.
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 8 hour(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
Recipe adapted from and Photo courtesy of: Myrecipes.com
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