Our hidden veg Bolognese is a rich and flavour-packed pasta sauce that sneaks in some extra vegetables to make it a really healthy and balanced meal. We’ve served this hidden veg Bolognese with tagliatelle, a type of pasta that comes in long, flat ribbons, but it would also work well with spaghetti to create a healthier twist on a classic spaghetti Bolognese. You can make a big batch of this hidden veg Bolognese and freeze portions so that you have a healthy and delicious home made meal ready for those busy week nights. Getting kids to eat more veg can be a challenge, but sneaking them into this tasty pasta sauce is a great way for them to enjoy new vegetables without even realising it. This hidden veg Bolognese is cheap, easy and full of flavour – the perfect mid week family meal.
Ingredients
- 1tbsp olive oil
- 400g lean beef steak mince
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 stick of celery, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 courgette, chopped
- 400g can tomatoes
- 2tbsp sun-dried tomato purée
- 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 200ml beef stock
- 200g tagliatelle
Method
Heat a large frying pan with oil, add the mince, season with black pepper, and fry for 10 minutes to brown.
Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5 minutes, to soften.
Stir in the garlic and courgette and cook for a couple of minutes more.
Pour in the tinned tomatoes, tomato purée, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar and stock. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes until the meat is tender.
Meanwhile, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the tagliatelle; return to the boil. Cook for 10 minutes until just tender. Drain and toss together with the Bolognese so all the pasta is coated in sauce.
