Everyone needs a go-to Spaghetti Bolognese recipe, and this one is mine! The Bolognese sauce is rich, hearty, and packed with incredible depth of flavor. It’s ideal for a quick midweek dinner but tastes even better when simmered for a few hours. Serve it over pasta, use it to fill jacket potatoes, or create a show-stopping Lasagna or Baked Spaghetti Pie!

What Goes in Spaghetti Bolognese?

I’ve been loyal to this Meat Sauce recipe since I first started cooking as a teenager, and there are a few little tweaks that set it apart from other Bolognese recipes you might have seen:

Worcestershire Sauce: This little addition brings that extra depth of flavor. I get a bit twitchy if I ever find myself in a situation where I can’t use it.
Beef Bouillon Cubes (Beef Stock Cubes): These are essential for adding richness and extra flavor to the sauce. They help make this an everyday, midweek version of Bolognese, as opposed to the traditional slow-cooked Ragu, which starts with a soffrito (onion, celery, carrot sautéed slowly) and often includes pancetta.
Sugar (if needed): A small pinch of sugar can work wonders, especially if you’re not using high-quality, sweet Italian canned tomatoes. In Australia, supermarket canned tomatoes can be quite sour, particularly local brands—which is a real shame, but it’s true!

How to Make Bolognese Sauce

Making Bolognese sauce is simple and relatively quick, especially for a midweek meal. Here’s how you do it:

Sauté Garlic and Onion:
Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the garlic and onion for about 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Brown the Beef:
Add the beef to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, breaking it up as it cooks, until browned.
Add the Rest:
Stir in the rest of the ingredients (tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, bouillon cubes, and any seasonings), give it a good mix, then bring to a simmer.
Simmer:
For a quick midweek version, let it simmer for at least 20 minutes. If you have more time (weekend indulgence!), let it simmer for up to 3 hours. The longer it cooks, the more tender the beef becomes, and the deeper the flavor of the sauce.

Difference Between Bolognese and Meat Sauce

When it comes down to it, Bolognese and Meat Sauce are often just different names for the same thing! Both involve ground meat (usually beef, but sometimes a mix of pork or veal) cooked in a tomato-based sauce with herbs. However, Bolognese is typically associated with a richer, more complex sauce that’s often slow-cooked for deeper flavor, whereas a meat sauce might be quicker to make and simpler in flavor.

The “Proper” Way to Serve Pasta

One important thing to know about making pasta, whether it’s with Bolognese or any sauce, is to toss the pasta directly in the sauce, rather than just spooning the sauce over the pasta in the bowl.

This step helps emulsify the sauce, making it thicken, become glossy, and cling to the spaghetti. You’ll never find a watery sauce at the bottom of your bowl again! This is how chefs and Italians do it, and once you try it, you’ll be hooked.

That said, this step is optional. Sometimes, you just don’t have the energy to clean another pan—and that’s perfectly fine!

What to Serve with Spaghetti Bolognese

For the ultimate Italian meal experience, here are some perfect side dishes to complement your Spaghetti Bolognese:

Garlic Bread
Classic garlic bread is a must, but for an extra indulgent touch, go for Cheesy Garlic Bread—or go all out with Crack Bread for something truly over-the-top. For a more traditional option, serve with real-deal Italian Focaccia.
Garden Salad with Italian Dressing
A fresh, crisp garden salad with a zesty Italian dressing is a perfect way to balance out the richness of the Bolognese sauce.
Tiramisu
For dessert, nothing beats a classic Tiramisu, paired with an Espresso Martini for that perfect Italian finish.
Quick Side Salad
If you’re short on time, try making a Rocket Parmesan Salad with Balsamic Dressing. It’s a super quick, no-chop salad that’s perfect for pairing with pasta—probably the most made side salad in my house!

These sides will elevate your Spaghetti Bolognese into a full Italian feast, giving you a range of flavors and textures to enjoy!

This recipe is the one I’ve been using to make Spaghetti Bolognese for decades (wow, it feels strange to say that!). I absolutely love it, and the sauce is rich and full of flavor, especially considering it’s a 30-minute Bolognese recipe.

That said, if you’ve got the time, I highly recommend slow-cooking it for a couple of hours. The flavors deepen, and the meat becomes incredibly tender—making the dish even more luxurious and delicious!

Ingredients for Spaghetti Bolognese recipe

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves , minced
1 onion , finely chopped (brown, yellow or white)
1 lb / 500g beef mince (ground beef) OR half pork, half beef (Note 1)
1/2 cup (125 ml) dry red wine (sub water or beef broth/stock)
2 beef bouillon cubes , crumbled OR granulated beef bouillon (Note 2)
800g / 28 oz can crushed tomato (or tomato passata)
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp white sugar , if needed (Note 3)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 dried bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried thyme or oregano)
3/4 tsp cooking salt (kosher salt)
1/2 tsp black pepper

To Serve

400 g / 13 oz spaghetti , dried
Parmesan cheese and finely chopped parsley (optional)

Instructions

Sauté:
Heat oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden and softened.
Cook the Beef:
Turn the heat up to high and add the beef. Cook, breaking it up as you go, until it’s browned.
Reduce Wine:
Add the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Cook for about 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any flavorful bits, until the alcohol smell disappears.
Simmer:
Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, and bring to a simmer. Lower the heat to medium so it bubbles gently. Cook for 20–30 minutes without a lid, stirring occasionally, and adding water if the sauce gets too thick for your liking.Slow-Simmer Option:
For an even richer flavor, if you have the time, add 3/4 cup of water, cover with a lid, and simmer on very low for 2–2.5 hours. Stir every 30 minutes or so. After that, uncover and simmer for an additional 20 minutes to thicken the sauce.
Taste and Adjust:
Taste the sauce and add more salt if needed. Serve over cooked spaghetti. (If you have the time, I recommend tossing the sauce with the pasta as detailed below.)

Tossing Sauce and Spaghetti (Optional)

Cook the Pasta:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions, minus 1 minute.
Reserve Pasta Water:
Scoop out a mug of the pasta cooking water and set it aside, then drain the pasta.
Toss the Pasta with Sauce:
Add the drained pasta to the Bolognese sauce along with about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of reserved pasta water. Stir gently over medium heat for 1 1/2 – 2 minutes, or until the pasta is coated in the sauce and it thickens.
Serve:
Divide the pasta into bowls. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley, if desired. Enjoy your rich and flavorful Spaghetti Bolognese!

Recipe Notes

Meat:
Some traditional slow-cooked Bolognese sauces use a mixture of beef and pork mince. The beef provides flavor, while the pork adds juiciness. For a quicker midweek version, I typically stick to just beef.
Beef Stock Cubes:
I use Oxo Beef Cubes (available at Woolies & Coles). You can substitute with any beef bouillon or stock cube, or use granulated beef bouillon powder (commonly found in some countries). If using powder, 2 teaspoons (1 tsp per cube) is the right amount.
Canned Tomatoes:
Mid-range canned tomatoes can often be quite sour. Adding a small amount of sugar can make a huge difference. The amount you’ll need depends on the sweetness of the tomatoes. Better quality tomatoes will typically need less sugar, so adjust to taste.
Tossing Pasta and Sauce:
Refer to the post commentary on emulsifying the sauce with pasta. This is the traditional Italian method, and it’s how pasta is served in most Italian restaurants. It ensures the sauce thickens and clings to the pasta beautifully.
Slow Simmer Option:
This is how you take a good Bolognese and elevate it to something amazing, worthy of your Italian Nonna’s approval. The secret is ultra-low heat. After bringing the sauce to a simmer, reduce the heat so the surface of the sauce is just gently rippling with a few bubbles. With the lid on, the heat intensifies, so check the sauce occasionally. I use my smallest burner on the lowest setting for this.
Other Notes:
- Scaling the Recipe:
  If you double or triple the recipe, brown the beef in batches. Cooking it all in one batch will result in stewing instead of browning.
- Slow Cooker:
  This recipe works wonderfully in a slow cooker. Cook the beef and wine until the liquid evaporates (Step 3), then transfer to the slow cooker (Step 4) and cook on low for 6 hours. The meat becomes incredibly tender, and the flavor is fantastic.
- Variations:
  You can add extra layers of flavor with these variations:
  - Finely chop 1 carrot and 1 celery stalk, and sauté with the onion to make a sofrito. Cook on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes for extra depth of flavor.
  - Add finely chopped bacon or pancetta (smoky bacon is the best!), and cook with the onion.
  - A tablespoon of soy sauce (a trick from my mother and some chefs).
  - Fresh or dried red chili for a little heat.
  - Bolognese always gets better with time, so it’s even better the next day!
Nutrition:
The nutrition information per serving assumes 5 servings, including pasta.