Slow cooker bolognese sauce with spaghetti
6
Points®
Total time: 4 hr 30 min • Prep: 15 min • Cook: 4 hr 15 min • Serves: 8 • Difficulty: Easy
Every cook needs a class Italian meat sauce in their recipe repertoire. The telltale orange colour of classic Bolognese sauce comes from the addition of milk toward the end of cooking. It's a surprising ingredient that adds a silky body to the sauce and tenderness to the meat. If you're gluten-free, serve this sauce over spiralized veggie noodles or gluten-free pasta.
Ingredients
Olive oil
2 tsp(s)
Uncooked fennel bulb
1 item(s), small, chopped
Onion
1 small, chopped
Carrots
1 medium, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Celery
1 stalk(s), medium, cut into 1/4-inch dice
Garlic
4 clove(s), large, minced
Uncooked 93% lean ground beef
½ pound(s)
Uncooked 96% lean ground pork
½ pound(s)
Table salt
1 tsp(s)
Crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp(s)
Black pepper
¼ tsp(s)
Canned crushed tomatoes
28 oz
Grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup(s), divided
2% reduced fat milk
⅓ cup(s)
Uncooked whole wheat spaghetti
16 oz
Fresh basil
½ cup(s), fresh, chopped
Instructions
1
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add fennel, onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef, pork, salt, pepper flakes, and black pepper; cook, breaking up meat with side of wooden spoon, until browned, 6–8 minutes. Transfer to 5- or 6-quart slow cooker.
2
Stir tomatoes into beef mixture. Cover and cook until sauce is slightly thickened, 3 1/2 hours on Low. Stir in 1/4 cup of Parmesan and the milk. Cover and cook 30 minutes on Low.
3
Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in same large pot according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.
4
Divide spaghetti evenly among 8 bowls; top evenly with meat sauce. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and the basil.
5
Serving size: a scant 1 cup pasta, 3/4 cup sauce, and 1 tbsp Parmesan
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