Spaghetti Bolognese is probably my husbands favourite meals. My version is not typical of a traditional Bolognese sauce as when I first started making it, many years ago when the children were young, I had to bulk it out with vegetables to reduce the overall cost and also to provide vegetables for my resistant children. We still love it and have it on average once a week. Now there are just my husband and myself at home I still make enough for four people and simply freeze half in a rigid container to use when time is short or when I don’t feel like cooking. Defrost completely though before you reheat.
Recently I have been attending Slimming World to lose some weight that has crept on over the years. I have adapted the recipe so, by my calculations, if you use the Frylight oil, it is now Syn free. In fact, so is the pasta and, if the Parmesan is used as a Healthy Extra, that is free too. A wonderful plateful of free comfort food, what can be better than that!
Here is the recipe.
Spaghetti Bolognese Serves 4 people
- Frylight Olive spray or 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
- 500g lean steak mince
- 1 tsp dried Oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 400g can chopped tomatoes
- 1 beef stock cube (I use Knorr as Oxo is a bit overpowering in this dish)
- 100/200 ml of water (just enough to loosen the mix and provide some sauce
- Dried spaghetti (portion dependant on appetite)
- Parmesan cheese, finely grated (Optional)
- Spray a large saucepan with the oil or, if you are not using the spray, add the oil. Heat until hot over medium heat and add the onion. Fry gently for about 5 minutes until starting to go tender. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute more.
- Add the pepper and mushrooms and continue frying over a low heat for a further 5 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick.
- Turn up the heat to medium/high and crumble the mince over the vegetables. Mix well and cook until the mince has browned.
- Sprinkle over the oregano and season. Mix well then add the tomatoes and water. Crumble over stock cube, mix well then bring to the boil.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and the sauce has thickened. Add a little more water if necessary.
- In the meantime cook the spaghetti as per packet instructions.
- Drain the spaghetti and serve with the meat sauce on top, sprinkled with parmesan if you like.
Tasty Advice 