Spaghetti is a super easy go-to weeknight meal that I am so thankful for when everyone is hungry and I just don’t have the time (or energy!) to follow a recipe. BUT I’ve quickly learned this spaghetti bolognese adds a lot more flavor for not too much additional effort, so it’s quickly becoming one of our new favorites. My husband said he thought the addition of the wine in the sauce really helped with the canned tomato flavor he sometimes notices and isn’t too fond of (I’ve honestly never noticed it myself). How about putting this dish into your rotation next week and coming back to let us know what you think? It would be perfect with a big Caesar salad on the side – enjoy!
Easy Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3 ounces prosciutto, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 pinch nutmeg
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated, + more for serving
- whole-grain noodles, cooked, for serving
Instructions
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Add the olive oil to a large skillet over medium heat and cook the beef while breaking it up with a spatula until almost all the way brown, about 4 - 5 minutes.
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Add in the prosciutto, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper, and nutmeg and cook while stirring for another 2 - 3 minutes.
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Pour in the red wine and cook for another minute while scrapping the bottom of the pan.
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Add the crushed tomatoes and paste to the pan, stir until well combined, and bring up to a light boil. Lower down to a simmer and cook for 8 - 10 minutes.
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Add the cream and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese to the pan, season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, and serve warm over cooked whole-grain noodles.
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Martha Beckman
March 31, 2016 at 5:31 pmWould this be ok without the heavy cream? I don’t like buying it just to use 1/4 cup.
Katyana
April 4, 2016 at 12:17 amUsually I add a good splash of milk to my spag bol sauce at the end of cooking so that might suffice instead of cream.
Jessy
April 4, 2016 at 11:18 amI bet you could even use sour cream or whole milk plain yogurt, or even coconut milk/cream.
Tiffany
April 2, 2016 at 11:25 amCan you double or triple the recipe and freeze?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
April 8, 2016 at 10:28 amI don’t see why not.
healthyfoodtalk
April 4, 2016 at 3:51 amnice recipe i relly like it……keep posting i cant wait for more
Susan
April 5, 2016 at 12:27 pmI made this last night and my family loved it. I omitted the proscuitto and included onions. And I dumped the cooked penne into the pan with the sauce and let it simmer a few minutes that way. (We’re still getting used to the taste/feel of whole wheat pasta and I thought this helped.) It really was delicious! My husband loved it as much as my daughters did.
Niddrie Dental
April 6, 2016 at 2:19 amNice writing about how to keep body healthy.
hanna grande
April 6, 2016 at 11:56 pmSo nice. My family love it so much. Wait for more post.
Thanks
Kasandra
April 7, 2016 at 11:31 amWe love adding a bag of California-style or diced veggies to our spaghetti sauce. I think that would work well with this! Can’t wait to try it!
Kristin
April 7, 2016 at 11:35 amSpaghetti is one of our favorites too. I make a triple batch America’s Test Kitchen meatballs, (2 lbs ground beef, 1 lb ground pork). Scoop them with cookie scoops and bake in the oven on parchment lined trays. Then freeze in bags of what my family of five eats at a meal. I just thaw overnight and reheat with the sauce. It makes for an easy week night supper and our farmer’s Market meat goes a lot farther.
Sommer @aspicyperspective
April 7, 2016 at 8:56 pmSpaghetti is a definite go to for dinner. Looks amazing!
Jennifer
April 10, 2016 at 8:17 pmIs there a red wine preference for this recipe?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
April 18, 2016 at 4:31 pmHi. Try a dry red like cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, or zinfandel. No need to pick a fancy one. ;)
kim
April 10, 2016 at 10:43 pmSpaghetti is my family’s favourite meal – If I made it every day they would be more than happy. Thanks for the recipe.
Emily
April 13, 2016 at 8:25 pmI made this last night and loved it. I used ground venison and also added chopped mushrooms. My husband felt like it tasted too much like wine but I had no problem with it! Keep up the great work!
Allison
April 14, 2016 at 10:46 pmReally delicious rich flavor. I used red lentils in place of the ground beef to make it vegetarian.
April
April 26, 2016 at 7:33 pmMy kids and I loved this! My kiddos requested a little less of a wine taste next time around. Nevertheless, this will definitely go into our rotation!
Heather
May 11, 2016 at 7:11 amIs there a good substitution for the red wine?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 15, 2016 at 8:02 amHi. This is a handy guide: http://www.thekitchn.com/simple-nonalcoholic-substitutes-for-red-and-white-wine-tips-from-the-kitchn-184394.
Linda
August 9, 2016 at 3:52 pmMaking a modification of this tonight. We live in a German-Irish town of 20,000. Cannot buy prosciutto here. So, I substituted Black Forest Ham. Cannot wait to taste it so I am sampling at 3 p.m. Reminds me of what my mom and grandmas called goulash.
Kathryn Tuttle
September 26, 2016 at 6:48 pmI make this every time just like the recipe says, using a nice Pinot Noir. It rivals anything we could order at a restaurant! We love it with lentil & quinoa pasta. Great job 1oo Days!
Roshani
January 18, 2017 at 5:15 amInsanely adorable and delicious!
Oh my! Hubby would love this! Pinning now! Thanks for sharing!!
Shilpa
May 3, 2017 at 2:51 amGorgeous photos, colors, and recipe! And, ohhhh your words. Always so meaningful and honest. LOVE.
Riya Ahuja
May 6, 2017 at 7:42 amOh my gosh this looks so good! I am over here drooling over this dish right now. I am all over this. I can’t even stop starring !!
Tina
May 21, 2017 at 11:12 amIs there anything that can be used to substitute for heavy cream?
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
May 24, 2017 at 11:36 amYou can just leave it out.
Alka
November 11, 2017 at 8:13 amMmmmmm…..yum. This looks totally amazing. I’m just starring at the screen looking at how delicious they look.
Shanna Schweitzer
January 22, 2018 at 5:48 pmI made this tonight. I used a rich Cabernet, and it turned it a deep purple/brown color that’s not exactly appetizing. (Doesn’t at all resemble your picture.) It DOES still taste amazing, though. Any idea what I did wrong??
Amy Taylor (comment moderator)
January 29, 2018 at 12:47 pmI have no idea why it would have changed color. Hmmm.