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
- 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.
- Add in the prosciutto, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt, red pepper, and nutmeg and cook while stirring for another 2 - 3 minutes.
- Pour in the red wine and cook for another minute while scrapping the bottom of the pan.
- 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.
- 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.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Facts
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I 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??
I have no idea why it would have changed color. Hmmm.
Mmmmmm…..yum. This looks totally amazing. I’m just starring at the screen looking at how delicious they look.
Is there anything that can be used to substitute for heavy cream?
You can just leave it out.
Oh 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 !!
Gorgeous photos, colors, and recipe! And, ohhhh your words. Always so meaningful and honest. LOVE.
Insanely adorable and delicious!
Oh my! Hubby would love this! Pinning now! Thanks for sharing!!
I 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!
Making 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.
Is there a good substitution for the red wine?
Hi. This is a handy guide: http://www.thekitchn.com/simple-nonalcoholic-substitutes-for-red-and-white-wine-tips-from-the-kitchn-184394.
My 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!
Really delicious rich flavor. I used red lentils in place of the ground beef to make it vegetarian.
I 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!
Spaghetti is my family’s favourite meal – If I made it every day they would be more than happy. Thanks for the recipe.
Is there a red wine preference for this recipe?
Hi. Try a dry red like cabernet, merlot, pinot noir, or zinfandel. No need to pick a fancy one. ;)
Spaghetti is a definite go to for dinner. Looks amazing!
Spaghetti 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.
We 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!
So nice. My family love it so much. Wait for more post.
Thanks
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I 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.