Bolognese Bake

This bolognese bake is made extra delicious with the addition of two secret ingredients. It certainly is a sure-fire way to impress your family even on busy weeknights!

It’s no surprise that pasta is one dish that’s loved by everyone around the world. Although I don’t have many pasta recipes here on the blog, delicious pasta always occupy a special place on my weekly menu. And whenever I come across an awesome pasta recipe that I really fall in love with, I just can’t wait to share it with you all.

Now, probably, you might have guessed that this bolognese bake is my new favorite. I took my favorite bolognese recipe and decided on a pasta bake to make it super delicious.

Although I love ground beef in my bolognese sauce, I think this pasta bake would be so tasty with ground lamb or pork. Or maybe even with ground chicken. I really need to check it out very soon.

One thing so special about this recipe is that I’ve a little surprise in this dish. Not just one, two surprises to be exact. Mint leaves and a tad of tomato sauce. Mint leaves taste awesome in bolognese sauce. Try it, you’ll just fall in love with the lip-smacking combo! And tomato sauce is so magical it makes everything taste better.

This bolognese pasta bake makes a great dinner when you have to feed a crowd . Just double or triple the recipe. And you might not even get any leftovers!

We’re going to make this bolognese bake in three easy steps. First, cook pasta. Second, prepare bolognese sauce. And finally, layer and bake.

Ok, let’s start cooking.

Before you start, preheat your oven to 180ºC.

 

Yield: 4

Bolognese Bake

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Easy bolognese bake perfect for a weeknight meal! Two secret ingredients make it stand out!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 350g pasta of your choice (I used wholemeal spirals)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 500 g ground (minced) beef or pork or lamb (I used beef)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large red (or brown) onions, chopped (I used brown)
• 150g button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato sauce (ketchup)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste (puree)
• 200g canned diced tomatoes, or 3 medium tomatoes chopped
• 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
• ½ cup grated parmesan or mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Extra parmesan cheese, to garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 180 C.
2. To cook the pasta, follow packet directions. Boil a large pot of salted water. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain. Set aside. Reserve the cooking liquid.
3. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add ground (minced) beef. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes or until the meat is browned. Transfer to a plate.
4. Add rest of the oil to the pan. Add garlic. Saute, stirring, until aromatic. Add onions, and saute again, for 2-3 minutes or until soft and translucent.
5. Add mushrooms. Cook, stirring, for 4 minutes. Stir in tomato paste, tomato sauce and canned tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little of the reserved cooking liquid to make thick sauce.
6. Stir in mint leaves. Add 3/4 cup reserved water. Stir in fried meat. Cook, covered, for 2-3 minutes.
7. Spoon one third of the sauce into a 2L ovenproof baking dish. Add half of the pasta. Add half of the remaining sauce on top. Next, add the rest of the pasta in a single layer. Add the rest of the sauce, and top with the grated cheese.
8. Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and heated through. Garnish with extra cheese.

Notes

-You could use carrots or zucchinis instead of mushrooms.
-If you don't like mint, substitute with parsley or basil.

Nutrition Information

Yield

4

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 585Total Fat 35gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 20gCholesterol 148mgSodium 241mgCarbohydrates 39gFiber 5gSugar 6gProtein 51g

Like this bolognese bake recipe? Then check out:

• Creamy Tomato Tuna Pasta
• Creamy Spinach Pasta