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Yummy Bolognese Sauce with Hidden Veggies - Step-by-Step Recipe
A Delicious and Healthy Meat Sauce
A Yummy Bolognese Meat Sauce that Provides Veggie Servings
This meat sauce, known also as Bolognese sauce, makes any pasta dish very yummy.
It is best when accompanied with textured pasta, that has lines or grooves on it, so the sauce sticks to it better. My favorites are penne and shells. I love when the shells fill up with the sauce! I also use it on gnocchi and this meat sauce is definitely the main ingredient in my wonderful homemade lasagna.
Kids Love It!
The best thing is that it makes my children go "Yay", they love this sauce, and little they know that when they eat a pasta dish with my meat sauce, they are also getting a nice portion of veggies with it.
In fact, this is a great way to sneak veggies into the diet of those children that are a little resistant to the healthy diet idea. They will get their veggie servings and not even know it!
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 lb Ground beef, lean
- 3 Carrots, big
- 3 Celery sticks
- 1 Onion, medium size
- 3 Garlic, cloves
- 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil, (EVOO)
- 3 cans Whole tomatoes
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper, ground
- 3 Bay leaves
Correct Pronunciation of Bologna
What Does Bolognese Mean?
The meat sauce is called Bolognese because it's typical of Bologna, which is a pretty city in Italy.
By the way, the correct pronunciation of Bologna is b uh - l OH n - y uh (you can hear it in the short video).
Instructions
- In a food processor, mince the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.
- In big non-stick pot pour the EVOO, one cup of water, and the minced vegetables. Cook over medium heat until softer, for about 10 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep moist.
- Add the ground meat, stirring well and braking any meat lumps down. Continue cooking on medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- In a blender or food processor, puree the whole tomatoes and add to the pot, including their can juice. Add the tomato paste and the bay leaves as well.
- Stir and cover. Once it starts boiling, lower the stove temperature and let it simmer, stirring every now and then, for about 60 minutes.
- Add butter and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Enjoy!
- Read additional cooking tips below.
Step by Step Photos
Click thumbnail to view full-size
Try it in lasagna!
Cooking Tips
- For a "redder" sauce, you can increase the quantity of whole tomatoes, substitute with crushed tomato cans, or add a few teaspoons of tomato paste.
- Add some heavy cream right before serving, to make it like the creamy pink sauce they serve and many restaurants.
- For added yummy taste, sprinkle some grated Parmesan cheese on your pasta dish.
- Before serving take out the bay leaves.
© 2012 Robie Benve
