Mom’s Spaghetti Bolognese

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Description

Recipe passed on from my Italian grandfather. The ultimate comfort food. Leftovers freeze nicely! To make this recipe more authentic, you can use a mixture of ground veal, pork, and beef. You can also substitute the balsamic vinegar for 1/2 cup of red wine.

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
  • 2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons white sugar
  • salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
  • ΒΌ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water until cooked through yet firm to the bite
  2. about 12 minutes; drain.
  3. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon in the oil until crisp
  4. 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the onion
  5. celery
  6. carrot
  7. and oregano into the bacon; continue cooking until the vegetables begin to soften
  8. another 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant
  9. about 2 minutes. Crumble the ground beef into the vegetable mixture; cook and stir until the beef is completely cooked and no longer pink
  10. 8 to 10 minutes.
  11. Pour the balsamic vinegar over the ground beef mixture; allow to simmer until the liquid evaporates
  12. about 5 minutes. Stir the crushed tomatoes
  13. tomato paste
  14. and sugar into the ground beef mixture; bring the mixture to a boil
  15. season with salt and black pepper
  16. and remove from heat. Stir the fresh basil into the mixture.
  17. Ladle the sauce over the cooked spaghetti. Top with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Prep Time: 20 mins

Cook Time: 40 mins

Total Time: 1 hr

Servings: 8

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