Traditional Vegetarian Spaghetti Bolognese

A family favourite, filled with veggies, herbs and goodness. You’ll get great satisfaction both eating this dish and feeding it to your loved ones.

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Prep Time: 15mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

Servings: 4-6

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Ingredients

Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil 

1 brown onion, chop fine in food processor

3 garlic cloves, chop fine in food processor

1 bay leaf

2 stalks of celery, chop fine in food processor

1 large carrot, chop fine in food processor

1 red capsicum, chop fine in food processor

5 fresh tomatoes (or 1 can tinned tomatoes 400g) - chop fine in food processor

1 bottle of passata 750ml

1 teaspoon of dried parsley

1 teaspoon of dried basil

1 teaspoon of dried thyme

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

1 tablespoon of honey

½ teaspoon of salt

Ground black pepper

Spaghetti

1 packet of spaghetti (alternatively use gluten free or a bean pasta)

Parmesan cheese, freshly grated (Optional)

Fresh Basil leaves (Optional)

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Steps

1. To make the bolognese sauce, heat oil in a pot and add onions and garlic and saute for a couple of minutes
2. Add bayleaf, celery, carrot, capsicum and gently saute until tender.
3. Add fresh tomatoes and passata and stir gently with a wooden spoon.
4. Add parsley, basil, thyme, oregano, honey, salt and pepper and gently stir.
5. On medium heat, let the sauce get hot, so it starts to boil, then turn it down to low and let it simmer for two hours with the lid off.
6. To cook spaghetti, in a large pot boil salted water. 
7. Once water is boiled, add spaghetti and stir to un-clump the spaghetti.
8. Let boil for 10-12 minutes (double check cooking time on packet).
9. Once spaghetti is cooked, drain water and then put the spaghetti back in the pot.
10. Pour a dash of olive oil over the spaghetti and give it a stir. Then pour 2 ladles of bolognese sauce on the spaghetti and mix it all together. Add a bit of grated parmesan and stir it through..
11. Serve spaghetti in bowls and ladle the sauce over the top.
12. Top with grated parmesan and a couple of fresh basil leaves.

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Recommendations

Add chilli oil and chopped fresh parsley for extra flavour.

To assist with digestion, accompany this meal with a salad (ideally bitter lettuce) dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

If you want your kids eating more veggies, add a zucchini (food processed) into the sauce mix ingredients. 

If you don’t have a food processor, you can chop all the ingredients fine. I would recommend adding an extra can of tinned tomatoes.

This sauce tastes even better the next day heated up. Alternatively you can make it and freeze.

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By Michelle Cloete