Spaghetti Bolognese is a staple in virtually every home, and I’m sure it’s especially so for people with kids. It’s super easy to make and my girls absolutely love it, so it’s an almost weekly feature on our dinner menu.

We’ve all got that good old faithful family recipe that we’ve perfected over the years, but I thought I’d share mine for those seeking a bit of inspiration. It’s really simple but so delicious, and so perfect for the busy mom.

Ingredients

500g pack of lean mince
1 large chopped onion
Olive oil
2 tins chopped tomatoes (adding two tins makes it extra yummy and stretches it much further)
Small pack of tomato puree (can also use ketchup)
2 large carrots
15ml dried Italian herbs mix or dried origanum and basil
Salt and pepper to season
Garlic
Half glass of red wine (optional)
Dried spaghetti (how much you need depends on size of your family)

Method

Heat a good dollop of olive oil in a heavy bottomed pot.

Sautee the chopped onion in the olive oil until translucent, then add the mince to brown.

Once the mince is browned, add the herbs, plus salt and pepper to taste.

I usually then chuck in the grated carrots and cook for a few minutes before adding the tinned tomato and tomato puree. Once this comes to a nice simmer, I add crushed garlic (usually about three cloves – we like it garlicky!).

Turn the heat down and allow to cook slowly for at least 40 minutes, until everything is cooked through.

An option for a bit of extra flavor is half a glass of red wine. (I stopped adding this when we had kids, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying the glass while you cook – in fact I highly recommend pouring yourself a nice glass of wine while cooking!)

While the Bolognese sauce is simmering, boil the spaghetti in a big pot of water with a pinch of salt until el dente.

Then serve up and enjoy!

P.S – It’s also yummy with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese (or any hard cheese of your choice – my kids like cheddar).