# Spaghetti Bolognese

A perfected spaghetti bolognese recipe with hidden vegetables, slow-cooked for rich flavor, and finished with a touch of dark chocolate and milk for creaminess.

- Total time: 270 min
- Cuisine: Italian
- Category: Soup
- Language: en

## Ingredients

- butter
- olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- 1 tbsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 0.5 tsp dried basil
- 0.5 tsp mild chilli flakes
- fennel seeds
- salt
- pepper
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 kilo beef mince
- 3 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 3 tins of tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 beef stock cube
- 2 cloves
- a tiny little bit dark chocolate
- milk

## Instructions

1. Dice the carrots and zucchini for blending.
2. Blend the zucchini, carrots, and canned tomatoes until smooth.
3. Add butter and olive oil to the pot.
4. Add chopped onions and garlic to the pot.
5. Add oregano, thyme, dried basil, mild chili flakes, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and tomato paste to the pot with the onions and garlic, and stir to brown them together.
6. Add beef mince to the pot and brown it until all the water has cooked out.
7. Pour in the blended vegetable and tomato mixture.
8. Add two bay leaves, one beef stock cube, and two cloves to the sauce.
9. Slow cook the bolognese on high for 4 hours (or 8 hours if time permits).
10. After slow cooking, add a tiny bit of dark chocolate to the bolognese.
11. Add a splash of milk to the bolognese and stir until creamy.
12. Transfer the bolognese into containers.

## Equipment

- crockpot
- blender
- chopping board
- knife
- wooden spoon
- whisk

## Tips

- Blending vegetables ensures a smooth restaurant-style bolognese without visible chunks.
- Adding tomato paste and seasonings while browning onions and garlic enhances flavors.
- Browning the beef mince until all water has cooked out leaves just the oil, which is ideal for the sauce.
- Adding a tiny bit of dark chocolate gives the bolognese more depth of flavor.
- Milk at the end makes the bolognese creamier and helps soak up leftover oil.
- Slow-cooking for 8 hours is preferred, but 4 hours on high can also work.

## Source

- Original video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DQG8OrYD0kV/?igsh=MXNuaTBnYnFyeXMwaw==
- Recipe page: https://www.cliprecipe.com/recipe/e2115d85-2f66-44da-a85c-040a1e02edeb
- Extracted: 2025-10-22

Extracted from the video by Clip Recipe (https://www.cliprecipe.com). Quantities and steps are as stated or shown in the video. Site guide for agents: https://www.cliprecipe.com/llms.txt