Best More Veg Less Meat Summer Bolognese Recipes

RIGATONI WITH SUMMER BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until evenly combined, 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, the tomatoes and half the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the mixture is saucy, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Add the cheese to the sauce, then add the rigatoni; season with salt and pepper and toss, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining basil and more parmesan.

MORE VEG, LESS MEAT SUMMER BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in large deep frying pan. Add the onions, carrots, celery, courgettes and garlic. Cook for about 10 mins or until soft, adding a few splashes of water if the mixture begins to stick. Turn up the heat and add the mince. Fry for a few mins more, breaking up the mince with the back of a spoon. Stir in tomato purée, pour over the chopped tomatoes and add a can of water. Simmer for 15 mins until the sauce is thick, then season.
• Meanwhile, cook the fettuccine following pack instructions.
• Tip the peas into the sauce and simmer for 2 mins more until tender. Stir through the drained pasta and parsley, then serve.

VEGETARIAN BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons butter with the olive oil over medium-high. When foaming, add the onion, carrots and cauliflower, season with 1 teaspoon salt and a few pepper grinds. Cook, stirring just once or twice, until browned and juicy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomato paste, soy sauce and garlic and cook, stirring and smashing the vegetables, until the tomato paste is a shade darker and sticks to the bottom of the pot, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the milk and bay leaf, season with salt and pepper, reduce heat to low, and stir to combine, scraping up browned bits from the pot. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the milk has thickened slightly and the vegetables are very soft, 15 to 20 minutes. (At first the pan will look dry, then the vegetable liquid will thin the sauce and it will thicken slightly).
• Halfway through cooking the sauce, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. If the sauce is ready before the pasta, remove sauce from heat and keep covered.
• Remove the bay leaf from the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the pasta, 1/2 cup pasta water, the Parmesan and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Stir vigorously until the pasta is well coated, adding more pasta water as needed until the sauce is glossy. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with more grated Parmesan on top.

BEEF BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Add the meat and a large pinch of salt and cook, breaking up any lumps, until it begins to brown, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic, celery, carrots, onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomato paste and toast it until it looks rusty, a few minutes. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the milk and bring to a simmer. Cook, partially covered, until the sauce has thickened and all the liquid is reduced, at least 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove the thyme bundle.
• Before serving, stir in some freshly grated Parmesan. To serve, grate more Parmesan over top.