Bolognese Sauce Over Trottole Pasta
Ok, let’s face it . . . everyone loves pasta. And what’s with all the different shapes and sizes? I’ve fallen for this trottole pasta with all it’s cute curves and swirls. It catches and holds the sauce so well too. Most picky eaters will eat pasta topped with cheese, so even if they don’t want this amazing sauce (I’m pretty sure once they taste it, they’ll love it) at least they’re getting good carbohydrates and protein. This Bolognese Sauce steals the show. It is so heavenly, and not hard to prepare. It doesn’t require a ton of time to simmer, although if you have the time, the longer you simmer, the more the flavors meld.
Bolognese sauce is a traditional meat sauce made with ground beef or pork, tomato sauce, white wine. carrots, celery, onion, garlic and herbs. There are so many variations so feel free to make it your own, but this version is family-tested and top-notch. Just before serving I top it with little balls of mozzarella cheese and shaved Parmesan cheese for more delicioso flavor and texture.
I’ve been having fun with my simple spiralizer and use it to “slice” the carrots into these beautiful cords. I slice the onions and the celery using my mandolin. All these slicers come in handy when you need just the right cut. You can cut by hand of course, but these tools make for fast work. I don’t know about you, but when the vegetables are cut into even or unique slices or when the task can be done more efficiently I’m inclined to eat more vegetables. That’s a good thing!
Another great feature of Bolognese sauce is that it helps you empty out our refrigerator. Extra carrots, celery (they always seem to hang around in my crisper), spinach and onions as well as some of those fresh herbs like parsley and basil that might not get consumed in one recipe. I hate having an ingredient go bad and then have to discard it. So if you have other veggies like zucchini or cauliflower or green beans that need using, throw them in. They’ll taste fabulous!
- Bolognese Sauce Over Trottole Pasta
- 1/2 pound Italian Trottole pasta
- 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound ground chuck beef
- 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 carrots, sliced or spiralized
- 2 cups raw baby spinach leaves
- 1 (26-ounce) jar marinara sauce
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil leaves or 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup small mozzarella balls (about 12-14)
- 1/4 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
- Prepare pasta according to package instructions. Set aside and keep warm.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and place over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and saute, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes or until meat is no longer pink.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute over medium heat until the onions become very soft, about 5 minutes. Add celery, carrot and spinach; saute for 5 minutes or until vegetables are soft and wilted. Add the marinara sauce, parsley, basil and oregano; cook over medium low heat until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Just before serving top with mozzarella balls and shaved Parmesan cheese. Serve over prepared pasta.
You might also enjoy:
Cauliflower Rice Chicken and Sausage Italian Bake
