Slow-Cooked Beef Bolognese with Fresh Pasta

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-10 · Updated 2026-04-10

A deeply flavorful beef and tomato sauce simmered for hours with aromatic vegetables, tossed with homemade pasta for a comforting, restaurant-quality dinner. This italian-inspired pasta ready in about 160 minutes pairs Ground beef, Olive oil, (1 cup, finely chopped) Onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 620 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Ground beef
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 (1 cup, finely chopped) Onion
• 1 (1/2 cup, finely chopped) Carrot
• 1 stalk (1/2 cup, finely chopped) Celery
• 3 cloves (minced) Garlic
• 2 tbsp Tomato paste
• 1 (14 oz can) Diced tomatoes
• 1 cup Beef broth
• 1/2 cup Red wine
• 1 tsp Dried oregano
• 1 tsp Dried basil
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Black pepper
• 8 oz Spaghetti
• 1 tbsp (for pasta water) Salt

Instructions

1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.
2. Step 2: Add 1 cup chopped onion, 1/2 cup chopped carrot, and 1/2 cup chopped celery; cook for 8 minutes until softened and golden.
3. Step 3: Stir in 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Step 4: Add 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
5. Step 5: Add 1 lb ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon, and cook until browned (6-8 minutes).
6. Step 6: Pour in 1/2 cup red wine and simmer for 5 minutes until reduced by half.
7. Step 7: Stir in 14 oz diced tomatoes, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper.
8. Step 8: Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
9. Step 9: While sauce simmers, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot with 1 tbsp salt.
10. Step 10: Add 8 oz spaghetti and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
11. Step 11: Toss drained spaghetti with 1 cup of the Bolognese sauce until evenly coated, adding reserved pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce.