gordon ramsay spaghetti bolognese recipe
This rich, cozy Gordon Ramsay spaghetti bolognese recipe is the kind of dinner that makes the whole kitchen smell wonderful before anyone even sits down. The beef cooks into a savory tomato sauce with vegetables, herbs, and just enough richness to cling beautifully to every strand of spaghetti.I’ve learned not to rush the sauce. Giving the beef a good brown and letting everything simmer together for a little while makes a much bigger difference than adding a dozen extra ingredients.
Equipment
- Large skillet or deep sauté pan
- Large pasta pot
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Cutting board
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Box grater
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Colander
- Pasta tongs or serving spoon
Ingredients
- Spaghetti – 12 oz
- Ground beef – 1 lb
- Olive oil – 1 tablespoon
- Yellow onion finely diced – 1 medium
- Carrot finely grated – 1 medium
- Garlic minced – 2 cloves
- Tomato paste – 2 tablespoons
- Crushed tomatoes – 14 oz
- Beef broth – 1/2 cup
- Worcestershire sauce – 1 tablespoon
- Dried oregano – 1 teaspoon
- Dried basil – 1 teaspoon
- Red pepper flakes – 1/4 teaspoon
- Salt – 1/2 teaspoon
- Black pepper – 1/4 teaspoon
- Whole milk – 1/4 cup
- Parmesan cheese grated – 1/3 cup
- Fresh parsley chopped – 2 tablespoons
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Vegetables
- Finely dice the onion, grate the carrot, and mince the garlic before you start cooking. I always get everything ready first because once the beef hits the pan, the recipe moves pretty quickly.
Step 2: Sauté the Onion and Carrot
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, then cook for 4–5 minutes until softened and the onion looks slightly translucent.
Step 3: Add the Garlic
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Keep an eye on it because garlic can turn bitter quickly if it cooks too long.
Step 4: Brown the Ground Beef
- Add the ground beef and spread it across the skillet. Let it sit briefly, then break it apart and cook for 6–8 minutes until nicely browned with no pink remaining.
Step 5: Cook the Tomato Paste
- Add the tomato paste directly to the pan and cook for 1–2 minutes. Stir it into the beef once it darkens slightly and loses that raw tomato taste.
Step 6: Build the Bolognese Sauce
- Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until everything is well combined.
Step 7: Simmer the Sauce
- Reduce the heat and let the sauce simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. It should gradually become thick, rich, and nicely concentrated.
Step 8: Cook the Spaghetti
- While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook until al dente, usually about 8–10 minutes.
Step 9: Finish the Sauce With Milk
- Stir the milk into the Bolognese during the final few minutes of cooking. This helps soften the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce a smoother finish.
Step 10: Combine the Pasta and Sauce
- Drain the spaghetti, reserving about 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss gently, using a splash of pasta water if needed.
Step 11: Add Parmesan and Serve
- Stir in some grated Parmesan and toss once more. Divide the spaghetti into bowls, then finish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley before serving.
Video
Notes
The little lesson I learned with this one is to let the ground beef actually brown before adding the tomatoes. I used to stir it constantly, but once I started leaving the meat alone long enough to develop those browned edges, the whole sauce tasted noticeably deeper and richer.