High Fibre Spaghetti Bolognese (HC)
Ingredients
- 480g minced beef (or pork, turkey, chicken) or 300g Quorn mince
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 carrot, finely diced or grated
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 200g mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 heaped tbsp tomato purée
- 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 300ml passata
- 1 low-sodium beef stock cube, crumbled
- 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
- 1 heaped tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- Black pepper, to taste
- 200g cooked lentils from a tin or pouch, drained and rinsed
To Serve (per portion):
- 60g wholewheat spaghetti, dry weight
- 30g Parmesan, finely grated
Instructions:
Place a large, deep frying pan or saucepan over a medium-high heat. Add the beef mince and cook for 5–7 minutes, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until browned. Drain away any excess fat if needed.
Add the onion, carrot and celery. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften.
Add the mushrooms and cook for a further 4–5 minutes, until softened and most of their liquid has evaporated.
Add the garlic powder, oregano and tomato purée. Stir well and cook for 1–2 minutes.
Add the chopped tomatoes, passata, crumbled stock cube, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and black pepper. Stir until well combined.
Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook the wholewheat spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Reserve a little pasta water before draining.
Stir in the drained and rinsed lentils to the Bolognese sauce. Simmer for a further 5–10 minutes, until the lentils are heated through and the sauce has thickened. Add a small splash of water if the sauce becomes too thick.
Taste the Bolognese and adjust the flavour if needed. Add up to 1 additional teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce for a deeper savoury flavour, a little more balsamic vinegar for extra richness, or additional oregano and black pepper.
Add the drained spaghetti to the Bolognese sauce and toss until evenly coated. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Divide the spaghetti Bolognese between four pasta bowls and top each portion with grated Parmesan
Note: Store the spaghetti Bolognese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool completely before freezing. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge overnight and reheat until piping hot, adding a small splash of water if needed.