Bolognese with Veggies is a hearty, comforting meal that sneaks extra vegetables into a family favourite. Rich, thick and full of savoury flavour, this veggie-boosted twist on the classic Bolognese sauce is a win for parents and kids alike. It will please the picky eaters! You’ll love this easy Bolognese recipe for midweek meals, and making ahead.
Bolognese for babies and toddlers
This Bolognese is a great pasta sauce for babies and toddlers, with wholefood ingredients and extra veggies. You can choose salt-reduced or no-salt beef stock/bouillon cubes if making for baby.
For young babies, you might like to blend the sauce to make it more smooth, before mixing with baby pasta. Alternatively, blend the sauce with pasta to make a puree.
My kids love slurping up spaghetti noodles, but spaghetti can be more challenging for some children to eat. Choose your preferred pasta variety 😊. If using spaghetti, chop the noodles up once cooked to avoid them being a choking hazard for young children.
For another healthy, kid-friendly pasta sauce, check out this vegetable-packed pasta sauce too. It’s just as yummy and toddler approved!
Ingredients in Bolognese with Veggies
This Bolognese sauce recipe uses simple ingredients for a flavour-packed pasta:
Pork and beef mince/ground pork and beef – I like to use a combination of pork and beef mince. Using a combination of the two is the best balance of flavour and juiciness. In my local supermarket, it’s packaged at ‘Bolognese Mince’ and is 70% pork, 30% beef. You could buy each mince/ground meat separately and use in equal amounts.
Onion, carrot and celery – A brown/yellow onion, one carrot and one celery stick for an Italian soffrito flavour base.
Garlic – Substitute the garlic cloves for 2 tsp minced garlic if needed.
Button mushrooms – For extra veggie content and a deeper savoury flavour.
Tomato Passata/Puree – Tomato passata (as it’s known in Australia) is Tomato Puree (US). In Australia, it’s bottled. It’s lovely thick consistency is great for making quick pasta sauces!
Tomato paste – You can opt for salt-reduced if you like, especially if making for a baby under 12 months.
Worcestershire sauce – For a little something extra 😊.
Beef stock/beef bouillon cube – For extra depth of flavour. Use a no-salt or salt-reduced stock/bouillon cube if serving to babies or toddlers.
Herbs – Dried oregano, thyme and bay leaves for deeper flavour.
Salt and pepper – Leave out the salt if serving to family under 12 months of age.
Olive oil – For sautéing the vegetables.
Pasta – Whatever variety is your favourite pasta (pasta not pictured).
How to make Bolognese with Veggies
Finely chop the vegetables by hand. On the stovetop over medium-high heat, sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic in olive oil for about 3 minutes to create the flavour base. Add the mince and brown it, for about 4 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Bring to the boil, reduce heat and then simmer for 25 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, cook the pasta on a stovetop and drain. Remove the meat sauce from the heat and combine with the cooked pasta. Serve and enjoy!
Thermomixer? This Bolognese pasta sauce recipe is easy to make in a Thermomix, as I’m sure it would be in any thermo cooker. Firstly, chop and sauté the onion, carrot, celery and garlic to make an Italian soffrito flavour base. Add the remaining sauce ingredients except for the mince, and combine. Then add the mince into the simmering basket. Cook it for 20 minutes. In the last 10 minutes, cook the pasta on a stovetop and drain. Once the Thermomix is done, combine the meat and sauce, and then stir through the cooked pasta. Serve and enjoy!
You’ll find the recipe card below, with ingredient amounts and detailed steps for both regular and thermo cooker methods.
Serving Bolognese
Spaghetti Bolognese is probably the most well known pasta dish around! I like serving this Bolognese sauce with spaghetti, but you can use whatever type of pasta you like best. Garnish with parmesan cheese 😋.
Making ahead and freezing Bolognese
This Bolognese sauce recipe re-heats really well, so you can meal prep it and either refrigerate or freeze. If frozen, allow the sauce to defrost in the fridge overnight. Then gently reheat it and serve over your preferred pasta a quick dinner.
Looking for more family friendly pasta dinners? Try this kid-friendly spinach pasta for a delicious and fresh way to sneak greens into meals!
Bolognese with Veggies
Category: Family MainsTap or hover to scale
Ingredients
- 1 brown/yellow onion peeled (Thermomixers: quartered)
- 1 carrot peeled (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 1 celery stick peeled (Thermomixers: roughly chopped)
- 2 garlic cloves peeled
- 1 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs tomato paste
- 700 g passata
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 beef stock/beef bouillon cube (Note 1)
- 1/4 tsp salt (for family over 12 months)
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 button mushrooms diced small
- 500 g Bolognese mince/ground beef and pork (Note 2)
- 300 g pasta of choice
- Grated parmesan to garnish
Thermo Cooker Instructions
- Put the onion, carrot, celery and garlic into the mixing bowl. Chop for 3 seconds, speed 7, MC on. Scrape down the mixing bowl.
- Add the olive oil. Cook for 5 minutes, 100°C, speed 1, MC off.
- Add the tomato paste, passata, Worcestershire sauce, crumbled beef stock/beef bouillon cube, salt, pepper, oregano and thyme. Mix for 5 seconds, speed 3, MC on.
- Add the mushroom into the mixing bowl.
- Insert the simmering basket and add the Bolognese mince/ground meat into it. Break up the mince to ensure airflow. Add the bay leaves. Cook 15 minutes, Varoma, speed 2, MC on.
- Carefully break up the mince as small as possible. Cook for a further 10minutes, Varoma, speed 2, MC on. At the same time, cook pasta as per packet instructions on stovetop and drain.
- Once the sauce is cooked, remove the bay leaves from the simmering basket. Transfer the sauce and mince/ground meat to a large dish and stir to combine.
- Combine half the meat sauce with cooked pasta. Serve, spooning over more sauce. Garnish with parmesan.
Conventional Instructions
- Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery and garlic.
- Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes or until translucent.
- Add the Bolognese mince/ground meat and lightly brown, breaking it up, for 5 minutes.
- Add all remaining ingredients, crumbling the beef stock/beef bouillon cube, plus 1/4 cup water. Bring to the boil, and then reduce heat. Let simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat. Carefully remove bay leaves and discard.
- Combine half the meat sauce with cooked pasta. Serve, spooning over more sauce. Garnish with parmesan.
