To ask what you throw in your spaghetti bolognese

[bluebells100]

Just wondered what you all put in it to give it more flavour and also to bulk it out to make it go round more.

The reduced salt and sugar baked beans or a tin of kidney beans

Pancetta cubes
Red wine
Garlic
Ground pepper
Fresh basil leaves at the end

Oh and when I cook the onions I add in a bit of balsamic vinegar

Lots of finely chopped carrot and celery

Grated carrot helps bulk it out and get more vitamins sneaked in!

I make mine with tons of green lentils rather than meat, and also add onions, courgette, peppers... Anything that can be sauted really

I make one every week, love it!
I use two cartons passata , veg stock pot, dash of Worcester sauce, pinch of turmeric, two peppers, half courgette and an onion.
I also throw a handful of spinach in near the end of it cooking

Red lentils and diced mushrooms to bulk out, balsamic vinegar and slow cooking of the onions to caramelise before adding any other ingredients for flavour

Oh and obviously the mince too !

Spoonful of marmite, tomato puree, balsamic vinegar glaze (thicker than vinegar), tomato ketchup, oregano, Italian herbs, stock cube, slug of red wine, garlic - it is legendary!

Everything. I throw whatever veg is in the fridge - mushrooms, peppers, onion, courgette and carrot at least into my food processor until it's quite well chopped and then chuck it in with the mince it usually doubles the amount and by the time it's done cooking (3-4 hours later) no one can spot the veg.

The only ingredients that stay the same every time for me is onion, garlic, passata and whatever herbs I feel like using, then just whatever I’ve got hanging around usually
Carrot
Celery
Courgette
Mushrooms
Peppers
Lentils
Fresh tomatoes
(Not all together, I usually have 2 or 3 of those)

Large pack of mince
Large gfinely chopped onion
2 chopped peppers
A few chopped mushrooms
garlic paste
2 tins plum tomates
Glug of red wine
herbs
tomato puree

I use:

• beef and pork mince (most supermarkets do a ready-mixed pack).
• Basic tomato sauce
• a chopped red onion
• a chopped red pepper
• garlic
• oregano
• chopped sundried tomatoes
• a blob of red pesto
• an oxo cube

Never had any complaints!

Oh and mushrooms!!

I like to fry and caramelise my onions before I put the meat in, also at least one grated carrot. I then use a hand blender to pulp it.

Then I put in the meat and brown. After that, some minced mushrooms - best prepared in a food blender, a proper one so they don’t get mushed to paste! I absolutely hate mushrooms in all other guises.

Then two tins of chopped tomatoes or passatta, plus at least one tin extra of water. A beef stock cube, some Worcester sauce (generous) maybe some marmite and then salt and pepper. Also some tomato purée if I’ve used tinned tomatoes.

I occasionally will use some red wine with the tomatoes but I don’t often have it in. I will also on occasion add a handful of red lentils, but then you need lots more water to allow them to cook to mush.

Personally I think the key to adding extras is that you can’t tell they’re there. Adding beans and diced vegetables make it more a mince stew IMO.

OMG I also add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and some finely minced sundries tomatoes if I have them. Can’t believe I forgot to put garlic on there!

A big spoonful of apricot jam - bloody lovely.

Garlic, onions, smoked paprika, peppers, courgettes, celery and carrots, two tins of chopped tomatoes, 500g lean mince, a glug of red wine or port and a dash of Worcester sauce.

I use tinned green lentils instead of mince
And a teaspoon of marmite

Tins! Not tons/tonnes!

Beans in Spag Bol??? 😳 @CatToddlerUprising 🤮

If I have a rind from a parmesan then I throw this in during the cooking then take it out before serving

Red wine, sugar, oregano, veg stock, beef stock, bay leaf on top of the usual

Finely diced chicken livers.