Classic Tomato Meat Sauce Pasta (Spaghetti Bolognese)
A rich, slow-simmered tomato meat sauce that captures the comfort of a classic Italian kitchen. Perfect for batch cooking and beloved by kids and adults alike.
This tomato meat sauce is a kitchen essential, especially when you need a reliable, crowd-pleasing meal that tastes even better the next day. By slowly simmering fresh tomatoes with aromatic vegetables, minced pork, and a touch of butter, you create a deeply flavorful sauce that pairs perfectly with spaghetti. It is a time-honored recipe that turns simple ingredients into a comforting restaurant-quality meal at home.
Ingredients
- 500 g minced pork
- 500 g fresh tomatoes
- 100 g butter
- 1 unit carrot
- 2 stalks celery
- 1 unit onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 50 g tomato paste
- 1800 ml water
- 14 g salt
- 35 g sugar
- 2 units bay leaves
- 4 g black pepper powder
- to taste spaghetti pasta
Instructions
- 1Peel the tomatoes
Carefully remove the skin from the fresh tomatoes using a sharp vegetable peeler. This direct method is quick and eliminates the need to blanch the tomatoes in boiling water beforehand.
Tip: If the tomatoes are too soft to peel easily with a peeler, you can gently score the bottom and briefly blanch them in hot water instead. - 2Dice the peeled tomatoes
Remove the hard core from the tomatoes, slice them in half, and then dice them into small chunks on a cutting board. Dicing them small helps them break down quickly into a rich, flavorful sauce.
Tip: A sharp knife is essential here to slice cleanly through the tomato flesh without squishing out all the natural juices. - 3Sear the minced pork
Heat a small amount of oil in a wok or large pan. Once the oil is hot, add the raw minced pork and stir-fry vigorously over high heat to break the meat apart and prevent large clumps from forming.
Tip: Keep the heat high at this stage to quickly sear the outside of the meat, locking in moisture. - 4Brown the pork
Continue to stir-fry the minced pork until the meat changes color entirely and begins to shrink and brown slightly. Once fully cooked through and fragrant, remove the meat from the pan and set it aside.
Tip: Browning the meat thoroughly creates a deep, savory umami base for the final pasta sauce. - 5Sauté the aromatic vegetables
Add a little more oil to the wok and turn the heat back up. Pour in the finely chopped carrots, celery, and purple onions, and stir-fry them for over a minute until the vegetables begin to soften.
Tip: Chopping the vegetables finely ensures they melt seamlessly into the sauce, making it perfect for picky eaters. - 6Incorporate butter and garlic
Once the vegetables have softened, add the minced garlic and about 100 grams of butter to the wok. Stir everything together until the butter melts completely, releasing a rich and savory aroma.
Tip: Adding butter balances the natural acidity of the tomatoes and gives the final sauce a rich, restaurant-quality gloss. - 7Combine meat and vegetables
Add the previously stir-fried minced meat back into the pan with the softened vegetables and melted butter. Stir thoroughly over medium-high heat until the flavors are well combined and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Tip: Ensure the vegetables are fully softened before adding the meat back in for the best flavor integration. - 8Add tomatoes and paste
Add the diced fresh tomatoes and tomato paste to the meat and vegetable mixture. Continue to stir-fry over high heat until the fresh tomatoes have softened and turned into a mushy consistency.
Tip: Using tomato paste provides a deeper color and richer umami flavor to the sauce. - 9Add water to the sauce
Pour 1800 milliliters of water into the wok with the tomato and meat mixture. Stir well to combine all ingredients as you bring the liquid to a boil.
Tip: Ensure you scrape the bottom of the wok while stirring to incorporate all the flavorful browned bits. - 10Season the sauce
Once the mixture reaches a boil, add 14 grams of salt, 35 grams of sugar, 2 bay leaves, and 4 grams of black pepper powder. Stir the seasonings evenly throughout the sauce.
Tip: The sugar balances the acidity of the tomatoes perfectly. You can adjust the salt and sugar levels to suit your personal preference. - 11Simmer the sauce
Turn the heat to low and let the sauce simmer uncovered for 50 minutes. Stir the mixture every few minutes to ensure it cooks evenly and does not stick to the bottom of the wok.
Tip: Simmering uncovered helps the liquid reduce to the perfect thick consistency. - 12Portion for storage
Once the sauce has finished simmering and reached the desired consistency, let it cool slightly. Portion the meat sauce into small plastic containers, then seal them tightly. These can be frozen for future meals.
Tip: Labeling your containers with the date helps keep track of freshness for freezer storage. - 13Mix pasta with the sauce
Leave a portion of the heated meat sauce in the pan and add your cooked spaghetti directly into it. Toss everything together until the noodles are evenly coated with the rich tomato meat sauce.
Tip: Tossing the pasta directly in the hot pan allows the noodles to absorb the flavors of the sauce much better than just pouring it on top.
