🍝 Garlic Butter Spaghetti with Hearty Beef Bolognese 🧄🧈
A rich, comforting pasta dish with tender spaghetti coated in garlicky butter and topped with a slow-simmered beef bolognese—perfect for a cozy dinner!
🍖 Ingredients (Serves 4-6)
For the Bolognese Sauce:
- 1 lb (450g) ground beef (or half beef, half pork for extra richness)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 2 carrots, finely diced
- 2 celery stalks, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine (optional, sub with beef broth)
- 1 cup beef or chicken stock
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt & black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup heavy cream or milk (optional, for creaminess)
- Parmesan rind (optional, for umami)
For the Garlic Butter Spaghetti:
- 12 oz (340g) spaghetti
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Grated Parmesan, for serving
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Make the Bolognese:
- Sauté veggies – In a large pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook until soft (~5 min).
- Brown the meat – Add ground beef, breaking it up. Cook until no longer pink. Drain excess fat if needed.
- Deglaze – Pour in red wine (or broth), scraping up browned bits. Let it reduce slightly.
- Simmer – Add tomatoes, tomato paste, stock, herbs, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Stir well, then simmer on low heat for 1-2 hours (the longer, the better!).
- Finish – Stir in cream (if using) and adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaf & Parmesan rind.
2. Cook the Spaghetti:
- Boil spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.
3. Garlic Butter Toss:
- In the same pot, melt butter over low heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and sauté until fragrant (~1 min).
- Add cooked spaghetti, tossing to coat. Splash with a little pasta water to emulsify.
4. Serve:
- Plate spaghetti, top with generous Bolognese, and garnish with Parmesan & fresh parsley.
🔥 Pro Tips:
✅ Make ahead – Bolognese tastes even better the next day!
✅ Extra richness – Stir in a pat of butter into the sauce before serving.
✅ Vegetarian? Swap beef for lentils & mushrooms.
Enjoy your restaurant-worthy pasta! 🍷✨ Would you like a lighter version or a cheesy garlic bread pairing? Let me know! 😊