Spaghetti Bolognese

Spaghetti Bolognese is a medium Italian recipe that serves 4. 620 calories per serving. Recipe by Norbert Tarayre on YouTube.

Prep: 15 min | Cook: 40 min | Total: 1 hr 5 min

Cost: $18.00 total, $4.50 per serving

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Canned crushed tomatoes (Italian) (Good quality Italian brand)
  • 500 g Ground beef 15% fat (Choose a well‑fatty meat for more flavor)
  • 150 g Guanciale (cured pork cheek) (Italian product, very fatty, provides authentic flavor)
  • 400 g Spaghetti (Choose a durum wheat brand)
  • to taste Salt
  • to taste Ground black pepper

Instructions

  1. Prepare the ingredients

    Cut the guanciale into small dice. Measure the quantities of ground meat, crushed tomatoes, and spaghetti.

    Time: PT5M

  2. Render the guanciale

    Heat the deep pan over medium heat and add the guanciale. Let the fat melt gently until the pieces are golden and crisp.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Moyen

  3. Brown the meat

    Add the ground meat to the pan with the rendered guanciale. Sauté while stirring until it is well browned, about 5 minutes.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: Moyen

  4. Incorporate the tomatoes

    Pour the kilogram of crushed tomatoes into the pan. Stir, season with salt and pepper. Let simmer over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

    Time: PT20M

    Temperature: 90°C

  5. Cook the spaghetti

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to package instructions (about 10 minutes) until al dente. Drain.

    Time: PT10M

    Temperature: 100°C

  6. Assembly and serving

    Toss the drained spaghetti with the Bolognese sauce in the pot or directly on plates. Serve hot, optionally sprinkled with Parmesan.

    Time: PT5M

Nutrition Facts

Calories
620
Protein
30 g
Carbohydrates
70 g
Fat
20 g
Fiber
4 g

Dietary info: contains meat, can be adapted gluten‑free, high-protein

Allergens: gluten

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Instead of Ground beef 15% fat: Mixed ground meat (beef‑pork), Veal ground meat
  • Instead of Guanciale (cured pork cheek): Pancetta, Smoked bacon
  • Instead of Spaghetti: Gluten‑free pasta, Tagliatelle

Equipment Needed

  • Pot or Dutch oven
  • Deep skillet
  • Wooden spoon
  • Ladle (optional)
  • Colander
  • Chef's knife

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

  • Render the guanciale without burning it
  • Properly brown the meat to develop flavors

Chef Tips from the Video

  • Use a high‑quality guanciale for maximum authenticity.
  • Let the sauce rest for 10 minutes off the heat before serving so the flavors stabilize.

Troubleshooting

Sauce too watery

Simmer longer uncovered or add a bit of tomato paste.

Sauce too thick

Add a little pasta cooking water or broth.

Guanciale burned

Reduce the heat and monitor constantly; remove from heat as soon as the fat starts to melt.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store the sauce in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.

Freezer: The sauce freezes for 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating.

Room temperature: Do not leave at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

  • Bolognese sauce can be prepared ahead of time and gains flavor after 12–24 h in the refrigerator.
  • Store cooked pasta separately to prevent it from sticking.

Last updated: September 6, 2026

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Spaghetti Bolognese

Recipe by Norbert Tarayre

A quick and flavorful Bolognese sauce, inspired by authentic Italian products, with ground meat, guanciale and canned crushed tomatoes, served over spaghetti.

MediumItalianServes 4

Shop all ingredients on Amazon in one click • Printable PDF with shopping checklist

Source Video
15m
Prep
35m
Cook
10m
Cleanup
1h
Total

Cost Breakdown

$18.00
Total cost
$4.50
Per serving

Critical Success Points

  • • Render the guanciale without burning it
  • • Properly brown the meat to develop flavors

Safety Warnings

  • • Watch out for hot oil splatters when rendering the guanciale.
  • • Cook the meat through to avoid any risk of contamination.