Everyone’s got their own way of making spaghetti sauce from scratch, and this is mine: a veggie loaded bolognese with ground beef, eggplant, zucchini, carrot, and bell pepper. Is it love, or just a wonderfully simple, ridiculously tasty recipe? ;-) Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Why make this veggie loaded bolognese?
Making your own veggie filled bolognese sauce is a skill everyone should have in their back pocket. You only need a handful of basic ingredients, and homemade always beats anything from a jar. It does take a little time, but in this recipe I’ll show you how a few favorite vegetables, good tomato passata (crucial!), and a handful of seasonings come together into a rich, full-flavored meat sauce that’s perfect for busy weeknights or a cozy dinner with friends.
The best part about this recipe? It’s foolproof, budget friendly, and totally customizable. Swap in whatever vegetables you love (not everyone’s a zucchini fan, and mushrooms aren’t for everyone either), or make it vegetarian without losing any flavor. With a little simmering time, the tomato sauce turns naturally sweet, and your kitchen fills with that classic, homemade smell.
This sauce is great served right away, but it’s also fantastic for meal prep. Store it in the fridge or freeze it in portions so you’ve always got some ready to go on busy nights. I also love using this spaghetti sauce in a one-pan lasagna, stuffed zucchini, or a classic baked lasagna.
Ready to make your own veggie loaded bolognese? Scroll down to the recipe and see how easy it is.
Tips for a rich, flavorful meat sauce
- Use good quality ingredients for the sauce. Store brand tomato passata or diced tomatoes are often quite acidic and need a lot of extra seasoning, and sometimes sugar, to balance out. For the best flavor, I like to use a good quality tomato brand, like Mutti or Cento.
- Chop the vegetables finely. Pick your favorite vegetables for this sauce, but keep the pieces small so they blend right into the sauce. My kids don’t even notice they’re eating a big portion of vegetables this way.
- Cook the vegetables and tomato paste well. The vegetables should already be tender before you add the rest of the ingredients, and cooking the tomato paste for a few minutes helps mellow out its acidity.
- Let the sauce simmer as long as you can. The flavor of this spaghetti sauce builds with time. After 20 minutes, the base flavor is already solid, but if you’ve got the time, the rule is: the longer, the better. Remember to stir it now and then. ;-)
What’s in this veggie loaded bolognese
This sauce is definitely not an authentic bolognese, but it’s every bit as satisfying. Here in Belgium I make it with gemengd gehakt, a ready-made mix of ground pork and beef that every grocery store sells, and it gives the sauce a rich, meaty base. In the US, ground beef works great, and a half-and-half mix of beef and pork comes even closer. Sometimes I use ground chicken instead. Then I add a ton of vegetables. My favorites for this sauce are:
- onion
- carrot
- zucchini
- eggplant
- bell pepper
But the most important thing is choosing vegetables you actually enjoy. Feel free to swap in mushrooms, celery, broccoli, or any combination you like. We’ll cook the vegetables until just tender before adding the tomatoes. Any liquid should cook off completely, and it’s fine if the vegetables pick up a little color. That way you know they’ll be perfectly cooked in the finished sauce.
For the tomato sauce itself, I use a few aromatics that I fish back out once the sauce is done. They add flavor while the sauce simmers, but we don’t need them in the final result. I like to use:
- Garlic (whole cloves)
- Basil stems, leaves still attached
- Dried bay leaves
Veggie Loaded Bolognese with Ground Beef
Total Time 00hours:50 minutes Prep Time 00hours:20 minutes Cook Time 00hours:30 minutes
Ingredients
- 800 g ground beef or any ground meat you like
- 1 large onion
- 4 carrots
- 1 zucchini
- 2 bell peppers
- 1 eggplant
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 700 g tomato passata or more if you like a saucier sauce
Extra seasonings
- 2 cloves garlic peeled
- 1 bunch fresh basil
- 2 dried bay leaves optional
- 1 bouillon cube optional
Instructions
- Set a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook the ground meat, breaking it into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Give it enough time to turn a deep golden brown; that’s where a lot of the flavor comes from.
- While the meat cooks, finely chop all the vegetables. I add them to the pot as I go, right after chopping each one, then let them soften gently over the heat. Turn the heat down a notch if needed. The vegetables should be just tender since they won’t cook much further once the sauce is simmering. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. This takes the sharp, acidic edge off the tomatoes.
- Add the whole garlic cloves, basil stems, and bay leaves if using. Stir everything together, then pour in the passata.
- Turn the heat down low. Season with salt and pepper and let the sauce simmer gently, covered, for at least 20 minutes. The longer it simmers, the better it tastes.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. If it tastes a little too acidic (this can depend on the tomatoes you used), stir in a bouillon cube to round it out. Fish out the garlic cloves, bay leaves, and basil stems; you won’t need them anymore.
- Serve right away over your favorite pasta with a generous handful of grated cheese. Enjoy!
See? Making your own veggie loaded bolognese is easier than you’d think. Give it a try, and enjoy every bite of your homemade sauce! Love, Ellen X
Looking for more dinner ideas? I’ve got you! Head over to the dinner recipes page for plenty of inspiring recipes.
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Frequently asked questions about veggie loaded bolognese
How do you make a good base spaghetti sauce?
How long should spaghetti sauce cook?
Can you freeze homemade spaghetti sauce?
How long does spaghetti sauce keep in the fridge?
What herbs work best in spaghetti sauce?
Can I make spaghetti sauce without meat?
How do you make spaghetti sauce thicker?
Can you make spaghetti sauce without canned diced tomatoes?
