This Spaghetti Bolognese recipe features a rich, flavorful sauce of tomatoes, ground beef and hot Italian sausage that’s as authentically Italian as it gets. To add a little more nutritious to all that delicious, we decided to take it up a notch and sneak in some vitamin-rich spinach. Not only does it wilt down into the sauce with ease, but it also adds a fresh pop of green color into the mix for a tasty spin on a classic.
Our test kitchen pros note that browning meat is key to building deep flavor in the dish. But when the pan is crowded, the meat will steam instead of sizzle, resulting in a bland taste and unappealing color. Our fix: Heat the pan until smoking hot, add the meat, then wait to stir until the bottom is nicely browned. This way, you’ll lock in flavor without needing to brown in batches. If you’ve given this recipe a try, comment below to let us know!
Yields
Total Time
Prep Time
Cook Time
Ingredients
- 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 Tbs. tomato paste
- 12 oz. ground beef
- 2 links hot Italian sausage (6 oz.), casings removed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 8 oz. spaghetti, broken
- 4 cups baby spinach
- ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- Fresh basil (optional)
Instructions
PrintCoat 6-qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine tomatoes, tomato paste and ¼ tsp. salt; reserve.
Coat nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add beef and sausage; cook, stirring to break up meat, until browned, 10 min. Drain. Place onion in slow cooker. Stir in beef and tomato mixtures. Cover; cook on low 4 hrs.
Stir 2 cups water and spaghetti into sauce. Cover; cook on low 1 hr. Stir in spinach until wilted. Sprinkle with cheese. If desired, garnish with basil.
Nutrition
- Calories: 371
- Fat: 12 gram
- Saturated Fat: 4 gram
- Protein: 23 gram
- Carbohydrate: 43 gram
- Fiber: 5 gram
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
- Sugar: 8 gram
- Sodium: 571 mg
