Recipe: Weeknight Pasta Bolognese

A warm bowl of Pasta Bolognese is usually our go-to after a long day of skiing. Despite the long ingredient list, it's easy two throw together in one pot, and is pretty low maintenance once you've got everything simmering.

Doubling the recipe is a great way to serve a crowd if you've got friends coming over for dinner, but it also stores well in the freezer while you're fully #distanced and only cooking for one or two. Finding a stash of Bolognese in the freezer when we're too lazy to cook is the ultimate jackpot, so as a gift to your future self - stock up!

Ground turkey, while a little less flavorful than beef or pork, is a great way to lighten this dish up if you're not looking for something quite as heavy.

Ingredients (serves 5 - 6)

1lb of ground beef, pork, or turkey

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ white onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 bell pepper, chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

½ cup mushrooms. finely chopped

½ zucchini, finely chopped

2 cans diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

¼ teaspoon oregano

¼ teaspoon rosemary

Pinch cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar or ¼ C of old red wine

Parmesan cheese, basil, and red pepper flakes for serving

Directions

1. Boil water for pasta in a large pot.

2. Heat a large saucepan to medium with olive oil.

3. Add onions, garlic. Add meat and stir evenly to brown, along with ¼ teaspoon of salt.

4. Add bell pepper, zucchini, mushrooms, and carrot, cook for 10 minutes with lid, stirring consistently.

5. Add tomatoes and remainder of spices, including balsamic vinegar/red wine

6. Cook the sauce on low for 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally. If you can wait longer, it’s worth it. This sauce only gets better the longer it cooks!

7. When your water is boiling, add pasta and cook according to the directions.

8. Pour Bolognese sauce over pasta and serve with parmesan and basil.