Bucatini Bolognese is a quick, easy and delicious family dinner. Like traditional spaghetti Bolognese, the recipe starts with a with a hearty ground beef tomato sauce but uses bucatini pasta for a game changer. It’s cheesy comfort food that you need in life!
Pasta is the best! This yummy ravioli bake, creamy salmon pasta, and Chick Fil A mac and cheese recipe are some of our favorite that I know you’ll love too!
Bucatini all Bolognese
Everyone will love bucatini with Bolognese sauce. It’s the perfect meal to enjoy together sitting around the dinner table after a busy day.
The sauce is so rich and delicious, full of hearty browned beef, chunky tomatoes, onion, garlic and herbs. Soo much goodness in one dish!
There is nothing difficult or tricky about the recipe. It’s as simple as cooking some meat sauce and pasta for an easy, breezy midweek meal.
I’m sure your family will love this quick pasta dish as much as mine and it will become a staple in your home!
Ingredients
- 1 lb bucatini pasta – Bucatini are a long, tubular pasta. They are similar to spaghetti but have a hole running through the center. You can find them in the pasta aisle or order them online.
- 1 lb ground beef – Opt for your favorite type of ground chuck. 92/8 works well if you prefer a leaner cut. 80/20 ground is great too because it adds more fat to the sauce and fat means more flavor.
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped – I prefer yellow onion because it tastes mellower., whereas white onion has a slightly sharper flavor profile. Shortcut: Add 1 tablespoon onion powder.
- 3 garlic cloves, minced – add great savory flavor to the sauce. Shortcut: Swap in 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
- 1 tablespoon olive oil – to sauté the beef and aromatics. Feel free to substitute butter.
- 42 oz crushed tomatoes – That’s one and a half 28-oz cans. Select your favorite brand, I really like the Great Value crushed tomatoes with tomato puree.
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste – intensifies the tomato aroma and taste of the sauce.
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce – adds depth of flavor. The condiment is a great alternative to adding wine or stock.
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning – gives the sauce a rich, herby flavor. You can also choose fresh herbs (2 to 3 tablespoons) or dried parsley (1 tablespoon) if that is what you have available.
- 1 teaspoon salt – 1 teaspoon of salt is a good starting point, but you may need to add more if your crushed tomatoes are unsalted. You’ll also need another teaspoon of salt to cook the pasta.
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Garnish
Fresh basil leaves (or parsley) and a sprinkle of freshly shredded parmesan cheese are a delicious garnish for bucatini with Bolognese.
Variations
- Veggies: You can add peeled, diced carrots, celery ribs, or sliced mushrooms to the sauce. Add your veggies after browning the meat and before adding the tomato sauce so the vegetable fry off a little.
- Wine: You can stir a splash of red or white wine into the sauce it simmers on the stove.
- Bacon: Some folks like to sprinkle their Bolognese pasta with crispy bacon bits before serving.
- Meat swap: The recipe works well ground chicken, ground turkey, and ground pork.
Instructions
1. Brown meat
Add the ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large, heavy pan. Cook over high heat until the beef is browned and no pink is showing, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break apart any clumps of meat as you go.
2. Add sauce ingredients
Next, pour the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper into the pan. Stir to combine.
3. Simmer
Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid (optional, to a void splashes) and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
4. Cook bucatini
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the bucatini according to the package instructions. Then drain well.
5. Combine pasta and sauce
Add the cooked bucatini to the Bolognese sauce and stir to combine.
6. Serve
Portion the bucatini Bolognese onto bowls or serving plates. Sprinkle generously with freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and a few cracks black pepper. Enjoy!
Serving suggestions
Be sure to serve your bucatini alla Bolognese with liberal amounts of grated parmesan cheese (or Pecorino Romano), fresh herbs (like basil or parsley), and a few cracks of pepper.
To create a full Italian dinner experience, serve this meal with garlic bread or Italian cheese bread. If you prefer a colorful and light side dish, this caprese spinach salad works exceptionally well.
Storage tips
- Store: Place leftovers in a sealed airtight container and store in the fridge. The pasta will last for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Let the dish fully cool before portioning it into freezer-friendly containers. Freez for up to 3 months. Thaw the pasta completely before reheating.
- Reheat: Reheat leftovers on a plate cover with plastic wrap in the microwave until warmed through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
More pasta recipes
- Homemade Hamburger Helper
- 4 Ingredient Mac and Cheese
- Chicken Penne all Vodka
- Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
- Ham and Pea Pasta
- Tuscan Chicken Mac and Cheese
Bucatini Bolognese Recipe
Bucatini Bolognese is a quick, easy and delicious family dinner. Like traditional spaghetti Bolognese, the recipe starts with a with a hearty ground beef tomato sauce but uses bucatini pasta for a game changer. It’s cheesy comfort food that you need in life!
Ingredients
- 1 lb / 450 g bucatini pasta
- 1 lb / 450 g ground beef
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 42 oz / 1200 g crushed tomatoes with tomato puree (1 and 1/2 cans)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tbsp Italian seasoning
- 1 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Brown meat. Add the ground beef, diced onion, minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large, heavy pan. Cook over high heat until the beef is browned and no pink is showing, about 5 to 8 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to break apart any clumps of meat as you go.
- Add sauce ingredients. Next, pour the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, Italian herbs, salt, and pepper into the pan. Stir to combine.
- Simmer. Reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid (optional, to a void splashes) and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Cook bucatini. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the bucatini pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook the bucatini according to the package instructions. Then drain well.
- Combine pasta and sauce. Add the cooked bucatini to the Bolognese sauce and stir to combine.
- Serve. Portion the bucatini Bolognese onto bowls or serving plates. Sprinkle generously with freshly grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil leaves, and a few cracks black pepper. Enjoy!
Notes
Cooking temperatures: It’s best to cook the beef at a high heat, but reduce the heat to low when simmering the sauce.
Cover with a lid: While it isn’t absolutely necessary, I like to cover my pot with a lid to reduce the sauce splashing out. Less clean-up is always a win!
Keep the pasta and sauce separate: Some people prefer to their pasta and sauce sperate. If that’s your preference, portion the cooked bucatini onto serving plates and then dollop the sauce over the top.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 473Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 903mgCarbohydrates: 53gFiber: 7gSugar: 14gProtein: 30g
