Fancy Spaghetti Bolognaise

I called it a fancy bolognaise but it also feels kinda like a lazy lasagne. Either way – whatever you want to call it….it’s feel-good-food. It’s homely and simple – although that would seem contradictory seeing as though I just titled the recipe “fancy”…but you know what I mean, it still is spag bol. Just a little dressed up. And it’s a good meal to make at the end of the week because  you can just slap it together and the whole family will love it.

I was gobsmacked though to find out that…

…my website has no cheese sauce recipe on it. Haibo!!! So this will be on the agenda soon but for now I have included it under this recipe. Cheese sauces and sauces in general are something that people often shy away from…or just don’t know how to make but I have made this as simple as it gets okay guys so anyone can make this recipe, see. I only include recipes or methods that I think most people would happily attempt.

I’m thoughtful like that.

And just a question here – who spells it Bolognaise and who spells it Bolognese? The latter is apparently the Italian version and the former, the French/British version. I feel like because this dish has its roots in Italian cookery, I should be calling it Bolognese…but the ‘Naise is just way too ingrained in my spelling repertoire. You guys too?

I get hungry just looking at that spoonful. And I just had lunch. I like eating, can you tell?

My one super duper tip for this recipe is – don’t overcook the pasta. Al Dente okay?! Because you know why? I shall tell you. Because once you’ve cooked it, it is still going to cook some more under all that heat when you place the dish under the grill. So unless you are keen on spaghetti-mash, rather undercook the pasta slightly than overcook it. Tadaaaa, there you have it, my expert spaghetti advice. It’s a pleasure.

Fancy Spaghetti Bolognaise

---

• Author: Caroline Hastings-Brown
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 4-6 servings 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

This meal will have your family’s mouth watering – it’s a fancy spaghetti bolognaise or a lazy lasagne – either way, it’s hearty and delicious so grab the recipe now!

---

Ingredients

For the Bolognaise:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tablespoon oil for frying
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 500g mince
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1/2 cup water
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon rosemary
• 500g spaghetti, uncooked

For the Cheese Sauce:

• 4 tablespoons flour
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups milk
• 1 /2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

For the topping:

• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Fry the onion and mushrooms in the cooking oil until soft and nicely browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the mince and cook for 2-3 minutes to seal it. Once it has a nice brown colour, add the lemon juice, stock cube, water, tomato paste, tomatoes, salt, rosemary, thyme and oregano
3. Stir and allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the liquid has reduced.
4. In the meantime, cook the pasta in a pot of boiling water until cooked yet still firm (al dente). Strain and set aside.
5. To make the cheese sauce, place the butter in a saucepan over medium heat and allow to melt. Stir in the flour with a whisk until smooth.
6. Take the pan off the heat and add the milk in little by little, stirring after each addition to get a smooth sauce.
7. Return the pan to the heat and simmer gently for 6-8 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken. Stir continuously in a figure of 8. Take the sauce off the heat, add the salt and cheddar cheese and stir to combine.
8. In a medium-sized casserole dish, place the spaghetti on the bottom, add the mince on top of that, and then pour the cheese sauce over the mince. Sprinkle 1 cup of cheddar cheese over the sauce, sprinkle with fresh parsley and place under the grill for 4-5 minutes until the cheese has melted and turned crispy and golden.