Spicy Spaghetti Bolognese by Mani

If you love spice and bolognese, you are going to love this spicy spaghetti bolognese recipe. With less ingredients and the introduction of spice, this recipe is more straightforward to cook than the traditional version. You can also prep this on a Sunday for the week as it keeps (and freezes) amazingly well.

Recipe kindly provided by the AWESOME Mani at Spicy Meal Prep.

Serves 4 

INGREDIENTS 

2 tbsp olive oil 

500g lamb or beef mince (10% fat)

1 large onion, finely chopped

2 fat garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes

1/2 tsp tomato puree 

1 tsp Harissa spice blend

200g Spaghetti

To serve

Freshly chopped coriander

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil, diced onions and a pinch of salt. Fry gently, stirring and making sure the onions don't stick or burn.

After 3 minutes add the garlic, and continue to sauté until soft for another 5 minutes.

Add the lamb or beef mince, and fry until the meat is browned (no pink meat)

Add the Harissa, tomato puree, and a good grind of black pepper, followed by both cans of chopped tomatoes.

Stir to combine, cover and cook on low-medium heat for 30 minutes, siring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti. Add a dash of olive oil and salt to your saucepan of boiled water, followed by the spaghetti and cook on a medium heat for the time specified on packet instructions. Drain.

Ladle your spicy bolognaise sauce over the spaghetti into warmed bowls and finish with the fresh coriander. 

Tips

Which meat is best for bolognese? Choose 50% fatty meat and 50% lean meat. This combination balances flavour with leanness, giving you the best of both worlds. This is also the traditional procedure for making meatballs. However, for my meal prep, I prefer to use lamb with 10% fat, which strikes a good balance between flavor and leanness.

How to spice up bolognese sauce? If you've heard the saying "less is more," it definitely applies to this recipe, and it's better when kept simple. I have experimented with adding various spices, but they can be overwhelming for this dish. All you need is one teaspoons of Harissa per 500g of meat. It might not sound like much, but it's enough to turn this bolognese into a beast!

Bolognese is perfect for meal prep. Bolognese is one of the best meal prep recipes because it tastes better the next day! The spices settle, and it becomes richer in flavour.

NOTES 

For meal prep purposes, refrigerate up to four days

For ultimately macro-friendly purposes, use lean meat and zucchini spaghetti

For ultimate flavour, use 50% fatty meat and 50% lean meat

Freeze up to 4 months if you want to batch cook