Recipe: Healthier Beef Bolognese

This Beef Bolognese is a better-for-you spin on traditional Bolognese. You’ll make an easy homemade sauce that you’ll simmer slices of browned beef roast in until tender—and then serve over brown rice penne (or other pasta of your choice). The recipe serves 12, so it's a great choice to feed a crowd—or to save as leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch or dinner.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Serves: 12
Serving size: 1/2 cup (4oz.) beef with 1/4 cup (2oz.) pasta

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 3 pounds bottom round beef roast, trimmed and sliced ¼ inch thick
• ¼ cup beef stock, if needed
• ¼ cup red wine (such as Chianti) or additional beef stock for deglazing
• 3 – 28 ounce cans crushed canned tomatoes, no salt added
• 2 ½ cups water
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt, plus more to taste
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 pounds brown rice penne pasta (or pasta of choice)

For garnish and serving (optional):

• Chopped fresh parsley
• Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Add 2 tablespoons olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. When oil is hot, add garlic and sauté until translucent.

Add slices of beef (do this in batches, if needed) to the pot and brown on both sides, then set beef aside on a plate or piece of aluminum foil (beef will go back into the pot later). Add beef stock, as needed, to prevent beef from sticking.

Once all slices of beef are browned, deglaze pot with red wine, scraping the sides and loosening any beef or garlic residue.

Add crushed tomatoes, water, basil, salt, and black pepper. Partially cover and bring to a boil over medium low heat. Reduce to a simmer, add the beef slices back to the pot and cook for approximately 2 hours to allow sauce to thicken. Add salt and black pepper to taste, if needed.

In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt. Add pasta. Cook pasta according to directions on the package just until al dente.

Strain pasta. Add sauce and beef to the pasta.

Top with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired. Serve.

MOBE kitchen tip:

• We use a small amount of red wine to deglaze the pot after browning the beef in this recipe. The red wine also adds flavor, richness, and body to the sauce. If you need to substitute the red wine, you can use additional beef stock.

Recipe notes:

• This recipe uses brown rice pasta, which is great for those following gluten free or gluten sensitive diets. If you prefer using a lower-carbohydrate pasta (including lentil, chickpea and black bean pastas), there are many choices available on your supermarket shelves. These lower-carb pastas, in addition to being lower in carbohydrates, tend to be higher in dietary fiber, protein, and other vitamins and minerals. Choose your pasta according to your dietary needs.

Nutrition facts per serving (based on recipe using brown rice pasta)

Calories: 360 / Total Fat: 11g (14% DV) / Saturated Fat: 3.5g (18% DV) / Trans Fat: 0g / Cholesterol: 60mg (20% DV) / Sodium: 130mg (6% DV) / Total Carbohydrate: 35g (13% DV) / Dietary Fiber: 3g (11% DV) / Total Sugars: 7g / Added Sugar: 0g (0% DV) / Protein: 30g / Vitamin D: 0mcg (0% DV) / Calcium: 81mg (6% DV) / Iron: 5mg (30% DV) / Potassium: 588mg (15% DV)

Allergen statement: Contains milk (if Parmesan cheese is used). Contains wheat if traditional pasta is used—it’s always best to read the labels on your pasta of choice to determine if it contains an allergen.

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