Hairy Bikers Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

No oil goes in the pan for this Hairy Bikers spaghetti bolognese, because the mince releases enough fat on its own to cook the veg alongside it. 500g of lean beef, mushrooms, and a splash of red wine simmer for 40 minutes, serving 5-6 at around 480 kcal.

This recipe comes from the Mums Still Know Best cookbook, and the headnote says adding flour at the start “prevents the bolognese sauce looking watery.” That one tablespoon coats the mince before the liquid goes in, so the sauce thickens on its own as it simmers.

Keep the lid off for the full 40 minutes. The sauce needs open air to reduce and concentrate, and covering it traps the steam and turns it into soup.

Hairy Bikers Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Italian Courses:Dinner

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 50 minutesRest time: minutesTotal time:1 hour 5 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:480 kcal Best Season:Winter

Description

Lean beef mince dry-fried with onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and mushrooms. Dusted in flour then simmered uncovered in red wine, tomatoes, and stock for 40 minutes until thick.

Ingredients

For the bolognese

• 500g lean minced beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks, trimmed and finely sliced
• 2 medium carrots, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 150g small portobello or chestnut mushrooms, wiped and sliced
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• 150ml red wine
• 1 x 400g can of chopped tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• 1 tsp dried oregano or 1 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 2 bay leaves
• Sea salt flakes
• Freshly ground black pepper

To serve

• 375 to 450g dried spaghetti
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Dry-fry the mince and veg: Put the mince in a large non-stick saucepan with the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Cook over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up clumps, until the beef is no longer pink and the veg is browning.
2. Add mushrooms and flour: Stir in the mushrooms and fry for another 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well so it coats everything.
3. Build the sauce: Pour in the red wine, then add the tomatoes, tomato purée, and 300ml of cold water. Crumble the stock cube over the top and add the sugar, herbs, and bay leaves. Season with pepper, stir well, and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer uncovered: Turn the heat down and let the sauce bubble gently for 30 to 40 minutes without a lid, stirring now and then. The sauce will reduce and thicken as the liquid cooks off.
5. Cook the spaghetti: Bring a large pan of water to a rolling boil and add the spaghetti. Push it down so the strands separate and cook for 10 to 12 minutes or follow the packet.
6. Reduce and serve: Turn the heat up under the sauce and simmer hard for 10 more minutes until thick and rich. Drain the spaghetti, divide between warmed bowls, spoon the sauce on top, and finish with Parmesan.

Keywords:hairy bikers spaghetti bolognese, spaghetti bolognese recipe hairy bikers, hairy bikers spaghetti bolognese recipe, spaghetti bolognese hairy bikers, hairy bikers spaghetti bolognese mums know best

FAQs

Why dry-fry the mince instead of using oil?

Because lean beef releases enough fat as it browns to cook the vegetables alongside it. Adding oil on top just makes the sauce greasy without adding flavour.

The dry-fry also means the mince gets properly browned, and those dark bits on the pan bottom give the sauce its depth once the wine lifts them off. This sauce doubles as a cottage pie filling if you swap the spaghetti for mash on top. Same mince, same wine, same flour trick, just a different lid.

What does the flour actually do?

It coats the mince and veg in a thin starchy layer before any liquid goes in. As the sauce simmers, that flour dissolves and thickens the liquid gradually. By the time 40 minutes is up, the sauce clings to the spaghetti instead of running off.

The cookbook says this is “not traditional” but it stops the sauce looking watery. Most bolognese recipes need hours to reduce, but this flour trick gets you a thick sauce in under an hour.

Is there a proper slow-cooked version?

Yes, and it is a completely different recipe. The Everyday Winners cookbook has “Our Proper Bolognese” which uses 750g of stewing beef like shin or ox cheek plus 250g of pork mince.

The beef gets flour-dusted and seared in batches, then braises in 700ml of red wine with cloves, cinnamon, and rosemary for 2 to 3 hours. Once tender, you tear it apart and let the sauce reduce. It serves 8, so a double batch is worth the effort. Any leftover sauce layers straight into a beef lasagne between pasta sheets and white sauce.

Is there a healthy diet spaghetti bolognese?

Yes. The Hairy Dieters cookbook has a “Rich and Meaty Bolognese” at just 175 kcal per portion without pasta. It uses 400g of lean mince dry-fried the same way, but adds diced courgette for extra veg.

Cornflour mixed with water goes in at the end to thicken the sauce instead of flour at the start. The book even suggests shredded white cabbage instead of spaghetti for an ultra low-cal option. For a different take on mince and pasta, try rolling it into spaghetti and meatballs instead. That recipe adds pine nuts and lemon zest, and the sauce uses white wine rather than red.

What else can I do with leftover sauce?

A macaroni cheese sits right next to this in the Mums Still Know Best cookbook, and the two together make a proper comfort food night. The book also says leftover bolognese works as a pie filling, spooned over jacket potatoes, or as the base for a lasagne.

The sauce freezes well for up to 3 months. Let it cool, portion into containers, and defrost overnight in the fridge when you need it. One batch on a Sunday sets you up for midweek meals without any extra cooking.