One Pot Pasta Bolognese is the quick version of Spaghetti BologneseΒ using two nifty shortcuts:Β cooking spaghetti IN the meat sauce, plus an instant thick, rich sauce using tomato passata / puree instead of the usual crushed tomatoes.
For those of you who are doubtful about this one-pot pasta method of cooking, see below for why this one works!
Before I start on the recipe, I have a message for the purists out there who are doubtful (and some even offended!) by this one-pot method of cooking pasta:
A Message for the One-Pot-Pasta Cynics!
I donβt blame you for being unsure about this recipe. Iβve tried my share of total one-pot-pasta duds, with the two biggest offenders being an unpleasantly sticky sauce from all the starch from the pasta, and unevenly cooked pasta.
But hereβs why this one works and tastes damn good:
Passata βΒ thicker than the usual crushed tomato used in classic Spaghetti BologneseΒ so it can take the extra starch without tasting βstickyβ; and
Itβs saucier than traditional Bolognese, and that extra liquid is because we need to start off with a watery meat sauce in order to allow the spaghetti to cook through evenly, plus thereβs more sauce through which the starch is dispersed (again, for a less starchy sauce). Note: I said SAUCIER. Not watery!
No, this is not the traditional way to make Bolognese, and while some people would declare that their Nonaβs would roll over in their grave if they saw this recipe, there are in fact pasta dishes in Italy that are cooked in one pot (Orzo/risoni is common).
Is it as good as classic Bolognese, simmered for hours to let the flavours meld, the tomato to breakdown into a smooth sauce, and the meat to become meltingly tender, then tossed in spaghetti thatβs cooked to exact al dente in a pot of salted water?
Of course not.
But for the sheer convenience and speed, the marginal loss in quality is a very small price to pay. And itβs stillΒ delicious.Β
So purists β get off your high horse, and give this a go! I would never publish a recipe I wouldnβt stand behind proudly and publicly! β Nagi x
One Pot Pasta Bolognese
The idea with this one pot pasta recipe is that the liquid to pasta ratio is just-right so that by the time the spaghetti is cooked, itβs absorbed the excess liquid and youβre left with a saucy pot of spaghetti and meat sauce!
Itβs truly everything you know and love about classic Spaghetti Bolognese β with a couple of nifty shortcuts to deliver just as tasty a result in less time, less effort and just one pot to wash:
Tomato passata (aka tomato puree) β to make a thick, rich bolognese sauce without 20 minutes of simmering to break down the usual crushed tomato; and
Pasta cooked IN the sauce β by starting with an extra liquidy sauce so we can cook the pasta like we usually do in a big pot of boiling water!
Hereβs a little preview of what it looks like. Rich! Thick! Saucy! Delicious!
Ingredients in One Pot Pasta Bolognese
Itβs essentially made with the same ingredients as traditional Bolognese, with a few key differences:
tomato passata instead of crushed tomato β for an instant thick, rich tomato sauce. New to tomato passata? Read about itΒ here; and
beef stock/broth instead of stock cubes β to add extra flavour into the sauce and make it watery at the start so we can βboilβ the pasta. In classic Bolognese, we use stock cubes and add no water (unless doing a slow cook).
Few quick notes on the other ingredients:
Beef mince / ground beef β I typically use lean, but any fat % is fine here. Recipe will also work as written with lamb, pork, chicken and turkey;
Tomato paste β to give the sauce a slight tomato boost and thickening;
Worcestershire sauce β the savoury flavour. Best sub β soy sauce (yes, really, it wonβt make it taste Asiany, I promise!);
Dried Italian herb mix βΒ I use a store bought pre mix for convenience, but thereβs plenty of options here (dried and fresh rosemary, thyme) or you can even leave them out. Covered in the recipe notes;
Chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) β I love a touch of warmth in this but itβs 100% optional!
Garlic and onion βΒ essential flavour base!
Different pasta types?
Absolutely! This can be made with any long OR short pasta. Pastas that require a longer cook time just need to stay on the stove for longer, with a splash of boiling water added as needed to keep it saucy. And short pastas (like macaroni, spirals) donβt need as much liquid.
How to make One Pot Pasta Bolognese
It starts off just like your everyday Bolognese β until you get to the part when you add the beef stock when the meat sauce appears to become alarmingly watery. But thatβs exactly what you want β so we can cook the spaghetti like you do in a pot of boiling water!
Cook the garlic, onion and beef, just like you ordinarily do;
Add the tomato passata, beef stock and all the flavours;
Give it a good mix β the meat sauce WILL look watery, and thatβs exactly what you want!
Bring the sauce to a boil, then add the pasta just like you would in a pot of boiling water;
Leave it for 30 seconds so it can start to soften, then you can push it down under the liquid;
Cook it for 12 minutes, tossing well toward the end, until you end up with a big pot of perfectly cooked spaghetti in saucy bolognese sauce!
Want a meat free One Pot Pasta?
Use this One Pot Vegetable Pasta recipe instead. Veggies canβt hold up to the rapid boiling required in this recipe so itβs better to use short pasta which can be cooked at a more gently simmer.
I really love how saucy this One Pot Pasta is, and how the Bolognese is so rich and thick, andΒ clings to the pasta rather than ending up as a watery pool at the bottom of the bowl.
Experienced cooks will recognise that this cooking methodΒ emulsifies the pasta sauce and spaghetti,Β an essential step in pasta recipes which is usually done at the end by adding cooked pasta into a pan with the pasta sauce. I do this for all my pasta recipes that arenβt quick βn easy one pot recipes like this one (and so do Italians and respectable restaurants!).
For those of you who are wondering β if this one pot pasta is so good, why arenβt all pastas cooked this way?
The answer is because this method of pasta cooking relies on a certain level of exactness for the ratio of liquid to pasta, a minimum batch size, and certain types of pasta sauces that can hold up to the required cook time as well as the vigorous tossing required.
Also, this method of cooking means ALL the starch from the pasta end up in the pasta sauce which isnβt ideal for many types of pasta sauces because they end up too sticky.
Here are some examples of pastas thatΒ cannot be made using this one pot method:
Mushroom pasta β wonβt work because thereβs not enough sauce to cook the pasta;
Creamy Chicken PastaΒ and Creamy Tomato Sausage OrecchietteΒ β sauce will become too sticky;
Creamy Garlic Prawn Pasta β too delicate for this method of cooking;
Sausage meatball pasta β not enough sauce. Would need adjustment for one pot method; and
Shredded Beef Ragu Pasta β calls for slow cooked beef that is then shredded. Doesnβt fit with one pot cooking β also, thereβs far too much volume.
The lesson to learn here is that one pot pasta recipesΒ can yield terrific results, but it needs to be used selectively for the right recipes. π Iβve shared a few over the years β here are some reader favourites:
Reader Favourites One Pot Pastas
Enjoy! β Nagi x
Watch how to make it
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
One Pot Pasta Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- 500g / 1 lb beef mince (ground beef) , I use lean
- 700g / 24.5 oz tomato passata (tomato puree) (Note 1)
- 3 cups beef broth (or stock cubes + water, Note 2)
- 2 tsp Italian mixed herbs (options, see Note 3)
- 1/4 β 1/2 tsp chilli flakes (red pepper flakes) , adjust to taste
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3/4 tsp each salt and pepper
- 350g / 12 oz spaghetti , uncooked (other pasta β Note 4)
For serving
- Parmesan
Instructions
- Saute onion & garlic: Heat oil in a large pot over high heat. Cook garlic and onion for 2 minutes until translucent.
- Cook beef: Add beef and cook, breaking it up as you go.
- Add tomato: Once beef has all changed from red to brown, add tomato passata.
- Rinse out bottle: Pour some beef stock into the empty bottle, shake, then pour into the pot.
- Add everything else: Add remaining beef stock and all remaining ingredients except spaghetti. Give it a good stir, then let it come up to the boil.
- Add spaghetti: Add pasta, fanning it out around the pot. Leave for 30 seconds to start softening, then start pushing it in under the liquid.
- Cook pasta: Once fully submerged, cook for 12 minutes, stirring every minute or so, and more towards the end. At about the 8 minute mark, lower the heat to medium otherwise the base might catch (but ensure it is still bubbling gently β you don't want pasta just bloating in warm water).
- Remove from stove, toss well: Take it off the stove once the pasta is JUST cooked, the tiniest bit firmer than you want, and when still saucy. Toss it for about 30 seconds or so β the sauce will reduce further, the pasta will finish cooking.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parmesan.
Recipe Notes:
- If you scale recipe down, use a large saucepan and break long pasta in half
1. Tomato passata β pureed, strained pure tomatoes, sometimes labelled Tomato Puree in the US. Readily available in Australian supermarkets nowadays, alongside pasta sauces. More info about passata here. Key ingredient in this recipe for a rich, smooth sauce in this speedy Bolognese recipe. Usually, we use crushed tomato and let it simmer for a while (or hours!) so it breaks down. 2. Beef stock β alternative is to use 3 crumbled beef stock cubes or 3 tsp powder plus water. 3. Italian herb mix β this is a handy shortcut, using a premix. Anything labelled βItalian herbsβ or βherb mixβ is fine here. Or make your own with equal portions of dried parsley, oregano, rosemary and thyme (if you have at least 3 of these). More options for similar flavour combos:
- Dried Thyme only β 1 tsp
- Dried thyme 1 tsp + rosemary 1/4 tsp
- Dried thyme 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp oregano
- Fresh β sprig of rosemary + 3 sprigs thyme, plonk in and fish out before serving.
- Just fresh thyme (not just rosemary β too strong)
β thicker pasta will take longer to cook.
β follow recipe as written but then adjust at end by adding BOILING water 1/2 cup at a time and continuing to cook/stir until pasta is cooked through. Short β ziti, penne, macaroni, spirals, rigatoni
β requires less tossing to cook pasta through evenly and ensure they donβt stick together, so use less liquid
β reduce to 2 1/2 cups of beef stock and add an extra pinch of salt Tiny β orzo/risoni, ditalini, kiddie novelty pasta like alphabet
β Use this One Pot Bolognese Risoni recipe 5. Storage / make ahead:Β Keeps well because itβs nice and saucy, so it doesnβt go dried out and stodgy the next day. Refrigerate up to 4 days, then reheat in microwave. Will freeze ok but if youβre looking for a pre assembled Bolognese type thing to freeze, I highly recommend Baked Spaghetti BologneseΒ (itβs made for freezing). 6. Nutrition per serving, assuming 5 generous servings, including pasta.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Back at the beach with his mates! The shock of the cold water on his bare skin makes him pause when he first goes in the water β itβs so funny, he jolts for a second then plunges right in. π
(For those playing catch up, we had a bit of a scare last week with acute vomiting and visible pain which ended up with an overnight stay at at the Emergency Vet and a battery of tests β hence the shave β that revealed it was just a bad case of gastroβ¦ thankfully! There were indications of potentially something more serious so Iβm very grateful.β€οΈ)
This is a fabulous recipe.
Note to self: when Nagi speaks, do as youβre told! π
π I love this Zeida! N x
Wow Nagi ! Perfect spag bol . Pasta was cooked al dente and the sauce was delicious. The only way Iβll make it from now on . Another winning recipe .
Iβm so glad you enjoyed it Sue, thatβs awesome to hear! N x
I followed the recipe and OMG this is the nicest and easiest bolognese Iβve ever made! My son and his friend both loved it, said itβs the nicest spag bol theyβve ever had.
What a compliment Amanda!! N x
I made this yesterday. I was skeptical about cooking the pasta in the sauce, but it turned out amazing! I think it will be a new go to for us!
Iβm so glad you gave it a go Laurie β thatβs great to hear!! N x
Hi Nagi
Is it possible to use quick cook or fresh pasta with this dish?
Hi Claire, you sure can β youβll be cooking it less time and I would reduce the stock by 1/2 cup so the sauce isnβt watery. N x
Thank you Nagi and Dozer. My husband is not a pasta fan but absolutely LOVED this. I think he was more excited than me! Finally a pasta dish for all four of us. I only had 500g of Passata so I think next time it will be even more delish! Thanks so much.
Youβve totally converted him Dani!!! WOOT!! N x
Just served this up for a very early dinner as the smell of it cooking made everyone hungry. By popular request, my family have challenged me to a Julia Childs cook off until Iβve cooked everything on the site, only they must be you recipes Nagi! I accepted and am halfway though the second week. Makes being in lockdown more interesting but worries me that weβll be waddling out rather than walking once weβre free, lol.
Oh I love this Suzanne, what have you been cooking so far?? N x
Just delicious. Iβve been making something similar for many years using penne pasta and adding canned tomato soup. This is better as it has less salt.
Hi Jenny, yes less salt and sugar Iβm sure π N x
Iβm intriguedβ¦.one pot & that sauce looks so rich!!!!
Itβs a game changer Karen! N x
OMGβ¦ a new favourite in our house, cooked it only with dried herbs, pasta, meat,tomato paste and Pasata and chicken stockβ¦short on supplies as I had no time to top up the pantryβ¦ and it turned out AMAZING!
THANK YOU NAGI!
Thatβs great to hear Britta!! N x
Another hit!! πͺπΌπ
I love that I can make this all in one pot and so quick and easy! Not starchy at all and wasnβt spicy either! Great flavor π. Thank you ππΌ Nagi and Dozer
Wahoo, Iβm so glad you enjoyed it Christine, thatβs great to hear!! N x
Another amazing recipe β super quick too!!!
And thatβs what we love isnβt it Jess?? π N x
looks delish! Oh poor Dozer, so glad he is okay <3
Thanks so much Gina! N x
Love, love, LOVE this! I made a couple of adjustments per my preference.
Thanks so much for the great feedback Ngon! N x
So glad that Dozer didnβt have anything seriously wrong; still, it couldnβt have been pleasant for the poor old chap.
No it definitely wasnβt, but heβs much better now! π N x
Hi there, just wondering if adding carrot and celery to the garlic and onion stage of the recipe will cause any complication? LOVE your recipes!
Thanks!
Hi Megan, you can definitely do that if you like, you may need to increase the stock slightly to account for the veggies β N x
Canβt figure out why I stopped receiving your emails. Iβve missed you.
Hi Karen, the emails are still going out β could they be going into your junk folder? N x
Thank you for two words: βpasta bologneseβ ! But then you should know I would say that π !! Good solid recipe . . . have not made the dish quite that way but most assuredly shall . . . ! Yoicks, the dear boy really did have the razor applied, didnβt he !!!
Iβd love to know what you think once you try it Eha, and no they certainly didnβt hold back with Dozer π N x
Hi Nagi,
I just love your recipes.
Any hints on how to hide the onion in this recipe, or could I use onion powder instead? I have a daughter who would sit there and pick out every piece of onion one by one, so annoying.
Good to see Dozer back to his old self. How often do you actually shampoo him?
Cheers,
John
Hi John, how about using a food processor to blitz it into small pieces β it will practically blend into the sauce that way! N x
Could I make this with pork mince? Iβve just taken some out of the freezer that I was given by my Italian father in law to make sauce with tonight. It has already had herbs and chilli added to it.
Yes definitely Renae!! N x