Best Vegetarian Bolognese Sauce Recipe - Build Your Bite (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken Bolognese sauce? ›

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

The best tip for intensifying the flavour of your sauce is just to cook it slowly on a low heat for a long time. This reduces the sauce and intensifies the flavours – four hours is not uncommon for my bolognese.

According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”

Unlike standard meat sauces, which heavily rely on tomatoes, Bolognese sauce achieves its depth of flavor and richness through the addition of pancetta, lots of veggies, broth, wine, and a touch of milk.

Usually no. But putting (a very small bit) of sugar or even a tiny pinch of baking soda in the tomato sauce can help if it is too acidic, but this is only done if the person cooking it is really in a rush.

Use a couple of tablespoons in the sauce to balance out the flavours. Worcestershire or balsamic vinegar can also add sweetness and richness to the sauce quickly. Tomato paste gives a rich kick to a sauce, it is the result of tomatoes being cooked down for hours, so all the hard work has been done for you.

Give it a big stir, and allow the wine to reduce for about 5 minutes, then add crushed tomatoes, stock, milk, bay leaves, and parmesan cheese rind. Bring to a simmer and cook very gently for 3-4 hours - you want it barely bubbling. Stir occasionally. Remove the bay leaves and Parmesan cheese rind when finished.

Just add seasoning and the flavour will be completely different from what you're used to. You can add various herbs, too. Try a teaspoon of dried Italian mixed herbs (added at the start) or a tablespoon of fresh, chopped oregano (added towards the end) in the meat sauce.

How do you fix a tasteless bolognese? ›

It might need herbs, salt, or even acid. It might need a splash of good olive oil. Keep adding a little in until it tastes right. A tablespoonful of chopped capers or a few finely chopped anchovies or sun-dried tomatoes can make a huge difference.

Salt helps extract water from food. So if added too soon, it could make everything burn. During the cooking of vegetables, for example, a lot of water is released. If salt is added immediately, the water is extracted too quickly and the vegetables risk burning, giving the sauce a horrible taste.

Ramsay likes to grate the onion and the carrot as it makes them cook faster and follows the traditional Italian method of adding a little milk towards the end of cooking.

Yellow Onions

The relatively high starch content of these workhorse onions means they are able to withstand high and long cooking times without falling apart. Yellow onions are ideal for flavorful dishes that have to cook for a while, such as bolognese.

You can also add in some parsley, thyme, bay leaves, or Herbs de Provence. Add some salt and pepper and just let the heat bring out the flavors of your aromatics for a few minutes before adding the other ingredients in your dish.

First, mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one tablespoon of water to make a cornstarch slurry. Add the slurry directly to the spaghetti sauce as it's cooking on low heat. Stir continuously until the sauce reaches the desired consistency, and you'll be good to go.

Lid off will allow extra moisture in the sauce to evaporate and thicken it. So, if you want a thicker sauce, lid off. Thinner, perhaps less strong flavored, lid on. Super low simmer and slow, even heating is best for a long cooking tomato sauce.

Rest the meat: all meat should be rested, even sausages. If you are serving the corned beef cold, try this trick. As soon as the beef is cool enough to handle, wrap it tightly in plastic film, allow to cool, then refrigerate. This will help keep the cooking juices that are laden with dissolved protein inside the meat.

If your slow cooker Bolognese sauce seems watery, you can thicken it in one of two ways. The first method involves allowing the sauce to simmer and reduce. It's easiest to do that on a stove top. You can also add a cornstarch slurry to the sauce to thicken it.