Stew-pendous Bolognese
Hearty Ground Beef and Vegetable Stew with Pasta
2 hours
Serves 4
DinnerItalianGluten-freeNut-freeShellfish-freeSoy-free
Herb's take
Inspired by the slow-cooked soul of Tuscany, this stew transforms humble ground beef and classic Italian soffritto into a robust, tomato-rich dinner. Along the way, you’ll learn why sweating vegetables is the unsung hero of Italian flavor.
Equipment needed
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are very soft but not browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
- 02Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute, until fragrant.
- 03Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned and most moisture evaporates, about 8 minutes.
- 04Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer 2 minutes until reduced by half.
- 05Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, oregano, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine and bring to a simmer.
- 06Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring every so often to prevent sticking.
- 07Uncover, remove the bay leaf, and continue to simmer for 20 minutes to let the stew thicken slightly.
- 08While stew finishes, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until just al dente according to package instructions, then drain.
- 09Taste and adjust the stew’s seasoning if needed. Stir in the chopped parsley.
- 10To serve, spoon some pasta into each bowl, ladle the beef and vegetable stew over top, and finish with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan. Serve with crusty bread alongside.
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