This is my simple and delicious Casarecce Bolognese. All you have to do is make a simple ragu with onions, garlic, carrots, beef mince, tinned tomatoes, and a handful of other ingredients, and then serve it with al dente casarecce pasta. It's a perfect meal to batch cook or to make on a busy midweek night. Enjoy!
I love a beef bolognese and this is my favourite recipe after years of development. A touch of balsamic vinegar, a perfect mix of herbs, and a sprinkling of sugar completes this ragu with casarecce pasta and makes an absolute joy to eat.
To top it all off, we've garnished our casarecce bolognese with a grating of parmesan, finely chopped parsley and a crack of black pepper. It's the perfect meal to make when you're looking for something comforting and spoon-able. Make a big batch of it and whack it into the freezer, or prepare it on the night and devour it in front of the TV.
If you're a fan of bolognese but not tomatoes, then you've got to try my white ragu recipe using cream and full of flavour!
For more comforting pasta recipes, some of my go-tos are my one pan boursin pasta which takes less than 20 minutes to make and my marry me chicken tortellini which is inspired by the marry me chicken trend...so delicious!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Quick: This casarecce bolognese takes around 30 minutes to make. Obviously, because it's a ragu, you can absolutely leave it to simmer for longer (up to 2 hours on low heat), but 30 minutes will give you a delicious result.
Fun pasta: Casarecce are short twists of pasta originating from Sicily which appear rolled up on themselves. Obviously, you don't have to use this type of pasta, but it's super fun and pairs really well with the bolognese.
Great for batch cooking: You can cook up several quantities of this recipe and freeze it for when you need a quick and easy dinner.
If you're looking for some more pasta recipes that are a bit more vibrant in colour, you'll love my Pink Pasta that uses beetroot and feta, my Avocado Pesto that is such a gorgeous combination of flavours, or my Sweet Potato Sauce which is so simple to rustle up!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Onion: You'll need a white onion for this recipe. If you don't have this, you could also use a red onion or shallots.
Garlic: I've used raw garlic cloves for this recipe but you can use garlic granules if you don't have any. Make sure to add it little by little.
Carrot: Adds colour and bite. If you don't have carrot, you could add celery or (controversially) red bell pepper.
Ground beef: The higher the beef fat quantity (around 10-20%), the juicier and tastier this casarecce bolognese will taste. If you don't want to use beef, you could use pork mince. For a vegan alternative, use a plant-based mince or ground tofu.
Herbs: I've used dried thyme and oregano for this recipe. You can add more herbs based on your preference!
Tomato paste: Tomato paste, puree, whatever you call it, use it!
Tinned tomatoes: To add the tomato flavour, I've used tinned tomatoes. You could use plum tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, whatever you fancy!
Beef stock cube: Add your favourite beef stock cube into the bolognese in addition to a whole tin of water (filled up using your tinned tomatoes can). If you want to keep this veggie/vegan, then feel free to use a vegetable stock cube with several tablespoons of red wine to deepen the colour and flavour.
Balsamic vinegar: To balance out the flavour, balsamic vinegar is one of my favourite ingredients to use in this casarecce bolognese. If you don't have balsamic vinegar, any kind of white wine vinegar will do (just make sure to add little by little).
Seasonings: Sugar, salt, and pepper to balance out all of the flavours. Taste and adjust as you go along.
Casarecce pasta: Casarecce are short twists of pasta originating from Sicily which appear rolled up on themselves. You can also use penne or fusilli.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.
Recipe Variations
Chilli Casarecce: I love a chilli con carne, so if you do too (and want to serve it with pasta), then add some chilli flakes to this bolognese with kidney beans, any other beans you fancy, and any additional seasonings you like!
Vegan Casarecce Bolognese: To make these dish vegan, there are a few recommendations I'd make! Firstly, swap out the beef mince for a mixture of blended walnuts and grated tofu...or you could use a vegan beef mince replacement. Instead of beef stock, use a combination of veggie stock and red wine for an additional depth of flavour and colour. If you're looking for a veg-focused pasta sauce, my sweet potato pasta sauce is such a winner.
A Middle-Eastern take: I love the idea of adding extra ingredients to make it more of a middle-eastern flavour. So, add in chickpeas to the bolognese with a or two of teaspoon of ras el hanout.
If you're looking for a more veg-packed pasta recipe then my asparagus and pea pasta is perfect!
Step by Step Instructions with Photos
Step 1: Place a saucepan on medium heat and add in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add in your chopped onion, garlic, and carrots. Fry for 5-10 minutes until softened and aromatic.
Step 2: Add in your ground beef and break it up with your wooden spoon. Fry for 5 minutes until brown, then add in your thyme, oregano, tomato paste, and tinned tomatoes. Using the same empty tomato tin, fill it up with water and pour that into your bolognese. Follow up with your beef stock.
Step 3: Next up, add in the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Taste and season accordingly. Cook for up to 30 minutes. And meanwhile, cook your casarecce pasta.
Step 4: Once your casarecce pasta is cooked, drain it and combine it in with your bolognese. Serve up with a sprinkling of parmesan and parsley, and enjoy!
What To Do with Leftovers
Storage: Any leftovers, store in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Place in an airtight container and into the freezer for up to 3 months. Leave to thaw in the fridge overnight and then reheat on the stove top with a splash of milk. The texture of the pasta may have changed. You can alternatively freeze the bolognese alone and then cook the casarecce pasta separately once the bolognese had defrosted.
Reheating: If you're reheating the casarecce bolognese from a Tupperware, add 2 tablespoons of milk into the container and into the microwave with a loosely fitted lid. Heat until piping hot. To reheat on the stove top, place it in a saucepan on medium-low heat and add in some water or milk to up the moisture.
FAQs
I used grated parmesan and parsley, but you could also top with basil.
Any leftovers, store in an airtight container and into the fridge for up to 4 days.
To make these dish vegan, there are a few recommendations I'd make! Firstly, swap out the beef mince for a mixture of blended walnuts and grated tofu...or you could use a vegan beef mince replacement. Instead of beef stock, use a combination of veggie stock and red wine for an additional depth of flavour and colour.
Other related recipes you might enjoy!
If you tried this Casarecce Bolognese or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thank you!
Casarecce Bolognese
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 white onion finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 500g ground beef 10% fat content
- 1 tablespoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400g tinned tomatoes plus an extra 400ml water using the tin
- 1 beef stock cube
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- Salt flaky salt, use as much as you need
- 1 teaspoon Ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 300g casarecce pasta cooked to packet instructions (al dente)
For toppings
- Parmesan grated
- Parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Place a saucepan on medium heat and add in a few tablespoons of olive oil. Add in your chopped onion, garlic, and carrots. Fry for 5-10 minutes until softened and aromatic.
- Add in your ground beef and break it up with your wooden spoon. Fry for 5 minutes until brown, then add in your thyme, oregano, tomato paste, and tinned tomatoes. Using the same empty tomato tin, fill it up with water and pour that into your bolognese. Follow up with your beef stock.
- Next up, add in the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Taste and season accordingly. Cook for up to 30 minutes. And meanwhile, cook your casarecce pasta.
- Once your casarecce pasta is cooked, drain it and combine it in with your bolognese. Serve up with a sprinkling of parmesan and parsley, and enjoy!
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