Red Wine Chorizo Bolognese
This twist on the classic bolognese has a gorgeous, deep and smoky flavour. It's an easy and delicious hearty dinner ready and waiting!
Servings: 6
Cost: £3 / $4
Equipment
- Large Dutch Oven / Pot with Heavy Lid (for bolognese)
- Large Pot, Colander & Pasta Tongs (for spaghetti)
- Wooden Spoon
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board
- Jug (for stock)
- Large Side Bowl (to transfer beef)
- Serving Spoon
- Box Grater (for carrot)
Ingredients
- 1lb / 500g Dried Spaghetti
- 1.6lb / 750g Ground Beef (preferably not too fatty, around 10% lean works fine)
- 9oz / 250g Chorizo, finely diced (see notes)
- 2 cups / 500ml Beef Stock
- 2 cups / 500ml Tomato Passata (Pureed/Sieved Tomatoes in US)
- 1 1/4 cups / 300ml DRY Red Wine (see notes)
- 1 cup / 125g Whole Sun Dried Tomatoes, finely diced
- 2 tbsp Tomato Puree
- 2 ribs of Celery, finely diced
- 2 medium Carrots, grated on box grater
- 1 large White Onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves of Garlic, finely diced/minced
- 2 large sprigs of Rosemary
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Sugar, or to taste
- Salt & Pepper, to taste
- Olive Oil, as needed
- Parmesan, to serve
- Basil Leaves, to serve (optional)
Instructions
- Beef: Add a drizzle of olive oil to a large pot over medium high heat and add in beef. Fry and break up with your wooden spoon until it begins to brown. Season with a pinch of salt & pepper and continue frying until fully browned. Remove from pot and place in a side dish. Reduce heat to medium.
- Chorizo: Add a drizzle more oil if needed, then add in chorizo, celery, carrot and onion. Fry until the chorizo begins to crisp and release oil with the carrot, onion celery just beginning to brown. Add in garlic and fry for 1-2mins longer.
- Red Wine: Add in 2 tbsp tomato puree and fry off for a couple of minutes. Pour in red wine, deglaze the pan with your wooden spoon then leave to simmer and reduce for 5mins.
- Cook: Add back in cooked beef, then pour in beef stock and tomato passata. Add sun dried tomatoes, bay leaves, rosemary and seasoning to taste. Give it all a good stir then pop on the lid and simmer for AT LEAST 1 hour 30mins. This is important to tenderize the beef and marry all the flavours together. Take off lid and stir once or twice during.
- Pasta: Add spaghetti to heavily salted boiling water and cook until al dente. Reserve a mug of starchy pasta water before draining.
- Reduce: Once you've simmered the beef with the lid on, take it off and allow it to reduce down for 10mins or so. I recommend adding a splash of starchy pasta water to help emulsify the fats in the sauce. You won't need much, no more than 1/4cup.
- Serve: Serve bolognese over spaghetti and top with tiny basil leaves and parmesan. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
a) Chorizo - I use ready-to-eat cured Spanish Chorizo. It crisps up really nice and softens as the sauce simmers. I haven't tried this recipe with cooking or raw chorizo, but if that's all you have I imagine it'll work just as well. I recommend frying it off after the beef and before the veg, just so you can get a nice crust on it.
b) Red Wine - I usually offer a sub for this, but as the title of this recipe suggests this is quite a prominent ingredient. It really deepens the flavour of the sauce and pairs with the chorizo SO well. I'm no wine expert, but usually go for dry red (definitely NOT sweet), something like Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.
c) Time - Really crucial to simmer the sauce WITH THE LID ON (or it'll reduce too much) for as long as you have time. The difference between a 20min and 2 hour simmer is HUGE. If you reduce the sauce too much just add a splash of water (preferably pasta water).
d) Storage/Make Ahead - You can make this ahead of time and tightly store in the fridge or freezer. If freezing thaw in the fridge overnight then heat on the stove over low heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water to loosen up the sauce if needed.
e) Serving - Feel free to add some roasted garlic bread (or even pesto garlic bread/cheesy garlic bread!).
f) Inspiration - This recipe is adapted from my Spaghetti Bolognese and inspired by Donal Skehan's Chorizo & Sun Blushed Tomato Bolognese!
g) Calories - Based on no extra toppings or sides. Shared between 6.
Nutrition
Calories: 821kcal | Carbohydrates: 73.26g | Protein: 48.44g | Fat: 32.26g | Saturated Fat: 11.508g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2.757g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14.785g | Trans Fat: 0.654g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 829mg | Potassium: 1552mg | Fiber: 5.7g | Sugar: 10.76g | Vitamin A: 4049IU | Vitamin C: 15.2mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 7.67mg