Summer Spaghetti Bolognese
This Summer Spaghetti Bolognese is a lighter take on classic Italian meat sauce made with cherry tomatoes, white wine, fresh basil, and slow-cooked mirepoix for rich authentic flavor. Perfect for cozy summer dinners and easy enough for weeknights.
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- tsp Salt for pasta water
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ cup diced onions
- ½ cup diced celery
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 5 cloves garlic chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 lb ground beef
- 3 oz tomato paste
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 2 pints cherry tomatoes sliced lengthwise
- 1 cup white wine
- Fresh basil
- Pecorino cheese for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti until al dente.
- In a large deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter over medium to medium-low heat.
- Add the carrots, onions, and celery. Slowly cook the vegetables until soft, golden, and translucent. This step builds the authentic Italian flavor, so don’t rush it.
- Add the garlic, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the ground beef. Break it apart with a spoon while cooking over medium to medium-low heat. You are not trying to deeply brown the meat — cooking it gently helps create a creamy texture.
- Stir in the tomato paste and sauté for 1-2 minutes.
- Add the Better Than Bouillon and cherry tomatoes. Season lightly again with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the white wine and let everything simmer together until the tomatoes soften and the sauce becomes rich and silky.
- Stir in fresh basil and pecorino cheese.
- Toss with the cooked spaghetti and finish with more pecorino on top before serving.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!