Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Whether you spell it ‘bolognaise’ or ‘bolognese’, Curtis Stone’s delicious take on a classic spag bol is a recipe that’s sure to hit the spot every time.
What you’ll learn:
✅ How to get the most flavour out of your veggies
✅ Curtis’ secret ingredient to a creamy sauce
✅ How to make a creamy ricotta mixture to top your pasta with
✅ How to make a hearty bolognese sauce from scratch
Curtis Stone’s best-ever bolognaise
Serves 6 | Prep 20 mins | Cooking 2 hours
400g dried spaghetti or fresh pappardelle (see recipe p88)
½ cup finely grated parmesan
30g butter, chopped
100g ricotta cheese
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
Grated parmesan, extra, to serve
Extra virgin olive oil, extra, to serve
Bolognaise sauce
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
500g Coles No Added Hormones Australian Beef 4 Star Lean Mince
200g brown cup mushrooms, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
100g pancetta or streaky bacon
rashers, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1½ tsp sea salt flakes
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
1½ tbs tomato paste
½ cup (125ml) dry red wine* or salt-reduced beef stock
½ cup (125ml) milk
400g tomato passata
1 cup (250ml) salt-reduced beef stock, extra
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 5 mins or until mince changes colour. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and wipe the pan clean.
2. Prep the veggies Meanwhile, in a food processor, add the mushrooms and pulse until finely
chopped. Transfer to a separate bowl. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic to food processor and
pulse until finely chopped. Add to the mushrooms in the bowl.
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining oil and the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 mins or until pancetta or bacon is crisp. Add vegetable mixture, thyme, bay
leaf, sea salt flakes and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 mins or until vegetables have softened and moisture has evaporated. Return mince to pan. Add the tomato paste and cook,
stirring, for 2 mins or until well combined.
4. Stir in wine or stock and cook for 3 mins or until liquid is mostly reduced. Reduce heat to medium. Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 mins or until milk has mostly reduced and mixture is creamy. Add the passata, stock and Worcestershire and bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover
with lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 11/2 hours or until mince is very tender and sauce has thickened slightly. Season.
5. In a separate large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta over high heat until al dente (about 3 mins for fresh pappardelle or 8 mins for dried spaghetti). Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to the sauce in the pan, reserving cooking liquid. Add parmesan and butter and stir to combine, adding cooking liquid as needed to help loosen sauce.
6. In a small bowl, stir ricotta with the oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Top with a dollop of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and more grated parmesan. Drizzle with extra oil to serve.
00:00 Try Curtis’ delicious spaghetti bolognese sauce
00:22 Start by adding your mince to a preheated pan
00:55 Remove the mince and set aside
01:06 Prep your veggies
02:08 What’s Curtis making?
02:02 Sautee the bacon until crisp
02:17 Add your veggies to cook in the bacon fat for 8 minutes
02:55 Add the beef back to the pan
03:16 Add your liquids
04:02 Why milk is Curtis’ secret ingredient
04:27 Cook for at least an hour to an hour and a half
04:38 Cook your pasta
05:09 How to check if the pasta is cooked
05:26 Add your pasta to the sauce
05:56 Top with ricotta, parsley and parmesan and dig in!
Whether you spell it ‘bolognaise’ or ‘bolognese’, Curtis Stone’s delicious take on a classic spag bol is a recipe that’s sure to hit the spot every time.
What you’ll learn:
✅ How to get the most flavour out of your veggies
✅ Curtis’ secret ingredient to a creamy sauce
✅ How to make a creamy ricotta mixture to top your pasta with
✅ How to make a hearty bolognese sauce from scratch
Curtis Stone’s best-ever bolognaise
Serves 6 | Prep 20 mins | Cooking 2 hours
400g dried spaghetti or fresh pappardelle (see recipe p88)
½ cup finely grated parmesan
30g butter, chopped
100g ricotta cheese
2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbs chopped flat-leaf parsley
Grated parmesan, extra, to serve
Extra virgin olive oil, extra, to serve
Bolognaise sauce
2 tbs extra virgin olive oil, divided
500g Coles No Added Hormones Australian Beef 4 Star Lean Mince
200g brown cup mushrooms, chopped
1 brown onion, chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled
100g pancetta or streaky bacon
rashers, finely chopped
1 tsp finely chopped thyme
1 dried bay leaf
1½ tsp sea salt flakes
¼ tsp freshly ground pepper
1½ tbs tomato paste
½ cup (125ml) dry red wine* or salt-reduced beef stock
½ cup (125ml) milk
400g tomato passata
1 cup (250ml) salt-reduced beef stock, extra
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1. Heat 1 tbs oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up lumps, for 5 mins or until mince changes colour. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and wipe the pan clean.
2. Prep the veggies Meanwhile, in a food processor, add the mushrooms and pulse until finely
chopped. Transfer to a separate bowl. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic to food processor and
pulse until finely chopped. Add to the mushrooms in the bowl.
3. Return the pan to medium-high heat. Add remaining oil and the pancetta or bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4 mins or until pancetta or bacon is crisp. Add vegetable mixture, thyme, bay
leaf, sea salt flakes and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 mins or until vegetables have softened and moisture has evaporated. Return mince to pan. Add the tomato paste and cook,
stirring, for 2 mins or until well combined.
4. Stir in wine or stock and cook for 3 mins or until liquid is mostly reduced. Reduce heat to medium. Add the milk and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 mins or until milk has mostly reduced and mixture is creamy. Add the passata, stock and Worcestershire and bring to a gentle simmer. Partially cover
with lid and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 11/2 hours or until mince is very tender and sauce has thickened slightly. Season.
5. In a separate large saucepan of boiling salted water, cook pasta over high heat until al dente (about 3 mins for fresh pappardelle or 8 mins for dried spaghetti). Using tongs and a slotted spoon, transfer pasta to the sauce in the pan, reserving cooking liquid. Add parmesan and butter and stir to combine, adding cooking liquid as needed to help loosen sauce.
6. In a small bowl, stir ricotta with the oil and season with freshly ground black pepper. Divide the pasta among serving bowls. Top with a dollop of ricotta mixture. Sprinkle with parsley and more grated parmesan. Drizzle with extra oil to serve.
00:00 Try Curtis’ delicious spaghetti bolognese sauce
00:22 Start by adding your mince to a preheated pan
00:55 Remove the mince and set aside
01:06 Prep your veggies
02:08 What’s Curtis making?
02:02 Sautee the bacon until crisp
02:17 Add your veggies to cook in the bacon fat for 8 minutes
02:55 Add the beef back to the pan
03:16 Add your liquids
04:02 Why milk is Curtis’ secret ingredient
04:27 Cook for at least an hour to an hour and a half
04:38 Cook your pasta
05:09 How to check if the pasta is cooked
05:26 Add your pasta to the sauce
05:56 Top with ricotta, parsley and parmesan and dig in!
