Lifestyle
Cheesy pasta in a rich bolognaise sauce
This easy mince and mac with spinach is ideal for a midweek dinner and can be customised to suit your taste or whatever’s in the fridge.
Who can resist pasta in a rich Royco bolognaise sauce, topped with melty cheese? We’ve featured spinach in this family bake for an iron-rich pop of green, but feel free to get creative. Try adding mushrooms, baby marrows, peas or even crispy bacon bits.
Ingredients
- 30ml (2 Tbsp) oil
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 x 50g sachet tomato paste
- 750g beef mince
- 1 x 210g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 37g Royco Bolognaise Dry Cook-In Sauce
- 500ml (2 cups) water or stock
- 15ml (1 Tbsp) dried mixed herbs
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 500g uncooked macaroni or penne
- 200g baby spinach leaves
- 300g mozzarella or cheddar, thinly sliced or grated
Method
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Heat the oil in a pot and fry the onions over medium heat until they are soft and golden (about 5 minutes).
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Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 more minute.
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Turn the heat up and add the mince, breaking up any clumps with a fork. Cook, stirring often, for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned.
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Tip the tinned tomatoes into the pot. Sprinkle the Royco Bolognaise Dry Cook-In Sauce powder all over the top, then immediately pour in the water (or stock) and stir very well.
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Add the mixed herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
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In the meantime, heat your oven 180 °C and bring plenty of salted water to the boil in a large pot. Add the pasta and cook for the time specified on the packet.
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When the pasta is almost done, add the baby spinach leaves to the sauce. Cook gently for an additional 2 minutes, or until the leaves have wilted but remain bright green. Take the pot off the heat.
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Drain the pasta in a colander and return it to the pot you boiled it in. Pour in the sauce and gently stir everything together.
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Tip the mixture into a greased ovenproof dish. Top with the cheese and bake at 180 °C for about 25 minutes, or until the pasta is heated through and the cheese is bubbling.
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Serve piping hot with a crisp green salad.
Tips:
- For a hearty vegetarian version of this dish, replace the beef with brown lentils or soya mince.
- If your kids won’t eat spinach, leave it out, or use frozen peas instead.
- The pasta will continue to absorb liquid while the dish bakes, so make sure that the sauce is fairly wet. If it looks a little dry, sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the dish before you top it with cheese.
- You can make this dish well in advance and keep it in the fridge. Let it come to room temperature before baking.
