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Sometimes you just cannot beat an absolute classic - and my gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe is just that! Nothing beats a great gluten free pasta recipe and I'm so confident you'll love this gluten free bolognese, you'll want to make it over and over again.
I remember a child my Dad always making the most amazing bolognese.
I'm pretty sure we had this every week because it was about the only recipe he knew how to cook when Mum was out (sorry, Dad!).
I have such fond memories of this dish and it's always been one of my favourites.
Which is why I've spent so long trying to master the perfect gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe.
This recipe is great for those times you want to make something really flavoursome.
It's best cooked over a longer period of time (I cook the sauce for an hour) and even better when made the night before.
If you can make a big batch of the sauce, you can portion it up and freeze it, and simply reheat it when you have a night you justcannot be bothered.
Or in my case, pretty much any night of the week!
The perfect gluten free pasta sauce
I honestly think this gluten free spaghetti bolognese is just the BEST gluten free pasta sauce recipe out there.
The beef mince combined with the tomatoes and red wine gives it a really deep and rich flavour.
I always 'boost' my sauce with a Knorr beef stock pot too, though any good gluten free beef stock cube will work.
If you're not sure which stock cubes are coeliac-safe, you can read my guide to gluten free stock cubes and gravies here.
The best thing about this recipe is that it's perfect for batch cooking.
The recipe card below is for four people but do feel free to double it up and then you can freeze portions for the coming weeks!
I like to make a double-batch of this gluten free spaghetti bolognese and then I have dinner for that night for Steve and I, as well as three more servings for two people that I can freeze and defrost.
Freeze the sauce, and then you can simply heat the sauce and cook the spaghetti when needed.
What equipment will you need to make my gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe?
Don’t worry – you only require the very basics! A few things that will help you make this recipe are:
- A large, non-stick lidded pan is essential to let this bubble away on the stove.
- I also found a pasta spoon like this one really helpful to mix the spaghetti and sauce together!
Otherwise most of the ingredients are store-cupboard essentials.
Plus if you have to buy things like herbs and stock cubes, you'll have plenty left over to make this gluten free pasta sauce over and over again!
What is the best gluten free spaghetti to use?
Personally, I find a lot of gluten free pastas fairly interchangeable.
I think I used the Sainsbury's own free from spaghetti in this recipe, but Tesco and Asda will do very similar varieties.
M&S and Waitrose also offer some gluten free pasta and Morrisons often have theirs at a really good price. Definitely worth hunting down!
It's also worth checking out Aldi and Lidl every now and then. Aldi often runs gluten free Special Buys where they sometimes offer pasta and I believe Lidl sometimes has some offers, but both are a bit hit and miss.
Doves Farm also do gluten free pasta and Barilla do a lovely gluten free linguine if you're not particularly fussed about specifically using gluten free spaghetti!
Can I make this in the slow cooker?
The simple answer is yes - this spaghetti bolognese recipe works really well in the slow cooker!
To make slow cooker bolognese, I highly recommend browning the mince and veg before adding to the slow cooker as this helps add a great depth of flavour.
It will also stop the mince from going too 'mushy' which I find can happen when you just add it straight to the slow cooker.
Once browned, add the rest of the ingredients, mix well and then cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.
My gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe
This gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe is just the easiest gluten free dinner idea! It's super tasty and we just keep making it over and over again in our house.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know bytagging me on my Instagramor using#theglutenfreeblogger.
I love seeing your creations! And please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too. It would mean the world to me.
Yield: 4
Gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
This gluten free spaghetti bolognese recipe is an absolute classic. An easy dinner idea with a tasty gluten free pasta sauce. Perfect for the whole family. This recipe serves four and is best cooked low and slow - it takes around one hour to cook, or is even better when made the night before and reheated!
Ingredients
- 500 g gluten free spaghetti
- 2 tbsp virgin olive oil
- 2 medium white onions, (peeled and finely chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves, (peeled and crushed)
- 2 celery sticks, (finely chopped)
- 1 carrot, (finely chopped)
- 500 g beef mince, (I use 10% fat or higher for the best flavour - see notes)
- 2 tbsp dried basil
- 1 tbsp dried oregano
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 300 ml passata
- 125 ml red wine
- 1 Knorr beef stock pot, (or equivalent gluten free beef stock cube)
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 1 tbsp fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp grated parmesan
Instructions
- Add 1 tbsp of olive oil to a large, non-stick lidded pan and heat on a low heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic and fry for 5-7 minutes until they soften and the onions begin to go translucent. You'll want to stir them occasionally during this time.
- Add the second tablespoon of oil to the pan, along with the dried basil and oregano. Stir so the herbs are evenly mixed then turn the heat up to a medium-to-high heat. Once the pan is sizzling, add the beef mince and use a wooden or silicone spatula/spoon to break it up in the pan. Keep stirring and breaking the mince up until it is all brown and there are no pink bits left (approx another 4-5 minutes).
- Next add the tinned tomatoes, passata, red wine, tomato puree and Knorr stock pot to the pan. Stir the mix through to ensure it's completely mixed and bring to the boil. Then, once bubbling, turn the heat right down to low, pop a lid on, and leave to simmer for 45 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally during this time, to ensure it's not sticking. You want it to be bubbling gently, so if it starts to boil furiously then turn the heat down some more or move to a smaller hobb.
- When the sauce has around 15-20 minutes left, bring some water to the boil in a separate pan. Salt the water and add a drop of olive oil, and then cook the gluten free spaghetti as per the pack instructions (usually around 10 minutes). BEFORE draining the pasta, scoop approx 2 tbsp of the pasta water from the pan and reserve (see notes). Drain the spaghetti.
- Once the bolognese sauce is cooked, add the spaghetti plus the reserved pasta water to the sauce. Stir through using a pasta serve or tongs to ensure the sauce is mixed well and all of the spaghetti is coated. Serve in pasta bowls and sprinkle with torn fresh basil and grated parmesan to taste.
Notes
- I always use beef mince which is at least 10% fat content as I find this gives a much nicer texture and flavour to the dish. The higher the better! I know some people prefer a leaner beef mince which is fine, but it may alter the flavour and tastes a little.
- Reserving the pasta water is a key step here as the starchy water gives a lovely, silky texture to the finished dish and helps the sauce to stick to the pasta better! Don't worry if you forget this step - but definitely remember it for next time!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1 portion
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 661Total Fat: 31gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 113mgSodium: 313mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 10gSugar: 7gProtein: 41g
Need some more gluten free dinner inspiration?
Want to have a go at making some more easy gluten free dinner recipes?
Give some of these other gluten free recipes a try!
There are plenty to choose from – here are a couple to get you going:
- My gluten free chicken and ham pie recipe
- Gluten free mac and cheese
- Slow cooker turkey bolognese
- My gluten free chilli con carne recipe
- Easy gluten free Chinese curry recipe
If you do make this recipe please let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger,share them inmy Facebook groupor tag me onInstagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Like this gluten free bolognese recipe?
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About the author
Sarah Howells is a UK gluten free blogger and author. She has been living with coeliac disease since 2002. Her debut recipe book, Delicious Gluten Free Meals, is out now in the UK and to pre-order in the US.
