Name: Emm's Spag Bol Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 80 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: italian
Ingredients: 700 g beef mince; 1 can whole tomatoes; 1 onion chopped medium; 2 tbs milk; 2 garlic cloves crushed; 1 tsp mixed herbs heaped; 1 tsp basil *optional heaped; 1 tsp oregano *optional heaped; 2 tsp raw sugar; 1/4 cup tomato sauce; 2 tbs Worcestershire sauce; 1 tbs sweet chilli sauce; 1 tbs tomato paste; 5 bay leaves dried; 1 carrot grated; 1 zucchini grated *optional; 5 mushrooms diced *optional; 1 tbs olive oil *optional; 1 Litre water; 1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

by dustemm Last updated on 05/28/2020

This was the first meal my mum taught me how to cook. With a few tweaks over the years like the additions of a little milk and different herbs and sauces, I'm sure this recipe would make my mum proud. Growing up my mum always made the best spag bol, but now myself as a busy mum of 6 boys, I know my spag bol is the best by far! - dustemm

Ingredients

700 g beef mince
1 can whole tomatoes
1 onion chopped medium
2 tbs milk
2 garlic cloves crushed
1 tsp mixed herbs heaped
1 tsp basil *optional heaped
1 tsp oregano *optional heaped
2 tsp raw sugar
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs sweet chilli sauce
1 tbs tomato paste
5 bay leaves dried
1 carrot grated
1 zucchini grated *optional
5 mushrooms diced *optional
1 tbs olive oil *optional
1 Litre water
1 pinch salt and pepper *to taste

Method

Step 1

Preheat electric fry pan, or large skillet to medium heat. Brown mince. Continue moving the mince to avoid burning and catching.
Step 2

Add milk when mince is almost browned. Continue to fry. When milk has almost evaporated add onion and garlic. Fry until onion is turning translucent and milk has evaporated, then add herbs and fry for another minute.
Step 3

Add bay leaves, tinned tomato ( break up as much as possible), all sauces, sugar, salt and pepper, vegetables and half the water and stir to combine. Bring sauce to boil, then reduce and simmer for up to 50 minutes or longer, or until vegetables are soft and to your liking, Stir occasionally until the sauce is thick and rich, adding any extra water when needed.
Step 4

While sauce is simmering, fill a large pot with water and a good amount of salt and bring to the boil. Add pasta of choice and cook following directions. Strain into colander, then put pasta back into pasta cooking pot reserving about 1/4 cup of the pasta water with the pasta.
Step 5

Remove all bay leaves and pour 1/3 of the spag bol sauce over the pasta and stir to coat evenly. Divide pasta into bowls and spoon last of spag bol sauce over top of bowls of pasta. Serve topped with grated cheese, or parmesan to your taste.

Recipe Notes

from Australia’s Best Recipes team

If using cheap mince, there is no need to add oil as there is enough fat in the mince. Using a dry fry pan to brown mince can help add a smoky flavour to the meat. This is a great sauce for lasagne and beef shepherd's pie. Any vegetables go really well with this base. Minus the vegetables and the addition of oregano, paprika, chilli and beans, this can make a great base for chilli con carne.