Easy spaghetti bolognese

• Preparation: 15 minutes
• Cooking: 40 minutes
• Servings: 4 people

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 400g minced beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, grated
• Some additional veg - whatever you have in the fridge, e.g. a handful of mushrooms, half a courgette, a red pepper (all sliced or chopped)
• 2 tins of chopped tomatoes
• 1 stock cube, any variety but preferably beef
• 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
• 400g spaghetti
• Grated Cheddar or Parmesan, to serve

Method

• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to a large wok-style pan. Heat and then add in the minced beef. Cook until browned, taking care not to burn, then remove from the pan and set aside.
• Pour the remaining olive oil into the pan and heat. Add in the onions and any other veg you would like to include. Cook until the onions are translucent (about 5 to 6 minutes).
• Add in the garlic and grated carrot and cook for a further couple of minutes.
• Return the minced beef to the pan and add in the canned tomatoes, tomato purée and stock. I make the stock by adding the cube to an empty can of tomatoes and filling with boiling water. Stir the stock well to ensure the cube has dissolved entirely before adding to the pan.
• Simmer the sauce gently for around 40 minutes or until thickened.
• Cook the spaghetti according to the instructions on the packet and spoon the sauce on top to serve.
• Serve with copious amounts of cheese of your choice - Parmesan or grated Cheddar work well.