One-pot spaghetti Bolognese cooks inside the sauce itself, so there is no separate pasta pot and no colander. The meat, the sauce and the spaghetti are all ready in the same pot after about 40 minutes.

Why the pasta cooks in the sauce

Dry spaghetti, broken in half so it fits, absorbs the liquid of the sauce as it cooks. The starch the pasta releases thickens the sauce and makes it cling. The liquid is crushed tomatoes plus water, and about 2 1/2 cups (600 ml) of water for every 9 oz (250 g) of spaghetti, on top of the tomatoes, is exactly enough.

How to make it

Fry onion and garlic in a wide, deep pot, add the ground beef and break it up until no pink remains. Then come the tomato paste, the crushed tomatoes and the water. Once the sauce boils, lay in the broken spaghetti, cover and cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 14 minutes. Stir every few minutes, because pasta stuck to the bottom of the pot burns.

This is a meat dish, so it is served without cheese.

A few details about the pot

A wide pot matters more than a tall one, because the broken spaghetti should be almost fully covered by liquid. If some strands stick out, push them down after the first minute. Add the water only after the meat has browned, since meat dropped into water simmers instead of browning and the sauce loses depth. You can replace the water with beef stock, and then you use less salt.

One-Pot Spaghetti Bolognese

Dry spaghetti cooked right in a Bolognese sauce, in one pot, with no colander.

One-Pot Spaghetti Bolognese
Servings: 4 servingsPrep time: 10 minCook time: 30 minTotal time: 40 min

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large onion (chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves (crushed)
  • 1 lb / 500 g ground beef
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 14 oz / 400 g crushed tomatoes (1 can)
  • 2 1/2 cups / 600 ml water
  • 9 oz / 250 g dry spaghetti (broken in half)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried oregano

To garnish (optional)

  • fresh basil leaves

Instructions

  1. Heat the oil in a wide, deep pot, at least 10 inches / 26 cm across. Fry the onion about 4 minutes until translucent, add the garlic and fry 1 more minute.

  2. Add the beef and break it up as it cooks, about 6 minutes, until no pink remains.

  3. Stir in the tomato paste, salt, pepper and oregano for 1 minute.

  4. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and the water and bring to a boil.

  5. Add the broken spaghetti and push it under the liquid. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 14 minutes, stirring every 3 minutes.

  6. Uncover and cook 2 more minutes until the sauce is as thick as you like. Add a little water if it is too thick. Serve right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground chicken?
Yes, and the cooking is the same. The flavor is milder, so add a pinch of oregano.

The spaghetti is still firm, what now?
Add half a cup of hot water, cover and cook a few more minutes.

Can I use another pasta?
Yes, as long as the time on the package is 10 to 12 minutes. Thinner pasta needs less water.

How do I reheat leftovers?
In a pan with a little water, because pasta keeps absorbing liquid in the fridge.