Extra veggies bolognese is perfect for kids. It contains six different veggies that reduce down as the sauce simmers.
I always add extra vegetables to sauce based dishes and bolognese is no different, it is a great way to help towards our five (or ten) a day. This extra veggies bolognese is packed with six different veggies – onion, celery, capsicum (pepper), eggplant (aubergine) and tomatoes.
Eggplants are not something that I would normally add to bolognese but after adding it to the last chilli I made I thought I’d try it. It literally dissolves into the meat as it simmers and I don’t think anyone would even notice it was there. If you have a particularly fussy eater, that can spot any tiny bit of veg, I would suggest removing the skin before chopping. I would also grate the onion and carrots or chop as finely as possible.
My Extra Veggies Bolognese usually changes each time I make it. I often mix up the veggies depending on what I have in the fridge. Zucchini (courgette) dissolves into the sauce, just like the aubergine. Mushrooms are great in bolognese and sometime I even stir through some peas. I will try anything to up the vegetable content!
I love to serve this with courgetti, (spiralizied zucchini / courgette noodles) just to add another veg to the dish.
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Extra Veggies Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Olive )il
- 2 Onions (brown, red or white) - finely chopped
- 2 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, peeled and 1 cm diced SEE NOTE 1
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 500g (1.1lb) lean beef mince (lean ground beef)
- 800g (28oz) Can chopped / crushed tomatoes (2 x 400g / 14oz cans)
- 1 Eggplant (aubergine) 1cm cubed SEE NOTE 1
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/2 tsp rosemary
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- Put a large saucepan on medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots, reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occationally.
- Increase the heat and add the mince (ground beef). Stir and break down the mince. Continue until the meat is browned all over and broken down into nice small pieces.(This will take around 10 mins)
- Add the italian seasoning, tomatoes & aubergine and simmer, lid on, for at least 1 hour (stir occasionally and check that there is enough liquid).I like to simmer for 2 hours when I have the time.
Recipe Notes
- If you have a fussy eater who spots even tiny pieces in their food then I recommend peeling and grated the vegetables. This way they should go un noticed.
* Nutritional information is a guideline only, calculated using an online nutrition calculator.
ALLY says
Never added aubergine to bolognese before but it worked great
Marty says
Came out nice . I did alter it though as I didn’t have all the ingredients . I have a very fussy toddler who does not like fried up mince he doesn’t like the texture. I used courgettes , spinach, carrots mushrooms, added a splash of white wine. Vege stock cubes. Replaced garlic with half tsp of garlic powder . Celery for half tsp of celery salt. Added a red capsicum. Pressure cooked the veges and spices then blended them to a smooth sauce. Added the browned mince with 1/8 tsp baking soda and 1/4 caster sugar and slow cooked it for 6 hours. The fussy toddler and everyone else loved it
Amy says
Sounds perfect, Marty! Even better that your little one enjoyed it too 🙂