Spaghetti Bolognese with Bacon and Fresh Herbs
Danish-style meat sauce built on bacon fat, enriched with sun-dried tomatoes, red wine, and fresh thyme. Simmered low and slow for depth, finished with shredded Parmesan. Straightforward technique, full flavor from layered ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz bacon, chopped
- 2 onion, finely chopped
- 2 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 3 stem fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.0 oz red wine
- 7 ½ tbsp sun-dried tomatoes in oil, finely choppedtomato paste1 tbsp for 100gmore concentrateduse sparingly
3
- 2 tbsp red balsamic vinegar
- 2 can canned tomatoes, choppedtomato paste1 tbsp for 100gmore concentrateduse sparingly
3
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- salt, to taste(optional)
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste(optional)
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 2 ¾ oz Parmesan, freshly grated
- 2 drip olive oil, for serving
Instructions
- 1
Fry bacon in olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
- 2
Add onion, garlic, and thyme to pot with bacon fat and stir until onion softens.
- 3
Add ground beef and brown it. Pour in red wine and let it reduce slightly.
- 4
Stir in sun-dried tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and canned tomatoes. Chop cooled bacon and return to pot.
- 5
Cover and simmer over low heat for one hour. Monitor liquid level and add red wine or vegetable stock if needed.
- 6
If sauce is too wet, uncover and simmer while pasta cooks.
- 7
Cook spaghetti per package instructions.
- 8
Serve pasta in deep bowls topped with sauce, drizzle of olive oil, and freshly grated Parmesan.
Tips
Render bacon slowly over medium heat to avoid burning. Reserve fat for cooking aromatics.
Simmer covered at low heat to build sauce flavor without drying out. Check liquid occasionally.
If sauce breaks or looks oily, stir in a splash of red wine to emulsify.
Freshly grated Parmesan melts into warm pasta better than pre-grated.
Good to Know
Sauce keeps covered in refrigerator up to 4 days. Freeze in airtight container up to 3 months.
Make sauce up to 2 days ahead. Reheat gently over low heat before serving. Cook pasta fresh.
Serve in deep bowls for sauce to pool. Pass extra Parmesan and olive oil at table.
Common Mistakes
Boil sauce at high heat to avoid reducing it to a thick, grainy mass. Simmer covered and low.
Skip bacon or use bacon grease substitute to avoid loss of foundational umami and richness.
Cook sauce less than 1 hour to avoid depth of flavor from slow integration.