Easy Rotini Bolognese With a Twist for 4 People

As someone who is a HUGE pasta lover, I've been searching for a healthy pasta recipe for a long time. I've tried a multitude of recipes, but this easy rotini bolognese recipe is the perfect mix of filling and nutritious for me.

When I made this recipe I decided that I wanted it to be a unique spin on bolognese, which has always been one of my favorite classic Italian dishes. Here are some features this recipe has that makes it stand out from the rest in my mind:

Whole-grain pasta instead of regular pasta (I find whole-grain pasta to be an excellent alternative to regular pasta. It tastes delicious but is also much healthier than regular pasta.)
Red wine (adds to the overall heartiness of the dish)
Worcestershire sauce

I experimented with so many different ingredients, spices, and combos of meat to perfect this recipe, but I am very proud of this version and feel that it is the strongest.

In this instructable I'm going to be sharing my recipe of Easy Rotini Bolognese with a Twist for 4 people! Enjoy!

Supplies

Ingredients:

1 package of Barilla Whole Grain Rotini
1 can of Rao’s Homemade Roasted Garlic Sauce (this will consist of the base for our sauce)
1 pound of ground pork
1 pound of ground veal
1 large yellow onion
2 mid-sized shallots
4 to 5 cloves of fresh garlic
1 can of anchovies in olive oil
5 ripe tomatoes on the vine
1 cup of red wine, preferably Chianti
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of organic parsley
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons of olive oil
1 small can of tomato paste
1 block of Parmesan pecorino cheese

Other materials needed:

1 large non-stick skillet or wok
1 large sharp knife
1 large pot (which will be used to cook the pasta)
Collander
Cheese grater
4 bowls
Spatula

Step 1: Prepare the Fresh Products

Finely chop the yellow onion and shallots.

Step 2: Cook the Onion, Shallots, Anchovies, and Garlic

Heat up one tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Cook the onion and shallots in olive oil for 4 minutes, until soft. Season with salt and pepper. While the onions and the shallots cook, bake your garlic cloves at 400 degrees in the oven for 5 minutes. Once the onions and the shallots are soft, add two to three fillets of anchovies for flavor to your skillet and cook them until they disintegrate into the onions. After 5 minutes, take the garlic out of the oven, finely chop it, and add it to your pan. Cook for 3 more minutes once the garlic has been added.

Step 3: Add the Meat

Once the onions, shallots, and garlic are soft, and the anchovies have disintegrated, add your ground pork and your ground veal. Break the pieces apart with your spatula. Add a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a teaspoon of paprika to season the meat. Break the pieces apart again and cook on medium high for 12 minutes until the meat is cooked through. Add a tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and a tablespoon of parsley and mix the contents of the pan around. Cook 3 more minutes on medium – high.

Step 4: Boil the Water and Add Tomatoes

While your meat is cooking, fill a large pot with water. Add salt, and heat on high to a boil. While your meat is cooking and your water is heating, wash your tomatoes and slice and dice them into pieces. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan. Cook on medium high for 5 more minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft.

Step 5: A Little Red Wine for a Twist!

To your meat, tomatoes, and onions, add the jar of Rao’s Homemade Roasted Garlic Sauce, the tomato paste, a quarter of a cup of water, and a cup of red wine. Let this simmer on medium low heat.

Step 6: Cook the Pasta

Once your water begins to boil, add the pasta to the pot and cook for 9 minutes, or until it’s al dente. This is an Italian term for pasta that is “cooked so as to be still firm when bitten” (Oxford Languages Dictionary). Once your pasta is cooked and al dente, drain the water.