Looking for a hearty and delicious meal that won’t derail your healthy eating goals? Look no further than this Syn Free Best Ever Bolognese Pasta Bake recipe! Packed with flavour and wholesome ingredients, this recipe is the perfect comfort food that won’t sabotage your diet. Made with extra lean beef mince, plenty of veggies, and a blend of fragrant herbs, this bolognese sauce is simmered to perfection and then combined with your pasta of choice. Topped off with a generous helping of three different kinds of cheese, this pasta bake is baked in the oven until golden and bubbly. Best of all, it’s completely syn-free, making it the perfect meal for anyone following the Slimming World plan. Get ready to dig in and savour every delicious bite!
About Time
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 mins
- Total Time: 1 Hour 25 mins
- Yield: Server 6
Ingredients:
- 1 chopped onion
- 1 large carrot, finely chopped
- 1 courgette, finely chopped
- 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 1.5 cups (360ml) of beef, chicken, or vegetable stock
- 455g (1lb) of extra lean ground beef
- 3 cups (720ml) of crushed tomatoes or passata
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- A handful of sliced mushrooms
- 350g (12.5oz) of dried pasta of your choice (can use gluten-free)
- Salt and black pepper to season
- A splash of balsamic vinegar
- A dash of Worcestershire sauce
- Salt and black pepper
To top:
- 150g (5.5oz) of Mozzarella cheese (3xHEa)
- 60g/2oz of Cheddar cheese (2xHEa)
- 30g (1oz) of Parmesan cheese (1 HEa)
To serve:
- Fresh chopped Italian parsley
Instructions:
- Heat a deep frying pan over medium-high heat and add the minced beef, onion, and garlic. Cook until browned.
- Add the chopped carrot, courgette, and mushrooms, and cook for another 3 minutes.
- Add the dried herbs, crushed tomatoes, stock, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sauce thickens and becomes rich. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6.
- Cook the pasta in a saucepan of boiling water until al dente (approximately 7 minutes). Drain the pasta and add it to a large ovenproof dish.
- Add the bolognese meat sauce to the pasta and mix well.
- Top the pasta and sauce with the three cheeses and a sprinkle of black pepper.
- Bake in the oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and is golden on top.
- Serve topped with fresh chopped Italian parsley and your choice of sides.