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Recipe

Nonna Maria’s Veg Bolognese

15
Mins
Prep time
35
Mins
Cook time
6
Serves

Nonna Maria shares her vegetarian take on the traditional Italian bolognese! This is the perfect recipe to use up any veggies lurking in the bottom of your fridge.

Bread & Grains
Vegetables
Vegetarian
Nonna Maria’s Veg Bolognese

Nonna Maria’s veg Bolognese is an easy use it up recipe that transforms leftover vegetables into a hearty sauce. It’s a vegetarian twist on the traditional Italian classic! It’s perfect for when your crisper is overflowing with odds and ends and you need a clever way to avoid food waste. Chop up any veggies and simmer them into a flavourful Bolognese. Turning forgotten produce into a comforting pasta dish the whole family will love! This recipe is also endlessly flexible as you can use whatever vegetables you have like carrots, celery, zucchini, or mushrooms. So, when you’re facing a crisper full of vegetables that need using, give Nonna Maria’s veg Bolognese a try!

Need

1 eggplant (chopped)
Any vegetables you have: Maria uses: 2 carrots, 2 celery stems, 1 zucchini and 1 leek
1 onion
2 tbsp oil
2 cups of passata
1/2 cup water
4 servings of pasta
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup any fresh herbs (Maria’s uses parsley)
Cheese to serve

How

  1. Chop all vegetables into small cubes and finely chop the parsley.
  2. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and cook onion, stirring until softened.
  3. Add all chopped vegetables into the pan with passata and water, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Reduce the heat to low and cover.
  5. Bring a pot of water to the boil with salt and cook pasta to al dente.
  6. Drain pasta, capturing 1/2 a cup of the pasta water.
  7. Combine pasta, pasta water and sauce together.
  8. Serve with a sprinkle of cheese and parsley (optional).
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