Spicy Paprika Bolognese Sauce – Inspired by Hungarian Goulash

One everyday dish that is missing from my blog is a spaghetti Bolognese recipe. Despite the dish is no stranger to my dinner table, I often feel it is not special enough to share with you all.

So what’s changed, you wonder?

Bolognese is still a Bolognese, you know, the usual suspects of mince meat, tomatoes and herbs. I couldn’t think of a significant change that would make it better than it already is. Thick and well infused meat sauce tossed with spaghetti, a generous helping of grated cheese and chopped parsley is predictable but exciting at the same time.  Exciting because I know it is going to be a one belly-rubbing and satisfying meal. Oh yes, comfort food does that to you!

With that being said, the last time I made Bolognese, I wanted a change. A minor change of substituting Italian herbs with sweet paprika. Think Hungarian Goulash. Hungarian Goulash is the extent I know about Hungarian food. I enjoy cuisines that made up with an array of spices and substance.  I appreciate the complexity of balancing different spices in a dish without overpowering one another. That requires skills and experience or simply a good recipe from the internet or a Hungarian friend. 😉

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Spicy Paprika Bolognese Sauce (Inspired by Hungarian Goulash)

Serves 4

What you’ll need for the sauce:-

• Olive oil – about 3 tbsps
• 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 brown onion, roughly diced
• Salt to taste
• 1.5 tbsps sweet ground paprika
• 1 tsp caraway seeds
• 500g/ 18 ounces  mince beef
• 2 x 400g/ 14 ounces canned tomatoes (I used whole & peeled tomatoes)
• Freshly grind black pepper
• Sugar to taste
• 30 minutes of simmering time

Pasta – 500g/ 18 ounces of uncooked spaghetti, hot boiling water and salt (add 300g/11 ounces pasta to be super saucy)

Garnish – Flat leaf parsley, finely sliced and grated parmesan

Method:-

In a large pan, heat 2 tbsps of olive oil over medium flame. Then add garlic and onion with a pinch of salt and saute until the onions almost become translucent. Add paprika, caraway seeds and 1 tbsp of olive oil. Saute over low flame until the oil becomes red and aromatic (from the scent of paprika). Brown beef over medium flame and then add canned tomatoes and some freshly ground black pepper. When the mixture begins to bubble, turn the flame to the lowest possible and allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. In the last 15 minutes of the cooking time, season the sauce with salt and sugar to taste. Add more black pepper if you wish.  After that, you can start boiling the spaghetti in salted water according to the packet instructions and drained. Toss the spaghetti in bolognese sauce and serve with parsley and grated parmesan.

This post is brought to you by Groupon Australia.