I made quick and easy bolognese with surprising ingredient

I am a spaghetti bolognese fan, and I can comfortably make my own version without a recipe at home.

But when Quorn sent me some of their new recipe Quorn mince, I decided to give their 15 minute recipe a go.

There are a lot of classic ingredients in the Quorn version, although I think I would make a few changes, but one ingredient that did intrigue me was two tablespoons of red pesto.

This is something I have never thought of adding, but feel it makes perfect sense to add in as much flavour as possible and it can also be treated like tomato puree.

I found it did add to the flavour and is something I will try again in the future in Quorn or mince bolognese.

Method:

Pre heat the oil over a medium to high heat, add the onion and cook for two to three minutes stirring often.

Add the garlic and mushrooms, cover and cook over a medium/high heat stirring frequently for two to three minutes

Increase the heat, add the Quorn Mince, pesto, passata, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, vegetable stock, tomato puree and oregano. Stir well, cover and cook for eight to 10 minutes

Meanwhile, cook the fresh spaghetti according to pack instructions.

Pour the Quorn bolognese sauce over the spaghetti, season to taste and top with the grated cheese.

Verdict:

If you take the preperation time out, yes, this does take 15 minutes. And it is easy to follow as after you have sauteed the onions and mushrooms it is just a case of throwing everything else into the pan and allowing it to bubble away.

It tasted delicious and felt like a good healthy option (464 calories per serving) packed with veg and protein (22.8g per serving). The flavour packed into the sauce in just 15 minutes was amazing.

My teenage son didn’t even realise it wasn’t meat at first, while my very fussy four-year-old asked for more – almost unheard of.

It states it serves four, but I had lunch the next day with leftovers, which was perfect.

Aside from the addition of red pesto, it is very similar to my own bolognese, which I have also, on occasion, made with veggie options like Quorn or lentils.

However, there are three things I would change if I was to make it again. Firstly I would add a carrot and stick of celery with my onion to add depth of flavour and extra veggies, but that does increase the prep time.

I would also swap fresh garlic for the jar, just because I like the lazy version and find it easier to measure amounts.

And lastly, I would swap the Worcestershire sauce for balsamic vinegar because I think it adds a rich sweetness to any sauce.

But overall, a great staple dish to have in your metaphorical recipe book whether you are a vegetarian or not.

For more Quorn recipes, visit their website https://www.quorn.co.uk/recipes/