Spaghetti Bolognese with Basil Pesto and Cheese

Headnote

This is a disciplined version of a familiar dish: a compact Bolognese built for clarity, depth, and balance. The sauce should be savory and concentrated, with the sweetness of onion and carrot supporting the beef and tomato rather than obscuring them. Basil pesto and cheese finish the plate with freshness and salinity, giving the dish lift without disturbing its structure.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Pasta

Cuisine or origin: Italian-inspired

Course type: Main course

Yield: 1 serving

Serving size: 400 g

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

Equipment

20 cm sauté pan

Medium saucepan

Fine grater

Wooden spoon

Colander

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Digital scale

Ingredients

Pasta

120 g spaghetti

Bolognese sauce

10 g rapeseed oil

40 g onion, finely diced

25 g carrot, finely diced

20 g celery, finely diced

6 g garlic, finely minced

120 g beef

110 g tomato, finely chopped

2 g salt

1 g black pepper

To finish

15 g basil pesto

10 g cheese, finely grated

Method

1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to a full boil. Add the spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until just tender with a slight firmness at the center. Drain well and reserve briefly.

2. Meanwhile, set a sauté pan over medium heat and add the rapeseed oil. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are softened and lightly translucent but not browned.

3. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Add the beef and break it up thoroughly with a spoon. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until the meat loses its raw color and begins to take on a fine, even browning.

4. Add the tomato, salt, and black pepper. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, cohesive, and glossy, with no excess liquid in the pan.

5. Add the drained spaghetti to the sauce and toss over low heat for 1 minute, until the pasta is evenly coated and the sauce clings to the strands. The finished pasta should be supple, not wet.

Plating and serving

Twirl the spaghetti into a shallow bowl, drawing the sauce through the center rather than burying the pasta beneath it. Spoon the basil pesto over the top in a narrow ribbon and finish with the grated cheese. The final plate should be compact, balanced, and neatly defined.

Professional notes

Use a fine dice for the vegetables so the sauce cooks evenly and remains elegant in texture. The tomato must reduce fully; a loose sauce will weaken the dish. Add the pesto at the end so its aroma stays fresh and distinct against the richness of the beef.