Nothings says comfort food better than a big bowl of pasta bolognese topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Sure, you can go to your local Italian restaurant and order this dish, but who knows what quality of ingredients are used? Or how much oil or calories are in the dish? We all want a delicious, homemade meal where we can control the quality of ingredients and fat content, but not everyone has hours before dinnertime to simmer a pot of this meat sauce. That’s why I came up with this quick and healthy recipe that takes no time to prepare. You’ll have all the delicious flavors of a bolognese sauce in 45 minutes!

This is my take on the classic – I hope you enjoy!

Recipe
Yield: 2 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 lb. rigatoni (or your favorite pasta)
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped or shredded
2/3 lb. ground lean beef (can be substituted with ground turkey)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
2 splashes dry red or white wine (can be substituted with beef broth)
1 can (14 oz.) crushed tomatoes or tomato sauce
pinch of sugar
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 6 to 7 minutes. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Add the celery and carrot and saute for another 5 minutes.
2. Raise heat to medium-high and add beef, thyme, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Season with a little salt and black pepper. Stir and break up any large chunks into smaller pieces with a large wooden or plastic spoon. Cook for 10 minutes while stirring occasionally.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to water and cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water before draining. Do not rinse pasta.
4. Add broth, wine, tomatoes and sugar to the beef mixture. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until sauce thickens, while stirring occasionally, about 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to your tasting. Add some of the reserved pasta water if sauce becomes too thick.
5. Divide pasta into two bowls. Top with bolognese sauce and serve with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!