Summer Bolognese

Studded with juicy cherry tomatoes and fresh basil, this simple recipe is a perfectly light alternative to the classic pasta.

Serves
4–6
Time
30 minutes

PHOTO: MATT TAYLOR-GROSS • FOOD STYLING: JESSIE YUCHEN

By Donna Hay

Updated on June 20, 2024

This recipe for summer bolognese has all the comfort of the classic pasta but without the heaviness of a red sauce, instead embracing the season’s bounty of gorgeous tomatoes and fresh basil. The simple yet stunning dish is adapted from Australian cookbook author and magazine publisher Donna Hay’s The New Classics. It‘s quite literally the kind of recipe that makes you want to jump up and start cooking immediately.

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Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 lb. spaghetti
¼ cup olive oil
1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes (or substitute 3 red Thai chiles, finely chopped)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup dry white wine
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lb. mixed cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup Ligurian or kalamata olives
Fresh basil leaves, for garnish
Freshly grated parmesan, for serving

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Instructions

Step 1

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water, then toss the spaghetti with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Keep warm.

Step 2

Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the beef, thyme, chile flakes, thyme, and garlic, and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sugar, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and spaghetti, and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, olives, and reserved pasta water, and cook for about 2 minutes more.

Step 3

Transfer to a platter, garnish with basil, and serve with parmesan.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water, then toss the spaghetti with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, to a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the beef, thyme, chile flakes, thyme, and garlic, and cook, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until the beef is browned, 5–7 minutes. Add the tomato paste and sugar, season to taste with salt and black pepper, and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has almost evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar, lemon zest and juice, and spaghetti, and toss to combine. Add the tomatoes, olives, and reserved pasta water, and cook for about 2 minutes more.
Transfer to a platter, garnish with basil, and serve with parmesan.