Lamb Bolognaise - Easy Mid-Week Pasta

Name: Lamb Bolognaise - Easy Mid-Week Pasta
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4 serving
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon olive oil; 500 g lamb mince (ground lamb); 2 bacon rashers; 1 medium brown onion; 1 large carrot; 2 fresh garlic cloves; 1 teaspoon ground cumin; 1 teaspoon fennel seeds; ¼ finely chopped fresh rosemary; ½ cup red wine; 1½ cups beef stock; 400 g tomato passata; salt & pepper to taste

User Reviews

5.0

3 reviews

Excellent

Total Time
1 hr
Servings
4
Calories
304 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Australian

Lamb Bolognaise - Easy Mid-Week Pasta

Zara Shaw

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Lamb bolognaise is a fast and tasty weeknight-friendly lamb pasta recipe, using lamb mince (ground lamb). Bolognaise in 1 hour!

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Ingredients

Servings

2 tablespoon olive oil
500 g lamb mince (ground lamb)
2 bacon rashers roughly chopped
1 medium brown onion diced
1 large carrot finely diced
2 fresh garlic cloves crushed/minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon fennel seeds ground (see my notes)
¼ finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ cup red wine
1½ cups beef stock
400 g tomato passata
salt & pepper to taste

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Instructions

In a heavy-based pot, heat olive oil (2 tsp) then add diced onion (1 medium) and finely diced carrot (1 large). Fry over medium-low heat until softened. Then add crushed garlic cloves (2) and fry for another minute.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, then add lamb mince (500g), chopped bacon (2 rashers), ground cumin (1 tsp), fennel seeds(1 teaspoon - ground), and finely chopped rosemary (¼ tsp) to the pot and fry until lamb is no longer pink and most of the liquid has cooked off (see my notes).
Add red wine (½ cup) and simmer until the wine is reduced - about 2 - 3 minutes.
Add tomato passata (400g) and beef stock (1½ cups), then bring to a simmer.
Simmer uncovered for 25 - 30 minutes, until sauce is thickened and reduced.
Add salt and pepper to taste, then serve.

Notes

**Looking for more great lamb? Check out my Lamb for Dinner collection - my comprehensive guide to all things lamb and lamb related. It includes choosing the right cut, plus cooking hints and tips, AND all of my lamb dinner recipes in the one place!**
*Please note that the amount of calories per serve is provided as a guide only, as ingredients and cooking methods can vary greatly*
Passata is a thick tomato puree (not tomato paste), basically like canned tomatoes that have already been pureed. It works really well in recipes like this lamb bolognaise because you get a thick, rich tomato-based sauce without the extra cooking time that would be needed for canned tomatoes to break down.
You may think beef stock is a strange ingredient to pair with lamb, as a lot of recipes would call for chicken stock instead. I prefer to use beef stock because I think the more robust flavours of beef stock really match the strong flavour of the lamb giving you a rich, full-bodied end product.
Please don't skip the time that is needed to cook off most of the liquid that is released from the lamb mince as it fries. This will really concentrate the flavour and will make a big difference to the finished dish. That colour on the base of the pot is what gives this lamb bolognaise extra depth and oomph.
I use a pestle & mortar to grind up the fennel seeds. The reason I do this is because I can't buy fennel seeds already ground-up here in Australia! If you have this product where you live then feel free to use it. You will need less than 1 teaspoon in this case because it's already ground.