Macaroni Bolognese — a plant-based American recipe by BOSH!
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Macaroni Bolognese

Macaroni Bolognese is one of those recipes we find ourselves coming back to again and again, especially on nights when we want something proper and comforting but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen. It's got all the rich, deep flavour of a classic bolognese, with sun-dried tomatoes and shallots giving the sauce this incredible savoury base, and the macaroni soaks it all up beautifully. The basil brings a freshness that stops it feeling too heavy, and honestly the whole thing just works in a way that surprises people every time. Make this tonight and we promise you'll be adding it to the regular rotation.

Cook: 40 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Large pan
  • Colander
  • Microplane or grater

Ingredients

  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp sun-dried tomato oil
  • 3 tbsp sun-dried tomato pesto
  • 10g basil
  • 400g plant-based mince
  • 2 rashes of plant-based 'bacon'
  • 175ml red wine
  • 1 x 400g can x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
  • 100ml pasta water
  • 400g macaroni pasta cooked
  • 2 banana shallots
  • 5 sun-dried tomatoes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 garlic cloves

Method

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Peel, trim and finely chop the shallots
  • Finely slice the sun-dried tomatoes
  • Pick the basil leaves and finely chop the stalks
  • Peel and grate the garlic
2

Make the bolognese sauce

  • Add the oils to a large pan and warm over a medium heat
  • Add the shallot and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir for 4-5 minutes
  • Add the garlic, basil stems and sun dried tomatoes to the pan and stir for 2 minutes
  • Finely slice the bacon pieces
  • Crumble the mince into the pan and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the bacon and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the red wine to the pan, stir to combine and simmer for 4-5 minutes
  • Add the tomato pesto, tinned tomatoes and the bay leaf to the pan, stir to combine, reduce the heat and leave to simmer for approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from catching
  • Taste the sauce and season with salt, pepper and sugar
3

Prepare the macaroni

  • Boil a large pot of salted water over high heat
  • Add the macaroni pasta and cook to perfection (approximately 8-9 minutes - check the packet instructions)
  • Save a ladleful of pasta water and set to one side
4

Finish and serve

  • Drain the pasta in a colander, tip into the bolognese sauce, and fold to coat and cover
  • Add a little pasta water to loosen if needs be
  • Spoon into serving bowls, sprinkle over black pepper, nooch and basil leaves and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Don't rush the shallots: We know it's tempting to speed through this step, but giving the shallots a full 4 to 5 minutes in the pan is what builds the flavour foundation for the whole dish. Low and slow wins here.
  • Use the basil stalks: Don't throw them away. The stalks go into the sauce early and the leaves get saved for the end. The stalks add this subtle, herby warmth that you don't really notice until it's missing.
  • Sun-dried tomatoes in oil: If you can, use the kind that come packed in oil rather than the dry ones. They're softer, richer, and they melt into the sauce in a way that makes a real difference to the final flavour.

Why This Works

The trick here is building the sauce slowly, letting those shallots soften properly before you add anything else. That patience at the start is what gives the bolognese its depth. The sun-dried tomatoes are doing a lot of the heavy lifting too, they bring this concentrated, almost meaty richness that makes the whole sauce taste like it's been cooking for hours even when it hasn't.