Spaghetti bolognese

When I was a child I loathed Bolognese. When the rest of my family was eating it I would instead enjoy a bowl of spaghetti with cheese on its own. I was happy because I was fed and my parents were happy because I was fed.

If you have a child or teen with sensory feeding differences you can adjust this recipe to suit them and serve the Bolognese separate to the pasta, or they might just like pasta on its own or topped with cheese like me!

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon of olive oil

• 1 Brown onion, finely chopped

• 2 Celery stalks, finely chopped

• 1 Medium carrots, finely chopped

• 1 Medium zucchini, finely chopped

• 1 small beetroot, grated

• 3 Garlic cloves minced

• 500g Beef mince

• 2 Tablespoon tomato paste

• 1 Tablespoon dried italian herbs

• 700g Tomato passata sauce

• 2 Bay Leaves

Method

• Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots and zucchini and sauté for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Increase the heat to high, add the ground beef and cook for 10 minutes stirring continuously until the meat is browned and broken down into small pieces.

• Add the Italian herbs and tomato paste and mix with the meat. 

• Add the passata, grated beetroot and bay leaf. 

• Bring to the boil and then reduce to a simmer. 

• Cover and cook for at least 40 minutes. Take the lid off and cook for a further 10 minutes.

• Serve with regular or pulse spaghetti and some grated cheese.

Written by Margo White, your Melbourne-based neurodiversity affirming clinical nutritionist and ND advocate.