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Katie Serbinski, M.S., R.D., is a registered dietitian and millennial mom, blogging about healthy recipes, child and mom nutrition, and motherhood.

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Home » Food & Recipes » Main Dishes » The Secret to Kid-Friendly Beef Bolognese

The Secret to Kid-Friendly Beef Bolognese

Nov 22, 2015 12 Comments

Wow your family with an easy weeknight meal [and get your kids to eat their veggies] with this simple beef Bolognese sauce.

Wow your family with an easy weeknight meal [and get your kids to eat their veggies] with this simple beef Bolognese sauce.

When it comes to getting kids to eat more veggies, one easy trick I’ve implemented in my kitchen is to add a veggie or two to a dish that a. the boys already love eating and that b. can be incorporated into a recipe without making it taste too different or “scary.” Because my little Italian bambinos will gobble up beef Bolognese without veggies, I took a risk and added a few finely diced veggies to the sauce. The verdict? I saw a few carrots and celery pieces sneak their way into Joey’s mouth and Anthony’s bib… [his quality control isn’t the best]. And Ted didn’t even speak a word. As long as he saw the ground beef and Parmesan cheese, he was a happy camper!

Wow your family with an easy weeknight meal [and get your kids to eat their veggies] with this simple beef Bolognese sauce.

When you read my recipe for beef Bolognese, you’ll notice the vegetables are chopped. In lieu of masking or disguising the veggies by pureeing them, I like keeping them intact so when the boys see them in other dishes, they aren’t surprised or shocked! Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for pureeing veggies and adding to bread mixes and smoothies, but there’s something about a sauce, specifically a pasta sauce, that makes me keep the vegetable true to form.

IMG_4672
Convenient chopped veggies c/o Trader Joe’s! Found in their refrigerated produce section.
The secret to getting your kids to eat more veggies? Add them to their favorite pasta sauce! Click To Tweet

Hearty beef Bolognese is really the perfect kid food because the sauce isn’t too runny, and all of the components are easy to pickup with little fingers. And you can be assured that this sauce is one of the most nutritious things you or your family could be eating because of the variety of nutrients in it. Call me crazy, but I could even eat it without noodles. The boys would protest though— since any beef + tomato sauce combination requires the noodle partnership in their mind.

5.0 from 1 reviews
The Secret to Kid-Friendly Beef Bolognese
 
Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
40 mins
Total time
50 mins
 
Author: Katie Serbinski
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 6 servings
Ingredients
  • 1 pound lean Ground Beef [93% lean or leaner]
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup carrot, diced
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • ½ cup celery diced
  • 2 gloves garlic, minced
  • ½ cup red wine
  • 1 can tomato paste
  • 1 ½ cups beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Instructions
  1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook for about 5 minutes, breaking the meat into crumbles with a wooden spoon until the meat has started to brown.
  2. Stir in the carrot, onion, celery and garlic. Sauté for another 5 minutes until the veggies become translucent and the meat is cooked through [you could drain the fat from the skillet at this step, but if you use lean Ground Beef there won’t be much to drain!].
  3. Pour wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any brown bits.
  4. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with cooked pasta and Parmesan cheese on the side.
3.4.3177

Wow your family with an easy weeknight meal [and get your kids to eat their veggies] with this simple beef Bolognese sauce.

Disclaimer:  I am proud to partner with the Michigan Beef Industry Commission to bring you healthy recipes made with beef.  Because of these great partnerships I am able to share delicious and nutritious family-friendly recipes. As always all opinion and ideas are 100% my own. 

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Comments

  1. Aggie @ Aggie's Kitchen says

    November 23, 2015 at 2:14 pm

    This really is the best idea ever. My kids have no idea they eat onions as much as they do 😉 Sauce is the best veggie disguise! Such a great recipe and it’s making me hungry .

    Reply
  2. Jessica @ Nutritioulicious says

    November 23, 2015 at 10:46 pm

    Now THIS is my kind of sauce! I always add veggies to my bolognese – usually mushrooms and onions, but love the carrots and celery too. The kids love it and like you, I can eat it without the pasta!

    Reply
  3. Shelah says

    December 7, 2015 at 12:36 pm

    It is a clever trick to dice up the vegetables and “hide” them in the kids favorite foods. The beef bolognese looks amazing!

    Reply
  4. Melissa says

    December 7, 2015 at 2:47 pm

    Looks great! I’ll have to add this to my recipe list!

    Reply
  5. Betsy says

    December 7, 2015 at 3:58 pm

    This looks so good! Do you deliver? I love hiding veggies in foods my kids love. It’s actually a pretty good way to get my husband to eat more as well.

    Reply
  6. Tiffany says

    December 7, 2015 at 5:30 pm

    Mmmmm thank you for sharing this. I have never attempted to make a sauce like this but this actually seems like one I could do! Definitely pinning to make later!

    Reply
  7. Krystal says

    December 7, 2015 at 11:44 pm

    That looks great! Something my kids would love!

    Reply
  8. Stephanie says

    December 8, 2015 at 1:40 pm

    I hide veggies in food like it’s my job. My 3 year just won’t eat them and I’ve tried every other way and hiding is the way to go.

    Reply
  9. twitchetts.com says

    December 8, 2015 at 2:27 pm

    This is a great idea! Hidden veggies is always a good idea!

    Reply
  10. Sharon says

    July 24, 2017 at 9:05 am

    What if I don’t have wine? What is a good replacement for that? Ty!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Slow Cooker Meatballs and Tomato Sauce - Mom to Mom Nutrition says:
    December 10, 2015 at 1:19 am

    […] Beef Bolognese, Slow Cooker Lasagna Soup, and Sunday Gravy. Manja my friends! […]

    Reply
  2. Food Playlist | The Secret to Kid-Friendly Beef Bolognese says:
    May 6, 2019 at 6:06 am

    […] Read More […]

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Katie Serbinski at Mom to Mom Nutrition

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Hi, I’m Katie! Registered Dietitian, Mom, and Mealtime Negotiator. I’m on a mission to make mealtime happier, healthier, and easier with small children, despite what my 4 picky eaters have me believing. From family-friendly recipes to confessions about my unfiltered motherhood moments, I hope you grab a seat at my kitchen table!
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