10 Delicious Things to Make with Bolognese Sauce That Aren’t Spaghetti

Before we start, a small caveat for our Italian readers: I know this isn’t Bolognese.

Or, at least, it isn’t ragù alla Bolognese as you’d recognise it in Bologna. We Brits have a long and occasionally questionable history of taking dishes from around the world, adapting them to what we have in the cupboard and then carrying on using the original name regardless.

And “spag bol” is perhaps one of our greatest examples.

For the purposes of this article, when I say Bolognese sauce, I’m talking about the British family version: minced beef cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes, herbs and whatever other additions have become standard in your particular household. Worcestershire sauce? Quite possibly. A squirt of tomato purée? Almost certainly. Garlic? Obviously. A glass of red wine if there’s one open? In it goes.

It may horrify a nonna, but generations of British families know exactly what I mean.

Spaghetti Bolognese has been a mainstay of the British weekly meal plan for decades. It’s affordable, easy to make, feeds a crowd and is one of those useful dinners where making twice as much barely requires any additional effort.

But that’s also where things get interesting.

Because a big pan of British-style Bolognese sauce doesn’t have to mean spaghetti tonight and reheated spaghetti tomorrow. Treat it as a rich minced beef and tomato base and you’ve got the beginnings of several completely different midweek dinners.

So make a bigger batch than you need. Have your spag bol tonight, then put the spaghetti away.

Here are ten much more interesting things to do with the rest.

1. Bolognese Loaded Jacket Potatoes

A properly crisp-skinned baked potato is one of the easiest ways to turn leftover Bolognese into another full dinner. Split the potatoes, fluff the insides with a little butter, then spoon over plenty of hot Bolognese and finish with grated extra mature Cheddar. Put them back under the grill for a couple of minutes if you want the cheese bubbling and golden.

Serve with a simple dressed salad and nobody is going to feel they’re eating last night’s leftovers.

2. Cheesy Bolognese Pasta Bake

Yes, we’re returning to pasta, but this feels completely different from another bowl of spaghetti. Cook a short pasta such as rigatoni, penne or fusilli until just shy of done, then combine with your Bolognese and transfer to an ovenproof dish.

Top generously with mozzarella and Parmesan – or Cheddar if that’s what’s in the fridge – and bake until bubbling with a properly golden top. It’s also a useful way of stretching a relatively small amount of leftover sauce to feed several people.

3. Bolognese Cottage Pie

Before anyone writes in, we know this isn’t technically cottage pie either.

But leftover Bolognese topped with buttery mashed potato and baked until golden makes an extremely good shortcut version. Add a handful of frozen peas to the sauce if you fancy, pile over the mash and rough up the surface with a fork so you get plenty of crispy edges.

A little grated Cheddar on top isn’t necessary, but we’re not going to discourage it.

4. Bolognese Quesadillas

This is where last night’s Bolognese starts to become considerably less recognisable. Spread a fairly thin layer of sauce over a tortilla, add grated cheese and, if you like, sliced jalapeños, then top with another tortilla.

Cook in a dry frying pan until crisp and golden on both sides and the cheese has melted, then cut into wedges. Serve with sour cream, guacamole and salsa. Just don’t overfill them – Bolognese escaping from a quesadilla is considerably less fun than eating one.

5. Bolognese Stuffed Peppers

Halve some large peppers and remove the seeds, then fill them with warmed Bolognese. You can bulk the sauce out with cooked rice if you need to make it go further, or simply use it as it is.

Top with mozzarella or Cheddar and bake until the peppers are tender and the cheese is golden. Add a green salad and you’ve turned exactly the same sauce into something considerably lighter than a big plate of pasta.

6. Loaded Bolognese Nachos

This might be the one that causes the most arguments, but it works.

Spread tortilla chips over a large baking tray, spoon over small amounts of Bolognese and scatter generously with grated cheese. Bake until the cheese has melted, then add jalapeños, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, spring onions and fresh coriander.

The important thing is not drowning the tortilla chips in sauce. Dollop rather than pour, otherwise you’ve invented Bolognese-flavoured soggy cornflakes.

7. Bolognese Gnocchi Bake

Gnocchi and a rich beef and tomato sauce were always going to get along.

Stir your Bolognese through cooked gnocchi, tip everything into a baking dish and tear mozzarella over the top. Add Parmesan and plenty of black pepper, then bake until bubbling and browned.

It’s ridiculously comforting, requires very little preparation and is particularly useful when you’ve got enough Bolognese left for two people but suddenly need to feed four.

8. Bolognese Garlic Bread Boats

Take a baguette or ciabatta loaf, slice it lengthways and scoop out a little of the soft centre. Brush with garlic butter and give it a few minutes in the oven before filling with hot Bolognese.

Cover with mozzarella, return to the oven and bake until the bread is crisp and the cheese is bubbling. Slice into chunky pieces and serve with salad – or make smaller versions for an easy Friday-night picky dinner.

9. Bolognese Stuffed Courgettes

For something a little fresher, halve large courgettes lengthways and scoop out enough of the centre to create a hollow. Give them a short head start in the oven, then fill with Bolognese and top with mozzarella, Parmesan or crumbled feta.

Bake until the courgettes are tender and the topping is golden. This is particularly good when you want the comfort of the original sauce without another pasta, potato or bread-heavy meal.

10. Bolognese Sloppy Joes

We’re already playing fast and loose with international cuisine, so we might as well finish properly.

Reheat your Bolognese until it’s quite thick – you don’t want an overly wet sauce here – and pile it into toasted brioche buns. Add mature Cheddar or mozzarella, perhaps some sliced pickles or jalapeños, and serve with fries or a crunchy slaw.

It isn’t an American Sloppy Joe and it isn’t an Italian Bolognese. It is, however, an exceptionally good sandwich.

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