This hearty spaghetti Bolognese recipe is high in fibre, easy to make and contains three of your 5 A Day. If you’re looking to make healthy swaps but don’t want to compromise on flavour, this could be the meal for you.
The recommended intake of fibre is 30 grams per day for adults, but most of us aren’t getting enough.1 This recipe for spaghetti Bolognese contains over 10 grams of fibre per serving, helping you on your way to reaching that goal.
- Where does the fibre come from?
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We’ve used carrots and lentils in the sauce, both of which are high in fibre, especially compared to their calorie content.
Then, we’ve opted for wholewheat spaghetti. This typically contains twice or even three times the amount of fibre as white spaghetti.
Also, our bodies take longer to digest wholewheat and wholegrain foods, meaning they can help to make us feel fuller for longer.2
This Bolognese packs in the veg, with carrots, onions, tomatoes and lentils adding up to around three portions of your 5 A Day. Serve a leafy green salad on the side for even more nutritional goodness.
We’ve used less beef than traditional recipes and bulked up the sauce with lentils, which count towards your daily vegetables as well as upping the fibre content. We think you’ll hardly notice the difference; this meal is comforting and filling just like your traditional spag bol.
And while this recipe uses beef mince, you could swap it for a vegetarian mince substitute such as Quorn, or leave out the mince altogether and double the quantity of lentils.
Once you’ve chopped your veg, the hands-on time for this recipe is minimal. You simply soften the vegetables in olive oil, brown the mince (if using), then add tomatoes, stock and lentils and simmer until the lentils are soft and the sauce is rich and tasty.
Then simply spoon the saucy goodness over wholewheat spaghetti (cooked al dente) and dig in. All the hearty, comforting goodness of spaghetti Bolognese with fewer calories, more vegetables and more fibre than the traditional recipe.
We hope you’ll love this healthier take on a family classic.
RECIPE
High fibre spaghetti Bolognese
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots, finely diced
1 large onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
250g 10% fat beef mince
1 tin chopped tomatoes
1 beef stock cube
2 tbsp tomato puree
200g dried red lentils, rinsed well
320g wholewheat spaghetti (or your favourite pasta shape)
METHOD
1. In a large pan, fry the onions and carrots in the oil over a medium heat until soft. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two, until fragrant.
2. Add the mince, break it up and cook until browned.
3. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, fill the empty tin with water and add this to the pan too. Crumble in the stock cube and add the tomato puree and rinsed lentils. Simmer for around 20 minutes, until the lentils are cooked.
4. Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente.
5. Taste the sauce, seasoning if needed, and serve over the freshly cooked spaghetti.
TIP: If you have fresh basil to hand, sprinkle a few leaves over before serving.
Sources
1https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/how-to-get-more-fibre-into-your-diet/
2https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/starchy-foods-and-carbohydrates/