Stuffed Bread with Bolognese Sauce
I know what you are thinking, what is Bolognese Sauce? Well, to start off, it is one of the best things I have made! Now, let me tell you what it actually is. Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, you will find it mainly in Bologna. I like to use ground chuck but you can use veal. It starts with cooking down some veggies (celery, carrot, and onion) with some tomato paste and wine (I like to use red wine).
Some of the things you can use Bolognese sauce with are pasta(s), gnocchi, and some breadsticks. I saw a good buddy of mine, core out French bread and stuffed it with the sauce, this is the one that inspired me and I had to put my little twist on it. I decided to cut the French bread in half, longways, and remove the fluffy bread inside. This left a nice creator and I added Mozzarella as a foundation, then the Bolognese sauce and topped with fresh mozzarella. It was absolutely fantastic!
Now that I have your attention, I believe you are ready for the recipe! Let's jump into it!
Stuffed Bread with Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1½ lbs Ground chuck
- 1 bunch Parley chopped
- 1 or 2 Long french breads
- 2 cups Fresh mozzarella shredded
- 2 tbsp Canola oil
- 1 large green bell pepper (or 2 smaller) diced
- 1 large red bell pepper (or 2 smaller) diced
- 1 medium Carrot diced
- 1 medium Onion diced
- 4 cloves Minced garlic
- 1 cup Red wine
- 2-3 tbsp Tomato sauce
- ½ can Roasted tomato salsa with green chilis
- 1 tbsp Kosher salt
- 2 tsp Black pepper
- 2 tsp Mexican chili powder
- 2 tsp Oregano
- 1 tsp Garlic powder
Instructions
- Prep the ingredients. Dice the bell peppers, carrot, and onion and mince the garlic.
- Cook the vegetables. Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes. Add the canola oil, bell peppers, onion, garlic, and seasonings. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender and translucent.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground chuck and break it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring frequently, until nicely browned.
- Make the Bolognese. Pour in the red wine, tomato sauce, and roasted tomato salsa with green chiles. Stir and simmer for 25–30 minutes, allowing the liquid to reduce and the flavors to develop.
- Cool. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the Bolognese cool for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the bread. Slice the French bread lengthwise. Remove some of the soft bread from the center to create a hollow area for the filling.
- Stuff the bread. Add a layer of shredded mozzarella, spoon the Bolognese sauce over the cheese, then top with additional mozzarella.
- Bake. Place in a 450°F oven for 10–15 minutes, until the bread is toasted and the mozzarella is melted.
- Serve. Garnish with chopped parsley, slice, and serve warm.
Nutrition
Instruction:
- Start off by prepping all of your ingredients. Dice all of your veggies and portion out your seasonings.
- Get a cast iron over medium heat (I used a charcoal grill for my heat source). Let it heat up for 10-15 minutes, at this time add your canola oil and toss in your bell peppers, onion, garlic and seasonings. Mix with a wooden spoon, do this every few minutes so the bottom doesn't burn. Cook until your veggies are translucent, this will take about 10-15 minutes.
- When the veggies in the skillet are translucent add in your ground chuck. When you put the ground chuck in the skillet, be sure to break it up with the wooden spoon and mix continuously for a few minutes until your meat is nicely browned.
- Once browned add the red wine, tomato sauce, and roasted tomatoes. At this point, mix with your wooden spoon and let it simmer for about 25-30 minutes. You want to reduce the liquids and let the meat absorb all of the delicious flavor.
- When your skillet is nicely reduced, remove from direct heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Cut your French bread, longways, and remove the soft bread (the core), leaving a creator.
- Time to build your stuffed bread. The first layer is Mozzarella cheese, then the Bolognese sauce, and top with more mozzarella cheese. At this time place in the oven at 450 degrees for 10-15 minutes. You basically want to toast the bread and melt the cheese to your liking.
- Garnish with parsley and serve.
- Enjoy with family and friends!
Bolognese sauce is a classic Italian dish that can be made with ground beef or pork. It's a hearty, filling meal that can be enjoyed on its own or served over pasta. This recipe is simple and straightforward, but it results in a delicious and satisfying dish. If you're looking for an easy weeknight dinner idea, give this Bolognese sauce a try. You won't be disappointed!
