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Eggplant Bolognese

Italian recipes are my favorite especially when eggplant is included. This is a hearty bolognese and a paleo recipe that is prepared in one pot! You can add any of your favorite vegetables such as peppers or zucchini. You serve over spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, or your favorite pasta! Enjoy!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine Italian
Servings 6 people
Calories 1906.9 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Dutch Oven
  • 1 Wooden Spoon
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Cutting Board
  • 1 Measuring spoons/cups

Ingredients
  

Main

  • ¼ cup olive oil divided
  • 3 links pork sausage casings removed
  • ½ pound ground beef
  • 2 pounds eggplant peeled and chopped
  • 1 small yellow onion chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
  • ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 8 ounce package sliced fresh mushrooms
  • 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 12 ounce can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 ½ teaspoons dried basil

Instructions
 

  • Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; cook pork sausage, breaking it onto smaller pieces with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef; cook and stir until beef is browned and crumbly, about 5 minutes. Drain excess fat.
  • Pour remaining olive oil over sausage mixture; add eggplant, onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Cook and stir until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and continuing cooking until tender, about 5 minutes.
  • Mix crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, parsley, oregano, and basil into sausage mixture; bring to a boil. Cover Dutch oven, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 30 minutes.

Notes

Achieving a rich bolognese starts with excellent browning of the sausage and ground beef; don't overcrowd the pot, and allow a deep fond to develop for maximum flavor. While the recipe suggests 30 minutes of simmering, an extended simmer of 60-90 minutes will deepen the sauce's complexity and tenderize the eggplant further. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a bay leaf during the simmer or a splash of dry red wine after sautéing the aromatics. Ensure your eggplant is chopped uniformly for even cooking. Finish with fresh basil or parsley for vibrant color and aroma when serving over spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles.