A Tesco spag bol ready meal — one portion, 400g — costs £3.30. It feeds one person. It contains 12% beef. This recipe feeds three people, uses 300g of actual beef mince, and costs £1.69 a plate. That gap is why learning to make it yourself is worth every minute of the 45 it takes.
Bolognese is also one of those recipes that looks more complicated than it is. There's no fancy technique here — just chopping, softening, browning, and simmering. If you've made a soup before, you can make this. And the sauce freezes perfectly, so making a big batch is one of the best uses of an hour in your kitchen.
Full Cost Breakdown — Every Penny
All prices are for the amount used in this recipe, not the full packet. Checked against Tesco and Aldi in April 2026.
| Ingredient | Amount Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable oil | 1 tbsp | 2p |
| Garlic (1 clove) | 1 clove | 4p |
| Onion | 1 medium | 10p |
| Celery | 1 stick | 6p |
| Carrot | 1 medium | 7p |
| Beef mince | 300g | £1.26 |
| Beef stock cube | 1 cube | 12p |
| Bay leaf | 1 leaf | 4p |
| Oregano | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Basil | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Tomato purée | ¼ tube (~30g) | 18p |
| Chopped tomatoes (tin) | 1 × 400g tin | 47p |
| Red wine (optional) | 50ml | 56p |
| Black pepper | 1 tsp | 4p |
| Spaghetti (75g × 3) | 225g | 36p |
| Total (3 servings, with wine) | £4.28 | |
| Cost per serving | £1.69 | |
⚠️ Prices checked at Tesco and Aldi, April 2026. Costs are per amount used, not full pack. Mince price is based on Tesco own-brand 500g pack (~£2.10). Skip the wine to bring the total down to £3.72 — that's £1.45 per serving.
Why This Recipe Works
The grated carrot is the detail most people skip, and they shouldn't. It dissolves into the sauce during the simmer, adding natural sweetness that balances the acidity of the tomatoes — without you tasting carrot at all. Celery does something similar with depth of flavour. These two vegetables are what separate a decent bolognese from a flat one, and they cost 13p combined.
The bay leaf and the 25–30 minute simmer are the other two things that matter. Bay leaf pulls out the tomato flavour in a way that's hard to describe but obvious when you taste it. And the simmer gives the sauce time to reduce and thicken — if you rush it, you get a watery result that doesn't cling to the pasta properly.
Ingredients (Serves 3)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 stick celery, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and grated
- 300g beef mince (lean is fine)
- 1 beef stock cube dissolved in 200ml boiling water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ¼ tube tomato purée (~30g)
- 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 50ml red wine — optional but recommended
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 75g spaghetti per person (225g total for 3)
- Small knob of butter for the pasta
Step-by-Step Method
Step 1 — Prep Your Vegetables (5 minutes)
Finely chop the onion, garlic, and celery. Don't worry about them being perfectly uniform — they'll soften right down. Peel the carrot and grate it on the coarse side of a box grater. Set everything aside together.
Step 2 — Soften the Vegetables (7 minutes)
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large saucepan or deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add all the chopped vegetables at once. Stir and let them soften for about 5–7 minutes. You want them translucent and starting to smell sweet — not browned. Whilst they cook, boil the kettle and dissolve your stock cube in 200ml of water.
Step 3 — Brown the Mince (5 minutes)
Add the 300g of beef mince straight into the pan. Use the back of a wooden spoon to break it up as it cooks. Keep moving it around and breaking up any clumps. After about 5 minutes it should all be brown — no pink remaining. If there's a lot of liquid or fat in the pan, you can carefully drain some off, but a little is fine.
Step 4 — Add the Liquid (2 minutes)
If using wine, pour it in now and stir. Let it bubble for about a minute — it'll smell wonderful. Then add the tin of chopped tomatoes, the tomato purée, and the stock. Give everything a good stir to combine.
Step 5 — Season and Simmer (25–30 minutes)
Add the bay leaf, oregano, basil, and black pepper. Stir well. Pop the lid on, reduce the heat to low, and leave it to simmer for 25–30 minutes. Check it halfway through — if it looks too thick, add a splash more water. If it looks too thin, leave the lid slightly ajar for the last 10 minutes.
Step 6 — Cook the Spaghetti (12 minutes)
About 12 minutes before you're ready to serve, bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add 75g spaghetti per person. Cook according to packet instructions — usually 10–12 minutes for al dente. Drain well, then toss with a tiny knob of butter. The butter stops the pasta sticking together and adds a lovely gloss.
Step 7 — Serve
Remove the bay leaf from the sauce — it's done its job and you don't want anyone biting into it. Plate the buttered spaghetti and spoon the bolognese over the top. That's it.
What If It Goes Wrong?
Sauce is too watery. Remove the lid and turn the heat up slightly. Let it bubble uncovered for 5–10 minutes — it'll reduce quickly. Don't panic, just give it time.
Sauce is too thick and sticking to the bottom. Add a splash of water or a bit more stock, stir well, and lower the heat. A thick sauce isn't ruined — just needs liquid and a stir.
Mince has gone into grey lumps rather than browning. This usually means the pan was too cool or too crowded. If it's already happened, just drain off any excess liquid, turn the heat up, and let it dry out and colour. It won't be quite as good but the sauce will hide it.
Pasta has gone soft and clumped together. This is the main pasta mistake. If it happens, toss it with a little butter or a splash of the pasta cooking water immediately after draining. Never rinse cooked pasta with cold water — it strips the starch that helps the sauce stick.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Skipping the vegetables. It's tempting to just do mince and tinned tomatoes — and you can, but the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic are what give bolognese its depth. They cost 27p combined. Don't skip them.
Not simmering long enough. Fifteen minutes produces a fine-tasting sauce. Twenty-five to thirty produces a proper one. The difference is noticeable. If you're making this for the first time, don't rush the simmer.
Forgetting to remove the bay leaf. It's a small thing but bay leaves are unpleasant to bite into and can be a choking hazard for young children. Always fish it out before serving.
Cooking the pasta too early. Start the spaghetti about 12 minutes before you want to serve. Pasta that sits around after draining goes sticky fast, even with butter.
Storage and Freezing
The bolognese sauce keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed container. Reheat in a pan with a splash of water, stirring regularly, until piping hot throughout.
It also freezes brilliantly. Portion it into freezer bags or containers, label with the date, and it'll keep for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge or use the defrost setting on your microwave. Only freeze the sauce — cook fresh spaghetti when you're ready to eat it.
This is why making a double batch (600g mince, double everything else) makes sense if you have the time. You'd be cooking for about the same effort and setting yourself up with 6 servings at well under £1.70 each.
About the Author
Vinod Pandey researches and documents budget recipes from real UK home cooks. Every recipe on Baking on Budget is sourced from verified UK cooking sources, with ingredient costs checked against current Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl pricing. No guesswork — exact pence, every time.
Questions or corrections? Get in touch · LinkedIn
If you enjoyed this, the homemade tiramisu at 58p per serving makes a brilliant dessert to follow this — especially if you want a full Italian-themed meal for under £2.30 a head. And if you're after another budget main, the stottie cake recipe pairs well with a simple bolognese for a packed lunch the next day.
FAQ
Can I make this without red wine?
Yes, absolutely. The wine adds a slight fruitiness but the recipe works perfectly without it — and saves you 56p per batch, bringing each serving down to £1.45. If you want to add a bit of depth without the wine, a small splash of Worcester sauce (a few drops) does a similar job for almost nothing.
Can I use turkey or pork mince instead of beef?
Turkey mince works well and is often cheaper — Aldi turkey mince regularly comes in under £2 for 500g. The sauce will be slightly lighter in flavour, so the herbs and stock become more important. Pork mince is also good and gives a slightly richer result. Either works in this recipe at the same quantities.
How long should I simmer the sauce for?
Minimum 25 minutes, up to 40 if you have time. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavour gets and the better the sauce clings to the pasta. If you're in a rush, 20 minutes is acceptable — just keep the lid on so it doesn't dry out too fast.
How do I know when the sauce is the right consistency?
It should coat the back of a spoon without running off immediately. If you drag a finger across a spoon dipped in the sauce, the line should stay clean. Too thin — simmer uncovered for a few more minutes. Too thick — add a splash of water and stir.
Can children eat this?
Yes, with two adjustments: skip the wine entirely, and go easy on the black pepper for younger children. Remove the bay leaf before serving — it's not suitable for young children to bite into. Otherwise this is a solid family meal.
Bolognese is one of those recipes where the ingredients cost almost nothing but the result tastes like you've made an effort. At £1.69 a serving with the wine or £1.45 without it, this is one of the best-value meals you can make in a British kitchen. Make a double batch on Sunday and you'll be set for the week.
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