Spaghetti Bolognese—A Teen Cooking Adventure

A Foolproof Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe (Even If Your Stove Stops Working!) 🍝🔥

There’s something truly special about watching your kids take charge in the kitchen. Lately, my two have been cooking dinner once a week—one 13, one 16—working together, chatting away, music playing in the background. It’s been one of those unexpected joys of family life, seeing them laugh, problem-solve, and ultimately, feel so proud of serving up a homemade meal. 💛

The other night, it was Spaghetti Bolognese Night—a simple, foolproof classic. But, as with all family adventures, it didn’t go entirely to plan… 🚨

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👩‍🍳 The Great Spaghetti Bolognese Stove Crisis

They had everything prepped: onions chopped, garlic crushed, minced beef ready to go. And then… the stove decided not to cooperate. 😅

Cue panic, laughter, and a very creative solution—two camping gas stoves were brought in to save the day. One for the sauce, one for the pasta. There were strong debates over whether it would even work (“Mum, are you sure this is safe??”), but before long, they had the gas stoves fired up, a bubbling pot of tomato sauce on one, spaghetti softening on the other, and a whole new appreciation for outdoor survival skills. 🏕🔥

And honestly? They handled it like pros. 💪

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🍝 The Recipe: Easy Spaghetti Bolognese for Teens

Printable recipe available here!

Serves: 4

⏳ Cooking Time: ~30 minutes (or longer, if your stove gives up)

Ingredients

🛒 Pantry Staples:

✔ 400g minced beef

✔ 300g spaghetti

✔ 1 tin (400g) chopped tomatoes

✔ 1 carton (500g) passata

✔ 1 chopped onion

✔ 2 cloves garlic, chopped

✔ 1 tbsp tomato puree

✔ 1 tsp dried oregano

✔ 1 tbsp olive oil

✔ Salt & black pepper to taste

✔ ½ tsp sugar (optional, to balance acidity)

✔ Water (for boiling spaghetti)

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👩‍🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep & Heat the Pan

1️⃣ Place a large frying pan (or a camping stove, if necessary 🙃) on medium heat.

2️⃣ Add 1 tbsp oil and let it warm up.

Step 2: Cook the Onion & Garlic

1️⃣ Add the chopped onion and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2️⃣ Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.

Step 3: Make the Bolognese Sauce

1️⃣ Pour in the chopped tomatoes and passata.

2️⃣ Stir in the tomato puree, oregano, salt, pepper, and sugar.

3️⃣ Let it simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Cook the Spaghetti

1️⃣ Boil a large pot of water and add a pinch of salt.

2️⃣ Add the spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions (usually 8-10 minutes).

Step 5: Serve & Enjoy!

1️⃣ Drain the spaghetti and divide between four plates.

2️⃣ Spoon the Bolognese sauce over the top.

3️⃣ (Optional) Sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

4️⃣ Step back and admire your work—then enjoy! 😍

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💡 Lessons Learned from This Cooking Adventure

✔ Working together = teamwork & laughter. (“Why do you chop onions like that??” “Because Mum does it this way!”)

✔ Cooking is problem-solving. (Camping stove hack = a success!)

✔ Serving dinner to your parents? Priceless. 💛

The best part? They were SO proud of their work. Seeing their faces light up as they set the plates down on the table was everything. And honestly? It tasted even better because of the effort they put in.

Maybe next time, we’ll do something less adventurous. (Or maybe we should just check the stove beforehand!) 😂

Would love to know—do your teens cook? Let me know in the comments!

Chat soon

Ciara