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    Culinary Lion » Recipes » Low Carb Bolognese Sauce w/ Palmini Noodles

    Low Carb Bolognese Sauce w/ Palmini Noodles

    by Frank Campanella Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Bolognese sauce recipe keto friendly with palming pasta noodles

    Bolognese Sauce is my favorite lazy day recipe, This Low Carb Version requires minimal preparation even though it spends hours on the stove. As the tomatoes and meat slowly simmer the flavors meld and intensify creating a “gravy” any Italian grandmother would approve of.

    Since we are cutting carbs we will use Hearts of Palm Noodles or Spaghetti Squash to absorb this amazing Italian comfort food!!

    Table of Contents

    • Bolognese Brings me Back to my Childhood.
    • A Brief history Of Bolognese Sauce
    • What to serve Bolognese sauce with.
    • Preparing with a Hearts of a Palm (Palmini Noodles)
    • Preparing with Spaghetti Squash 
    • Tips for Preparing Bolognese Sauce.
    • More Low Carb Recipes for pasta cravings
    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    Bolognese Brings me Back to my Childhood.

    Growing up in the DC area in an Italian family Sunday dinner was an all day affair. We would show up to my grandparents house and the sweet  perfume of garlic would smack you in the face like a familiar friend. My grandfather would wake up early Sunday to throw veal, beef and pork shanks into a giant pot with an obscene amount of olive oil to sauté along with carrots, onions and celery. By the time we arrived the sauce already had a 4-5 hour head start with hours of simmering still to go.

    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    This recipe is a piece of cake compared to the Ragu my grandfather would make but it still has the same familiar flavors that I grew up with.  One day I will put together a recipe for my grandfather's Gravy but for now this recipe will have to tide you over.

    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    A Brief history Of Bolognese Sauce

    Bolognese sauce originated in Bologna Italy in the early 18th century. The sauce was originally known as ragu alla Bolognese. Bolognese Ragu has many similarities to its European French counterpart Ragout, a stew of veggies and meats reduced down. The rich tomato based meat sauce most commonly contains the trinity (carrots, onions and celery) along with a combination of beef and pork. Tomatoes and white wine round out the sauce and balance the richness. Some versions of this classic Italian sauce are finished with milk and Parmesan cheese.

    Low Carb Bolognese Sauce simmering in a dutch oven
    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    What to serve Bolognese sauce with.

    Classically Bolognese is served over a broad noodle like Tagliatelle, Parpadelle or Fettuccine. There is also a version of Lasagna Bolognese with layers of the meat sauce, ricotta and noodles. Since this is a low carb version I chose to use Palmini Noodles made from hearts of Palm. I also made a version using spaghetti squash.

    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    Preparing with a Hearts of a Palm (Palmini Noodles)

    To prepare the Hearts of Palm I remove them from the can and rinse thoroughly for a minute under cold water. Then I sauté in a pan along with salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil. I then scoop out a small amount of the bolognese sauce and incorporate it with the palmini noodles. After plating the hearts of Palm noodles I then ladle a big scoop of the Bolognese over the top then garnish with a Pecorino Romano cheese and parsley or scallions.

    Dutch oven with Low carb Bolognese Sauce
    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    Preparing with Spaghetti Squash 

    To prepare with spaghetti squash split the squash in half and remove the seeds and any stringy stuff inside. Drizzle olive oil in the cavity then season with salt and pepper. Place the spaghetti squash flesh side down and bake at 400 degrees F.  For about 30-40 minutes. You’ll know the spaghetti squash is done if you can press down on the top outer skin and it feels tender. Turn the squash back onto it’s skin and use a fork to fluff out the spaghetti strands in the squash. Top with a big ladle of Bolognese sauce, Pecorino Romano and parsley.

    spaghetti squash topped with low carb Bolognese sauce

    Dutch oven with Low carb Bolognese Sauce

    Tips for Preparing Bolognese Sauce.

    Take your time, there’s no rush on this sauce. It only gets better with time. If the sauce seems to watery after 3 hours then just keep simmering. The Bolognese will tell you when it’s done. If you think it’s too thick you can just stir in a little extra beef broth l.

    Don’t let the sauce come to a boil. You can simmer this sauce but never bring the sauce to a rolling boil or you run the risk of burning the sauce giving it a bitter taste. If the sauce is getting too hot simply turn off the heat and put a lid on it. Walk away for 30 minutes. Then remove the lid and begin stirring over low heat. You can repeat this process over and over.

    spaghetti squash topped with low carb Bolognese sauce

    More Low Carb Recipes for pasta cravings

    • Keto Spaghetti Casserole with Palmini Noodles
    • Low Carb Grilled Spaghetti Squash Rings
    • Keto Air Fryer Delicata Squash Boats
    • Keto Cold Sesame Noodles w/ Hearts of Palm Noodles

    Palmini pasta noodles topped with Bolognese sauce

    Low Carb Bolognese Sauce

    Culinary Lion
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 4 hours hrs
    Course Main Course, Meal Prep
    Cuisine Dinner, Italian
    Servings 16
    Calories 279 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 lbs Ground Beef
    • 8 oz Ground Italian Sausage
    • 28 oz San Marzano Tomatoes
    • 6 oz Tomato Paste
    • 12 oz Beef Stock
    • 6 oz White Wine
    • 1 head Garlic
    • ½ cup Diced Onions
    • ⅓ cup Diced Celery
    • ¼ cup Diced Carrots
    • ½ cup Heavy Cream
    • ¼ cup Olive Oil
    • ¼ cup Grated Parmesan
    • 2 tbsp Italian Seasoning
    • 2 tsp Real Salt
    • 1 tbsp Black Pepper

    Instructions
     

    • in a large pot saute diced carrots, onions and celery on medium low heat with olive oil until veggies have softened and lightly caramelized. About 15 minutes
    • add garlic, black pepper, italian seasoning and salt. Add in ground beef and sausage, break up into small pieces and saute until fully cooked. About 15 minutes.
    • Next, add tomato paste to the mixture. Cook for another 3-5 minutes. pour white wine into the tomato paste can and stir to get any leftover tomato paste out and pour into the pot. Repeat 2x with beef broth for a total of 18 oz of wine and beef broth.
    • pour san marzano tomatoes into a bowl and crush by hand then add to the pot.
    • Continue to simmer the sauce over low heat stirring occationally making sure that the sauce never boils. If the sauce starts to bubble simply remove from the heat and place the lid on top and wait 30 minutes. Then remove lid and place back on the burner over low heat and continue to stir.
    • After about 3 hours the sauce wil have a rich bright color and a thickness smalar to a chili. Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Serve over Hearts of Palm Pasta or Spaghetti Squash.

    Notes

    Serving size ¾ Cup

    Nutrition

    Serving: 6ozCalories: 279kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 14gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 1278mgPotassium: 492mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 659IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword Bolognese, Hearts of Palm, Palmini Noodles
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Nutrition Facts
    Low Carb Bolognese Sauce
    Amount Per Serving (6 oz)
    Calories 279 Calories from Fat 198
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 22g34%
    Saturated Fat 8g50%
    Cholesterol 58mg19%
    Sodium 1278mg56%
    Potassium 492mg14%
    Carbohydrates 6g2%
    Fiber 2g8%
    Sugar 3g3%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 659IU13%
    Vitamin C 8mg10%
    Calcium 75mg8%
    Iron 3mg17%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    This Recipe contains Affiliate Links, I make a small income from any items purchased, Thank you!!

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    Frank

    Hey Everyone, My name is Frank Campanella. I've spent the last 20 years as a chef in restaurants throughout the mid Atlantic cooking everything from seafood and steak to classic pub grub. Now I'm taking all thoses recipes and giving them a low carb/ Keto facelift. I hope you love flavorful delicious food because that is the only recipe you will find here. Thanks for stopping by and don't forget to sign up for the mailing list so you can get all the latest recipes.

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