'I made 15-minute spaghetti bolognese with odd ingredient that boosts flavour'

This quick and easy recipe was simple and extremely effective - enough to feed a family of four and tasty enough to keep them coming back for seconds

The ingredients used in a Quorn mince bolognese(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)

A huge fan of spaghetti bolognese, the Express ' Rebecca Koncienzcy tried out an unusual 15-minute version of the classic dish Here's how she got on...

While I can whip up my own version without needing a recipe, it would be remiss of me to turn down a specially delivered method. So when Quorn sent me their new recipe mince, I decided to try their 15-minute twist on spag bol.

The Quorn version includes many classic ingredients, though I might make a few tweaks. One ingredient that piqued my interest was two tablespoons of red pesto.

This is something I've never considered adding, but it seems logical to incorporate as much flavour as possible and treat it like tomato puree. I found that it did enhance the flavour and it's something I'll experiment with in future Quorn or mince bolognese dishes.

Preheat the oil over medium to high heat, add the onion and cook for two to three minutes, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cover and cook over medium/high heat, stirring often for two to three minutes.

Once the ingredients were prepped it was quick to cook(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)

Increase the heat, add the Quorn Mince, pesto, passata, vegetarian Worcestershire sauce, vegetable stock, tomato puree and oregano. Stir well, cover and cook for eight to 10 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the fresh spaghetti according to the packet instructions. Pour the Quorn bolognese sauce over the spaghetti, season to taste and top with the grated cheese.

If you exclude the preparation time, yes, this does take 15 minutes. It's also easy to follow - once you've sautéed the onions and mushrooms, it's simply a matter of tossing everything else into the pan and letting it simmer.

The sauce was easy to prepare (Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)

The dish was scrumptious and felt like a wholesome choice (464 calories per serving), brimming with vegetables and protein (22.8g per serving). The flavour infused into the sauce in just 15 minutes was impressive.

My teenage son didn't even notice it wasn't meat initially, while my extremely picky four-year-old asked for seconds - a rare occurrence. It claims to serve four, but I had enough leftovers for lunch the next day, which was ideal.

Apart from the addition of red pesto, it closely resembles my own bolognese, which I have also occasionally made with vegetarian alternatives like Quorn or lentils. However, if I were to make it again, there are three things I would alter.

This midweek dish was easy and quick to make on a chilly evening(Image: Rebecca Koncienzcy)

First, I would add a carrot and a stick of celery to my onion to enhance the flavour and increase the vegetable content, although this would extend the preparation time. I would also replace fresh garlic with the jarred version, simply because I prefer the convenience and find it easier to measure quantities.

Lastly, I would substitute the Worcestershire sauce with balsamic vinegar as I believe it adds a rich sweetness to any sauce. But overall, it's a fantastic staple dish to include in your metaphorical recipe book, whether you're a vegetarian or not.

For more Quorn recipes, visit their website.