Tomato Free Barbecue Sauce Beef Bolognese (gluten free, dairy free, soy free)
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Homemade tomato free barbecue sauce makes this easy beef bolognese a hit and perfect as a quick 30-minute weeknight meal!
Jessica:
Recipe type: Main
Serves: serves 6
Ingredients
  • BBQ Sauce Ingredients:
  • ⅓ cup coconut oil (or avocado, grape seed oil)
  • 1 large yellow onion, sweet or regular, diced (about 2 cups)
  • 6 cloves peeled garlic, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • ½ cup white vinegar
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • ½ cup honey, or maple syrup
  • 1 cup blackstrap molasses
  • ¾ cup yellow mustard (check if GF)
  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup coconut amino (see note)
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Beef Bolognese:
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 3 pounds ground beef (preferably organic, grass-fed)
  • 2 large onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
  • 1 teaspoons crushed black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 cups Barbecue sauce (recipe above)
  • Pasta:
  • 2 boxes gluten free pasta shells (or penne, spirals, elbow pasta, I use Andean Dream quinoa pasta)
  • 1½ tablespoons kosher salt
Preparation
  1. For the barbecue sauce:
  2. Heat oil in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Add diced onions, stir occasionally and cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Then add garlic and brown sugar, cook another minute. Add all the remaining ingredients. Bring to a rolling boil for 3-5 minutes, then lower to a simmer, uncovered, for 25 minutes. Carefully puree using a hand-held immersion blender or transfer into a blender to make smooth. It should be thick, yet pourable, like barbecue sauce. Set aside 2 cups for the bolognese. Store remaining sauce in a sealed jar. When it has cooled to warm, store in the refrigerator. Will remain fresh for 2 weeks.
  3. Note: If coconut amino is hard to find locally, try online on Amazon. The barbecue sauce is still tasty without it, but the coconut amino adds a smoky, salty flavor similar to Worcestershire sauce that rounds it out to a more authentic-tasting barbecue sauce.
  4. For the pasta:
  5. Set a large pot with water on high heat for the pasta. When it reaches a rolling boil, add kosher salt and pasta shells. Cook for 5-8 minutes, or until al dente (firm to the tooth). Drain and set aside.
  6. For the beef bolognese:
  7. Meanwhile, add coconut oil to a large sauté pan (large enough to hold the finished pasta) set on medium-high heat. When melted, add onions, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes, until soft and translucent. Add ground beef, breaking apart any large clumps of meat to bite size. Immediately add kosher salt, Italian seasoning, black pepper, and garlic powder, mix to combine well. When meat has cooked through (about 8 minutes), add barbecue sauce and give it a final stir. Add drained pasta, stir to combine. Serve immediately.
Recipe by From Jessica's Kitchen at http://fromjessicaskitchen.com/tomato-free-barbecue-sauce-beef-bolognese-aka-pasta-with-bbq-sauce/