A Nutritionist’s Blood-Sugar-Balancing “Lazy Bolognese”

Mia Rigden, MS, CNS, is a board-certified nutritionist and health coach. Her new group coaching program, Beyond the Plate, begins in January. She publishes a Sunday meal prep series every week over on Substack, where you’ll find recipes like this one.

Cooking is an excellent hobby, but it’s not the same as putting dinner on the table. You can be a great cook and still, sometimes, cheat on your culinary ambitions with a jar of pasta sauce. There’s a time and place for a homemade sauce that simmered all day, and sometimes Wednesday night is not that time or place.

I call this recipe “lazy” Bolognese because it calls for little more than ground beef and pasta sauce—it’s certainly not a real Bolognese. I went to a traditional French culinary school where we had to turn potatoes into tiny little matching footballs and I can just see Chef Henri giving me a side-eye right now. But I’ve got two kids and I run a business, so if an easy recipe keeps me away from a midweek takeout night, I consider that a big win.

And: While I love to cut corners in the kitchen, I am serious about nutrition. Despite being a pasta, this is a great blood-sugar-balancing dish—it’s high in protein and fiber, with just enough carbs to feel hearty and indulgent without spiking your blood sugar. I am using legume pasta, which adds even more protein and fiber, but notice the ratio here: It’s about one part pasta to four parts sauce. We’ve also got some vibrant fresh greens and a side of veg to make this a complete (and realistic) meal for a busy weeknight.

It also makes great leftovers; just like a sauce that simmered all day, this, too, tastes better the next day. And perhaps the most annoying part of this meal is that my husband and kids unequivocally prefer it over any of my more “Instagram-friendly” dishes—the ones that make it look like I can do it all. Sometimes simple is just better.

So with this in mind, here’s the easiest recipe you’ll ever make.