Miso bolognese is an example of fusion cuisine done well, if I may say so. Miso is just another way of adding umami to the classic pasta sauce.
This recipe is gluten-free if you use suitable pasta. I used red miso paste but you can use any colour. I use Feather and Bone’s organic beef mince with organs for added nutrition but plain ground beef, pork, veal, turkey or a combination would work well.
You may serve this sauce with your favourite pasta (gluten-free such as this one or this one, or otherwise) or pasta substitute, such as zucchini “noodles” (zoodles), konjac noodles, steamed vegetables, etc.
Miso bolognese

Ingredients
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 kg beef mince (I used beef mince with organs)
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp minced garlic, minced
- 1 small leek, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1/4 cup red miso
- 750ml passata (tomato purée)
- 1 cup beef broth or stock
- 200g mushrooms
- 1 tsp salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 100g spinach or baby spinach leaves
To serve
- your favourite pasta or substitute
- grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
- Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add mince and brown. Reserve.
- Lower heat, add 1 tbsp oil to the pot along with onion, garlic, leek and carrot. Cook until soft (around 10 minutes), stirring often.
- Add mince, miso, passata, broth, mushrooms, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer covered for 20 minutes. Add spinach at the end of cooking.
- In the meantime, cook pasta or pasta substitute.
- Serve however you prefer (sauce mixed with pasta or over pasta) with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.
Ingredients – 100g spinach or baby spinach leaves
Directions – Nothing about the spinach
Hi Mike, thanks for the catch. I’ve updated the recipe. Cheers.