Eat Healthy AF
How it worksSign in

Dish guides · Western

Is beef bolognese healthy?

Beef bolognese costs about $4.80 a serving to make at home at typical US grocery prices. For lower LDL cholesterol, steadier blood sugar, weight loss and more protein, go easy on ground beef, bacon and pasta.
We've cooked it 2 times in our own kitchen this year.

By health goal

Lower LDL cholesterol
With a swap
Go easy on ground beef and bacon. Carrots help. Swapping ground beef for ground turkey keeps the dish and makes it better for lower LDL cholesterol.
Steadier blood sugar
With a swap
Go easy on pasta. Swapping pasta for whole wheat pasta keeps the dish and makes it better for steadier blood sugar.
Lower blood pressure
Watch the salt
Go easy on bacon: it's salty. Most of the salt in dishes like this comes from the sauce, so go light on soy sauce or use a low-sodium one.
Weight loss
With a swap
Go easy on bacon and pasta. Carrots, celery and mushroom help. Swapping bacon for mushroom keeps the dish and makes it better for weight loss.
More protein
With a swap
Go easy on bacon. Swapping bacon for mushroom keeps the dish and makes it better for more protein.

For LDL cholesterol, with sources

1 of 5
LDL habits in this dish
✓
Soluble fiber (oats, barley, beans, eggplant, okra, fruit)
Fish, ideally oily (salmon, mackerel, sardines)
Soy or beans in place of some meat
Nuts, seeds, olive oil or avocado
Little fatty meat, cream, butter or cheese
Helps your LDL
carrots
Fruit and vegetable fiber.
Mayo Clinic
Go easy
ground beef
Red and processed meat: saturated fat raises LDL.
American Heart Association
bacon
Red and processed meat: saturated fat raises LDL.
American Heart Association
One swap each, same dish
ground beef to half ground turkey, or half lentils
Same texture in sauces and fillings, much less saturated fat
bacon to shiitake or a little smoked paprika
Keeps the smoky savory note without the saturated fat

What goes in (per portion)

ground beef
¼ lb
bacon
0 lb
pasta
¼ lb
canned tomatoes
¼ can
carrots
½
celery
¼ bunch
yellow onion
¼
mushroom
¼ lb
red wine
¼ cup
We usually serve it with broccoli.

Questions

Is beef bolognese healthy?

Beef bolognese costs about $4.80 a serving to make at home at typical US grocery prices. For lower LDL cholesterol, steadier blood sugar, weight loss and more protein, go easy on ground beef, bacon and pasta.

Is beef bolognese good for high cholesterol?

With a swap. Go easy on ground beef and bacon. Carrots help. Swapping ground beef for ground turkey keeps the dish and makes it better for lower LDL cholesterol.

Is beef bolognese OK for blood sugar or diabetes?

With a swap. Go easy on pasta. Swapping pasta for whole wheat pasta keeps the dish and makes it better for steadier blood sugar.

Is beef bolognese OK for high blood pressure?

Go easy on bacon: it's salty. Most of the salt in dishes like this comes from the sauce, so go light on soy sauce or use a low-sodium one.

Is beef bolognese good for weight loss?

With a swap. Go easy on bacon and pasta. Carrots, celery and mushroom help. Swapping bacon for mushroom keeps the dish and makes it better for weight loss.

Is beef bolognese high in protein?

With a swap. Go easy on bacon. Swapping bacon for mushroom keeps the dish and makes it better for more protein.

How much does beef bolognese cost to make at home?

About $4.80 a serving, or $19.20 for four servings, at typical US grocery prices, with pantry staples like soy sauce and oil counted at $0.40 a serving.

How can I make beef bolognese healthier?

Swap ground beef for ground turkey, bacon for mushroom and pasta for whole wheat pasta. Each swap keeps the dish recognizable.

Plan a week of dishes like this

Eat Healthy AF plans your week of Asian home cooking around your health goal, with one shopping list and the cost of each meal. Free for 7 days.
Check your own recipe
How it works

More dish guides

Is lemon chicken healthy?
Is chickpea pasta healthy?
Is roasted vegetables healthy?
Is broccoli pasta healthy?
Is mussel pasta healthy?
Is pesto pasta healthy?
General nutrition information, not medical advice, based on each dish's main ingredients as we cook it; sauces and salt vary by recipe. Prices are typical US grocery prices and vary by store.
Eat Healthy AF (AF as in Asian Food) is general nutrition information, not medical advice. It doesn't diagnose or treat anything. Keep your doctor in the loop, and don't change any medication without them.
How it worksDish guidesPrivacyTerms