The protein cooking time listed in this recipe has been updated.
As of December 2025, we’ve revised cooking times for all our proteins to reflect improved food safety guidance.
Check out the latest recommended times in our Cooking Guidelines.
Harissa-spiced Beef Bolognese with Brown Rice Casarecce & Rocket
Give your bolognese a Middle Eastern-style twist, simmering juicy British beef in a fiery and aromatic sauce, infused with warm harissa and fragrant cumin. Brown rice casarecce soak up all that flavour. Serve alongside a vibrant rocket salad for a hit of green. The best part? This rich bolognese comes together in the slow cooker, making it ideal for busy weeknights. But don't worry, if you don't want to slow cook, you can still cook this recipe on the hob in under 30 mins.
Prep in 10
High protein
6 plants
Slow Cooker
Serving size
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp harissa paste (Water, Rapeseed Oil, Diced Red Pepper, Red Pepper, Paprika Flakes, Garlic, Salt, Rose Petals, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, Black Pepper, Paprika Oleoresin, Crushed Chilies, Natural Flavouring Smoke, Oregano, Citric Acid, Parsley)
- 2 tsp pumpkin seeds
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (red wine vinegar (100%))
- 40g rocket
- 120g brown rice casarecce pasta (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 10g vegetable stock powder (Chicory Extract, Salt, Yeast Extracts, Onion Powder, Carrot Extract, Tomato Powder, Rapeseed Oil, Natural Flavouring.)
- 200g passata (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp chilli flakes
- 1 onion
- 280g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 1 carrot
Nutritional Information
Calories: 686
Protein: 39g
Carbs: 66g
Fat: 29g
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp harissa paste (use half) (Water, Rapeseed Oil, Diced Red Pepper, Red Pepper, Paprika Flakes, Garlic, Salt, Rose Petals, Ground Cumin, Ground Coriander, Black Pepper, Paprika Oleoresin, Crushed Chilies, Natural Flavouring Smoke, Oregano, Citric Acid, Parsley)
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar (use half) (red wine vinegar (100%))
- 10g vegetable stock powder (use half) (Chicory Extract, Salt, Yeast Extracts, Onion Powder, Carrot Extract, Tomato Powder, Rapeseed Oil, Natural Flavouring.)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (use half)
- 1 onion (use half)
- 2 tsp pumpkin seeds (use half)
- 200g passata (use half) (tomatoes, salt, citric acid)
- 120g brown rice casarecce pasta (use half) (Soya) (Brown rice flour 100%)
- 0.5 tsp chilli flakes (use half)
- 140g beef mince (british beef mince (10% fat))
- 1 carrot (use half)
- 40g rocket (use half)
Nutritional Information
Calories: 674
Protein: 38g
Carbs: 66g
Fat: 29g
Harissa-spiced Beef Bolognese with Brown Rice Casarecce & Rocket
Give your bolognese a Middle Eastern-style twist, simmering juicy British beef in a fiery and aromatic sauce, infused with warm harissa and fragrant cumin. Brown rice casarecce soak up all that flavour. Serve alongside a vibrant rocket salad for a hit of green. The best part? This rich bolognese comes together in the slow cooker, making it ideal for busy weeknights. But don't worry, if you don't want to slow cook, you can still cook this recipe on the hob in under 30 mins.
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Cooking Instructions
Before you start
- Pull out a large lidded frying pan, a medium saucepan, a slow cooker (if using), a medium bowl, a measuring jug & a sieve
Get started
- Finely dice the onion. Dice the carrot into 1cm chunks (peel optional)
- Heat the large frying pan with 1 tsp oil on medium-high heat. Once hot, add the beef, carrot and onion. Cook for 5 mins, breaking up the beef with a wooden spoon, until golden brown. Season with salt and pepper
Time to slow cook
- Add the chilli flakes (for those who'd like more heat), cumin and harissa (add less for less heat) to the pan, and cook for 2 mins, then stir in the passata, stock powder and 50ml water (25ml for 1 person). Bring to the boil, then transfer to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-5 hours
- If using the hob, pop a lid on the pan and simmer for 18-20 mins
Finishing touches
- When the bolognese has 10 mins remaining, bring the medium saucepan filled with salted hot water to a boil. Add the casarecce and boil for 8-9 mins, until cooked, then drain
- To the medium bowl, add the rocket, vinegar and 1 tsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat
Plate up
- Add the cooked pasta to the bolognese and stir to combine. Taste and season if needed
- Share the pasta between bowls, with the rocket salad alongside. Scatter over the pumpkin seeds to finish
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