Hong Kong Baked Spaghetti Bolognese Cafe Style
Hong Kong Baked Spaghetti Bolognese 焗肉醬意粉粉 turns Italian comfort food into something sweeter and more nostalgic. This cheese baked spaghetti 30 minutes recipe delivers authentic cha chaan teng flavours without the all-day cooking. The Instant Pot does the heavy lifting while your oven creates that irresistible golden cheese crust.
- Prep time
- 10 min
- Cook time
- 25 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 1 lbs Ground Beef
- 300g Spaghetti Pasta
- 2 tbsp Parmesan Cheese or Mixed Cheese such as cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese for the layer of cheese
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt
- 1 tsp Ground White Pepper
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 1 Can (400g) Fresh Tomatoes or Canned Crush Tomatoes
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion or White Onion, minced
- 2 Medium Carrot, finely diced
- 2 Celery, finely diced
- 4 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 C Chicken Stock
- 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
- 1 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing Wine (Chinese Cooking Wine)
- 2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1 tbsp Oyster Sauce
- 2 tbsp Dark Soy Sauce or Light soy sauce
- 2 Dried Bay Leaves
- Kosher Salt to taste
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil or Olive Oil
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, mix the marinade ingredients together.
- 2
Marinade the ground meat and the seasoning mixture in a large bowl for at least 20 minutes.
- 3
Add vegetable oil to the Instant Pot and set to "Saute" mode. This would be equivalent to medium high heat on the stovetop.
- 4
Once the oil is hot, add in minced garlic. Let fragrant for 2-3 minutes.
- 5
Add marinated ground beef to the Instant Pot to brown the meat. Use a spatula to spread the meat around the bottom of the pan.
- 6
Beat the meat into smaller chunks. Leave a few bigger pieces for a meatier bolognese sauce.
- 7
Add the rest of the bolognese sauce ingredients such as crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, mirepoix (diced onions, carrots, and celery), Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, dark soy sauce, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. Mix well.
- 8
Add a cup of water or chicken stock to deglaze the pan.
- 9
Close the lid, set the pressure cooker to high pressure for 20 minutes, and let it naturally release pressure. If you are in a hurry, you can opt for a quick release.
- 10
After the pressure valve drops, remove the lid.
- 11
Taste the sauce and adjust with salt and black pepper if desired.
- 12
Remove bay leaves and discard.
- 13
Pro Tip: Select "Saute" mode to thicken the sauce and add a little cornstarch slurry. Mix well until the sauce reduces to your desired consistency!
- 14
Preheat your oven to 400F.
- 15
Cook spaghetti al dente in a pot of salted water per packaged instructions. Strain out water with a colander.
- 16
Add cooked spaghetti to a large mixing bowl, add a few spoonfuls of the bolognese sauce, and mix well.
- 17
Add the mixed spaghetti to a large ovenproof dish. Top with spaghetti bolognese sauce and mixed cheese and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- 18
Bake the HK-style spaghetti bolognese for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- 19
Serve and enjoy!