A chorizo twist on your classic bolognese with the sweetness of apricots and the smokiness of turmeric pasta. A quick and easy, irresistibly flavourful and comforting dish, this Apricot and Chorizo Bolognese with Turmeric Pasta is perfect for week nights and cold weather!
Happy New Year everyone!
As the first post of year 2016, I decided to share with you guys one of my tried and tested, incredibly flavourful, quick and easy recipes that’s perfect for weeknight meals. If you like pasta bolognese (which is basically everyone I guess), then you’re absolutely going to LOVE this. This Apricot and Chorizo Bolognese with Homemade Turmeric Pasta is a more flavourful twist on your classic beef bolognese and will soon become a staple in your kitchen, I’m sure of it! Juicy and sweet dried apricots with hearty chorizo bolognese is as delicious as a pasta sauce can get. You can substitute homemade pasta with store-bought of course, and then toss it with some turmeric and olive oil.
[bctt tweet=”Make this Apricot & Chorizo Bolognese with Turmeric Pasta TONIGHT! #Recipe #Comfortfood”]
I have made this many times and this is probably my favourite version. It’s dairy-free as well, but you’re more than welcome to grate some Parmesan cheese on top if you like. It’s quick and easy, and is the perfect comfort food for cold weather. It’s drier than traditional bolognese, but has more flavor thanks to the chorizo sausage mince.
I have previously shared recipes for naturally coloured pasta and brown butter pasta (AMAZING!), so making pasta at home is something I have loved doing long before I even owned a pasta machine. The first time can be a little time consuming but once you get the hang of it, it becomes addictive and you’ll soon be experimenting with different pasta flavours, like this gorgeous Turmeric Pasta. And of course if you have a pasta machine to do the rolling for you, it’s going to be that much easier and I’d definitely recommend homemade pasta. Mr K and I definitely prefer it over store-bought, although we do still keep a packet of dry spaghetti at home for an emergency. 🙂

This apricot and chorizo bolognese is surprisingly easy. You’ll need good quality Mexican chorizo, dried apricots, cayenne pepper, garlic and onion. And with a beautifully poached egg on top, you can create something so amazing that can rival any fancy pasta dish that you’ve ever had!
Looking for more recipes?Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week! Find me sharing more inspiration on Pinterest and Instagram.
Ingredients:
Apricot and Chorizo Bolognese
- 9 oz Mexican Chorizo meat uncooked sausage meat
- 2.5 oz dried apricots diced into small pieces
- 1 - 2 tsp chilli flakes/crushed red pepper optional
- 3 cloves of garlic minced
- ½ heaped tsp dried oregano
- ¼ onion chopped finely
- Salt if needed
Turmeric Pasta
- Follow this recipe to make Turmeric Pasta from scratch OR
- 4 oz dry spaghetti or fettuccine
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric + another generous pinch of ground turmeric
- Olive oil
- Water and salt to cook per package instructions
Instructions:
Apricot and Chorizo Bolognese
- Heat a little oil in a non-stick pan (about 1 tsp, just to avoid the onion and garlic from sticking to the pan).
- Add the chopped onions and garlic and saute for a few minutes till the onions soften.
- Add the chorizo meat, apricots, and chilli flakes and saute until the meat has cooked. If it gets too dry, add a little water.
- Add the dry oregano and cook for a few more minutes. Add salt to taste.
- Serve with pasta and a poached egg on top (optional) with parsley and extra oregano sprinkled on top as well.
Turmeric Pasta
- Follow this recipe to make Turmeric Pasta from scratch (recipe is for 4 servings), OR
- cook dry pasta according to package instructions, but add the turmeric to the water as it boils, before you add the pasta.
- When the pasta is cooked, drain and toss it with some olive oil and a generous pinch of turmeric.
- Serve with apricot and chorizo bolognese.
“This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.”
If you’re a regular on my blog, you’d know that I’m obsessed with the combination of spicy, sweet and savoury and this one ticked all the boxes. Little pockets of dried apricots within the chorizo bolognese add juicy sweetness that perfectly complements the savoury flavour profile of the pasta sauce. If you can’t get your hands on apricots, you can substitute them with raisins, though I personally prefer apricots more.
Turmeric is a spice that I’m very familiar with thanks to my Asian roots. It’s what gives a lot of those yellow curries their characteristic colour. It’s a mild spice with a bitter taste but a dash of it brings any curry to life. And a teaspoon of it gave this dish a brilliantly earthy, almost smoky flavour. Turmeric pasta acts as a wonderful base for the complex flavours of the chorizo bolognese as well. You can find out all about how to make homemade turmeric pasta right here.
If you liked this recipe don’t forget to subscribe for new (and free) recipes by entering your email address below or on the side bar (and get all these recipes delivered straight to your inbox), so you don’t miss out on a thing. You can find me on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST and GOOGLE-PLUS too.
Ramona W says
Wow Dini! You are an impressive cook! Not only did you make a stunning sweet and spicy bolognese you made your own gorgeous turmeric pasta!! Brilliant use of turmeric by the way~~ Amazing job!!
Valentina says
What a stunning recipe! Just as delicious as it is beautiful, I’m sure.
Jenni says
What an awesome favor combination!! This looks so amazing!!
Kathrina says
Everything about this is just so incredibly fabulous. I was intrigued when I thought about the combination of apricots and chorizo, but I was completely sold when I saw the photo with that glorious egg perched on top. Must try!
Derek says
What a super cool combo of flavors. Very unique. Can’t wait to try!
Kevin | Keviniscooking says
This is a beauty Dini, really. Love your take on sweet and savory – I think we think alike!
Cassandrea at chewsandbrews.ca says
Wow! The flavour combo here is incredible! And your photography is stunning! I will have to try this recipe!
Shiho says
Interesting combination of flavours I have never tried. Looks delicious and I have been craving for pasta dish. I will try this one. Thank you for sharing.
Cindy (Vegetarian Mamma) says
This looks amazing! Your pictures are so beautiful! Its like I am right there in the kitchen with you!