Classic Bolognese Sauce

Classic Bolognese sauce is a classic Italian sauce that is known for its rich and flavorful taste. This slowly cooked meat and tomato sauce is perfect for lunch or dinner, and is a comforting dish that is loved by many. One of the things that makes Bolognese sauce so special is the fact that it is not a quick recipe. In fact, the secret to this delightful sauce is the fact that it needs to be cooked for about 2 hours to reach its fullest richness and intense flavor.

The recipe for Bolognese sauce typically involves cooking ground meat, such as beef or pork, in a mixture of diced vegetables, including onions, carrots, and celery. Brown the meat until fully cooked, then add the vegetables along with canned tomatoes, tomato paste, and a mix of herbs and spices. Leave the sauce to simmer for a couple of hours, allowing the flavors to meld together and become more intense.

One of the unique features of Bolognese sauce is that it is usually served with tagliatelle or fettuccine, rather than spaghetti. These long, flat pasta noodles are the perfect accompaniment to the rich and hearty Bolognese sauce, providing a perfect balance of flavors and textures.

If you haven’t tried Bolognese sauce before, you are in for a real treat. The combination of slow-cooked meat and vegetables with tangy tomatoes and fragrant herbs and spices is truly delicious. While it may take a bit longer to prepare than other pasta sauces, the end result is well worth the effort.

How to make Classic Bolognese Sauce

To start, heat up some oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add in some diced onion, garlic, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables have softened, stirring constantly.

Next, add in some diced pancetta. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so until the pancetta is crispy and browned. Then, add in some ground meat, breaking up any lumps with a spoon, and cook until the meat changes color.

Now add in some red wine and cook for a few minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off. Then, add in some milk, tomato puree, beef broth or vegetable stock, oregano, salt, and pepper, and bring everything to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and let the sauce simmer for 2-2.5 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. This slow simmering allows the flavors to develop and intensify, resulting in a rich and delicious sauce.

This sauce is perfect for a cozy and comforting dinner at home, and it’s sure to become a family favorite.

So why not give Bolognese sauce a try for your next lunch or dinner? Your family and friends will thank you for it, and you’ll enjoy a delicious and satisfying meal that is sure to become a new favorite. If you do, don’t forget to share the photos with me on Instagram. Would love to see how this turns out for you. Enjoy!

Other similar recipes you may like to try

Try our Lasagna recipe for a delicious hearty meal perfect for lunch or dinner. You can use chicken or beef or a mixture of beef and pork. For a vegetarian lasagna you can easily replace the meat with mushrooms.

This Spaghetti with Baked Meatballs recipe is a flavorful comforting dish easy to prepare, perfect for lunch or dinner. The meatballs are baked until cooked through. Then they areadded to a delicious slow cooked marinara sauce that goes on top of al-dente spaghetti. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and you have one amazing meal that all families will enjoy.

These Chicken and Bean Enchiladas are another dish we recommend that is really flavorful, healthy and make a perfect lunch or dinner.

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Penne with Mushroom Bolognese
Spaghetti Carbonara

Classic Bolognese Sauce

5 from 2 votes

Bolognese Sauce is an Italian slowly cooked delicious meat and tomato sauce that is very flavorful, very rich and makes a comforting dish perfect for lunch or dinner. It is not a quick recipe, the secret of this delightful sauce consists in even the fact that it needs to be cooked for about 2 hours to reach to its fullest richness and intense flavor.

Servings 4 servings

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Total Time 3 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

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Ingredients

  

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• 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
• 1 onion , finely chopped
• 1 large carrot , finely chopped
• 2 celery sticks , finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic , minced
• 3.5 oz (100g) pancetta , diced
• 1/2 pound (250g) ground beef
• 1/2 pound (250g) ground pork
• 14 oz (400g) tomato puree
• 1 cup (240ml) milk
• 1/2 cup (120ml) beef broth or vegetable stock
• 1 tsp (1g) oregano
• 3/4 cup (200 ml) white wine
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Parmesan and fresh basil for serving

Instructions

 

• In a large pan heat oil over medium high heat. Cook the onion, garlic, carrot and celery over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened, stirring constantly.
• Add pancetta and cook for about 10 minutes more until pancetta gets crispy.
• Add ground meat and continue cooking until it changes its color. Break up any lumps of meat.
• Add wine and cook for 2 -3 minutes to reduce.
• Add milk, tomato puree, beef broth or vegetable stock, oregano, salt and pepper, and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat, cover and let it simmer for 2- 2.5 hours.
• Serve over cooked pasta with grated Parmesan and fresh basil leaves on top.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 serving out of 4Calories: 533kcalCarbohydrates: 18.6gProtein: 49.5gFat: 24.7gSaturated Fat: 7.3gCholesterol: 134mgSugar: 10.1g

Calories: 533kcal

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: classic bolognese sauce, Italian bolognese, ragu bolognese, traditional bolognese