Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Our family-favorite homemade Bolognese Sauce is filled with rich, savory ground beef and juicy crushed tomatoes. Serve it over pappardelle pasta or Homemade Pasta for the ultimate Italian comfort food! For the full batch of sauce, you will need 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of pasta. Bolognese Sauce keeps well in the freezer, so feel free to double the recipe and freeze leftovers.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, plus 2 Tbsp more to toss pasta
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion, from 1 medium onion
- 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and shredded
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef, 20% fat, or use a mixture of beef and pork
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- 1 cup dry white wine, or red wine
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups hot water, plus more as needed
- 2 Tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste, or 4 Tbsp regular tomato paste
- 1/4 cup parsley, finely chopped (or fresh basil), plus more to serve
- 1/2 cup whole milk
To Serve:
- pappardelle, or tagliatelle pasta, to serve
- Parmesan cheese, to serve
Instructions
- Sauté - In a 6-quart Dutch oven or pot over medium heat, add oil and butter. Add onion and stir until it is softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add celery and carrots and stir until golden, another 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
- Add ground beef, 1/2 tsp fine sea salt, and 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Cook the beef, breaking it up with a spatula until it’s browned and begins releasing fat and juices, about 5 minutes.
- Add white wine, turn up the heat, and continue stirring until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- Form the sauce - Add crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 cups hot water, tomato paste, and parsley, and stir to combine. Stir in the milk.
- Cook - Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer, partially cover, and continue cooking for at least 1 1/2 hours or preferably 2 hours or until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. Add more hot water, 1/2 cup at a time, only as needed to keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot. When the meat is tender and you’ve reached the consistency of sloppy joes, add more salt to taste and serve.
Notes
*Nutrition Facts are for the sauce only and do not include the pasta or parmesan cheese.
Substitutions:
- Meat - swap with 1/2 ground beef and 1/2 ground pork or Italian Sausage.
- Swap chicken, beef, or vegetable broth for the water, but also reduce the salt.
- Use dry red wine or beef stock instead of white wine
- Crush canned whole tomatoes (peeled) instead of using crushed tomatoes.
- Refrigerate in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
- Freeze in air-tight, freezer-safe containers or zip-top bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat in the microwave or on the stove until heated through.
Nutrition Facts
Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
287
% Daily Value*
Fat
19
g
29
%
Saturated Fat
7
g
44
%
Trans Fat
1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
8
g
Cholesterol
50
mg
17
%
Sodium
364
mg
16
%
Potassium
615
mg
18
%
Carbohydrates
14
g
5
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
8
g
9
%
Protein
13
g
26
%
Vitamin A
1822
IU
36
%
Vitamin C
16
mg
19
%
Calcium
84
mg
8
%
Iron
3
mg
17
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
