This authentic beef bolognese recipe makes the most delicious, flavorful, and comforting sauce. It’s so good, and you can toss it with your favorite pasta, like spaghetti for spaghetti bolognese or pappardelle (my favorite ribbony pasta). For this recipe, you’ll simmer the sauce for about 3 hours, a while, I know, but trust me, it’s worth it. The beef becomes so flavorful and tender. You really can’t beat it. For a quicker, weeknight-friendly meat sauce, see this weeknight spaghetti recipe.
Key Ingredients
Beef: I use ground beef with some fat left. Look for 85% to 90% lean beef. You can experiment with other ground meats, like pork or lamb, blend two together, like beef and pork, or just use pork. Aromatics: I use a base of finely minced onion, celery, and grated carrots (the Italians call this combo sofritto). By keeping them all small, they cook down and melt into the sauce. Milk: It may sound strange, but milk is a secret weapon in authentic bolognese. The lactic acid and calcium help tenderize the beef, while the milk itself balances the flavors of wine and tomatoes, creating a creamier, richer sauce. I use whole milk and do not recommend substituting it for plant-based milk. White Wine: Dry white wine adds a bright acidity and a lighter flavor than red wine. Look for an Italian white wine from the Emilia-Romagna region, where bolognese originated. If you can’t find one, try pinot grigio, pinot gris, or sauvignon blanc. For bolognese without wine, see my tips below the recipe. Tomatoes: For this recipe, I use canned whole tomatoes. I buy one large (28oz) can and then use what I need. You’ll have some leftovers, but you can always save them for another dish. Pasta: I love to use a flat, ribbon-like pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle. All the folds hold onto the bolognese sauce so nicely. It’s beautiful, too. We also love rigatoni. You can also make spaghetti bolognese and use spaghetti noodles.
How to Make Bolognese
Bolognese requires some patience. You won’t be hands-on the entire time, but you need to keep a watchful eye on the pot throughout the cooking process. You’ll start by cooking the aromatics with olive oil and butter until soft, then add the beef, salt, and some pepper. Cook the beef until it’s no longer pink, but don’t worry about browning the meat. This might seem counterintuitive, but you don’t need to caramelize the meat before adding other ingredients. So, when you add the ground beef, cook it until the red is gone, and then move on. It’s okay if the meat releases some moisture, too. The milk and nutmeg are next. Then, you’ll cook the milk and beef until the pot is almost dry. Next comes the white wine and, finally, the tomatoes. Cook the sauce at a very low simmer. By very low, I mean that the pot should barely be bubbling. We want the sauce to cook slowly. If the sauce looks a bit dry during the simmering process, don’t panic. Just add a splash of water and turn down the heat. This won’t dilute the flavor, I promise. I’ve done it many times myself, and it always turns out delicious! When it’s ready, toss with your favorite pasta and enjoy! For more Italian-inspired recipes, see our Italian meatballs, this authentic fettuccine Alfredo, or my favorite tiramisu! Use a flat, ribbon-like pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle. We love how all the folds hold onto the bolognese sauce. It’s beautiful, too. We also love rigatoni. You can also make spaghetti bolognese and use spaghetti noodles. 2 tablespoons butter 3/4 cup finely minced onion (4 ounces or 1/2 medium onion) 3/4 cup finely grated carrot (3 ounces or 2 small carrots) 3/4 cup finely minced celery (4 ounces or two stalks) 1 pound ground beef, 85% to 90% lean 1 cup whole milk 1/8 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg 3/4 cup (6 ounces) dry white wine, notes below 2 cups canned whole tomatoes Salt and fresh ground black pepper 1 pound tagliatelle or pappardelle, or try rigatoni 2Add the ground beef, one teaspoon of fine salt, and ¼ teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat into small chunks, and cook until the meat is no longer red, but before it begins to caramelize. The salt encourages the beef to release moisture, don’t be surprised if there is liquid in the bottom of the pot. 3Stir in the milk and the nutmeg. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring every so often, until the liquid evaporates, leaving a mostly dry pot, about 30 minutes. 4Stir the meat around the pot, and then pour in the wine. Simmer, stirring every so often, until the wine mostly bubbles away, 10 minutes. 5Meanwhile, prepare the tomatoes. We prefer canned whole tomatoes. Open the can, measure 2 cups of the whole tomatoes with juices, and then use a fork or your fingers to break the whole tomatoes into smaller pieces. Of course, they will cook down and break apart even more in the pot, but giving them a head start is a good idea. A 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes has about 3 cups, so you will have some tomato leftover. 6When the wine has simmered away, stir in the tomatoes. When the tomatoes begin to simmer, reduce the heat so it is barely simmering. We are looking for the occasional bubble popping at the surface. Cook uncovered at a very low simmer, stirring the sauce every 20 to 30 minutes for 3 hours. 7If the sauce looks dry, stir in ¼ to ½ cup water. I have done this 2 or 3 times during the cooking time before and it does not water down any flavor. As the sauce cooks, taste it every so often to see how it is progressing. I usually throw in a couple of extra pinches of salt. 8Toward the end of the cooking time, it is typical for the sauce to look separated (with fat on top). This is excellent and just what we are looking for. 9To serve the bolognese, toss it with cooked pasta, and then dust the top with fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.
