Bolognese Sauce
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Simmer your way to a rich and savory Bolognese sauce. Teeming with fresh veggies, succulent meat, and robust flavors, this Italian classic is perfect for cozy family meals.
Bolognese, or ragù alla bolognese, is a slow-cooked Italian meat sauce that hails from Bologna. It’s a Sunday night staple in my household, perfect for those big family suppers. As it simmers on the stove and its incredible aroma fills the house, it’s only a matter of time before everyone starts asking, “When’s dinner?”
Unlike standard meat sauces, which heavily rely on tomatoes, Bolognese sauce achieves its depth of flavor and richness through the addition of pancetta, lots of veggies, broth, wine, and a touch of milk. While bolognese is typically served over pasta like tagliatelle or fettuccine, it’s equally delicious layered into a lasagna. For an extra special touch, consider picking up some fresh pasta from the refrigerated section of your supermarket—it’s an easy way to take this dish up a notch.
Table of Contents
“My whole family loves this sauce. It’s rich and full of flavor and so easy for weekday or weekend.”
What You’ll Need To Make Bolognese Sauce
- Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic: These aromatic vegetables form the flavor base of the sauce, providing depth and sweetness.
- Ground Beef: Serves as the main protein component, adding richness and texture to the sauce.
- Pancetta: Enhances the meaty flavor of the sauce with its salty and savory profile. It’s essentially Italian bacon, cured with salt and spices, and then dried (unlike American bacon, which is smoked). You can find it in the deli section of most supermarkets or conveniently pre-cut and packaged in the refrigerated gourmet foods aisle, which is a great time saver.
- Red Wine: Adds acidity and complexity to the sauce. See the FAQs below for my recommendations on the best wine to use.
- Beef Broth: Provides additional meaty flavor and richness, while also adding moisture.
- Canned Crushed Tomatoes: Forms the tomato base of the sauce, contributing sweetness and tanginess; it also thickens the sauce.
- Whole Milk: Balances the acidity of the tomatoes and wine, adding creaminess and richness.
- Pasta: Serves as the base for serving the Bolognese sauce. Fresh pasta from the refrigerated case in the supermarket is especially delicious—and it cooks faster than dried pasta.
- Oregano and Basil: Herbs that add aromatic freshness to the sauce.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
To make things easier, I use a food processor to finely chop the vegetables. If you don’t have one, chopping by hand works too. If using your food processor, place the onions in the bowl fitted with metal blade.
Pulse until very finely chopped but not puréed.
Transfer the onions to a bowl, then add carrots and celery to the food processor.
Pulse until finely chopped.
Heat the olive oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat, and add the onion and vegetable mixture.
Cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 8 minutes. Lower the heat if vegetables start to brown.
Add the ground beef, pancetta, salt and pepper.
Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add red wine and cook until liquid is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the broth, crushed tomatoes and oregano.
Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Stir in the milk.
Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until milk is absorbed, about 35 minutes. If the sauce looks greasy, use a soup spoon to skim the fat off of the top. Cover to keep warm while you make the pasta.
Cook pasta according to package instructions.
Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water little by little if the pasta seems dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using. Pass the grated Parmigiano Reggiano at the table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, Bolognese sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Let it cool to room temperature and store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop before serving.
Yes, Bolognese sauce freezes exceptionally well. Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers or freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw the sauce in the refrigerator overnight and reheat gently on the stove, adding a little water or broth if necessary to adjust the consistency.
A dry red wine is ideal for Bolognese sauce. Traditional choices include Italian varieties such as Chianti, Barolo, or Sangiovese; these wines not only enhance the sauce but also complement the finished dish when served alongside it. However, any good-quality dry red wine you enjoy, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon, can also be used. Just avoid using cooking wine, as it contains salt and additives that can affect the flavor of your sauce.
The classic pasta choice is tagliatelle, a wide, flat egg noodle that holds the sauce well. Other traditional options include pappardelle and fettuccine, but any pasta shape will work!
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Bolognese Sauce
Simmer your way to a rich and savory Bolognese sauce. Teeming with fresh veggies, succulent meat, and robust flavors, this Italian classic is perfect for cozy family meals.
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
- 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 3 cloves garlic, very roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1⅓ pounds ground beef (85% lean)
- 4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes (about 1¾ cups)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pound pasta, for serving
- Handful chopped fresh basil or parsley, for serving (optional)
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Place the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until very finely chopped but not puréed. Transfer the onions to a separate bowl, then add the carrots, celery, and garlic to the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
- Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and vegetable mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the vegetables start to brown.
- Add the ground beef, pancetta, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the wine and cook until it is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the broth, crushed tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- Add the milk to the sauce and stir to combine. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until the milk is absorbed and the meat is tender, about 35 minutes. If the sauce looks greasy, use a soup spoon to skim the fat off of the top. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm while you make the pasta.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before straining, ladle out 1 cup of the pasta water into a bowl or measuring cup and set aside. Drain the pasta, then add to the sauce. Toss with tongs, adding the reserved pasta water little by little if the pasta seems dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using. Pass the grated Parmigiano Reggiano at the table.
- Note: I like the Buitoni brand of fresh pasta sold in the refrigerator case at most supermarkets for this recipe. It cooks quickly and tastes great. (But don't worry if you can't find it; any pasta will work well.)
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Let it cool to room temperature and then store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop before serving.
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.
Pair with
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (6 servings)
- Calories: 717
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated fat: 10 g
- Carbohydrates: 71 g
- Sugar: 10 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 36 g
- Sodium: 910 mg
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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This Pasta Bolognese was wonderful! It earned rave reviews from my family, and my nephew Benjamin LOVED it and was thankful for the leftovers! The sauce was hearty and very flavorful, and I love that the onion/celery/carrot mixture was put through the food processor – I have a hubby who doesn’t like onion and celery in chunks, so the finer texture made the sauce more palatable for him. This sauce is best served over a hearty pasta. Loved!
This recipe is easy to make. Flavorful and on constant demand in our house. We always make a double batch and freeze it for the next round. This is the ONLY recipe you need for a delicious home made bolognese.
This is the best pasta sauce I have ever made. Everyone in my family loved it.
I recommend this website to everyone because I like how detailed the recipes are and how it explains why the recipe works. I learn something new every time I try a new recipe.
We love this recipe. Can’t stop eating it. All Jenn’s recipes are fantastic. Would love to make this recipe in the blue Le Creuset pan. Hope to win it.
YAAAAS! Just make it.
Only sub I made was a green pepper for the celery because I didn’t have it and it was perfect!
Love from Italia!
My office mate made this last night (homemade noodles, too) and it is by far and away the very best Bolognese sauce I’ve had! Absolutely rich, with great depth of flavor, it’s the kind of dish I could just keep on eating it! My office mate said it was a time-consuming recipe, but worth every minute.
Another A+ recipe! I decided to make this for dinner last night and didn’t read ahead and got to the part that said simmer for 1.5 hours and quickly realized it would be the next day’s lunch since I had started too late in the evening. I heated it up the next day and it was delicious. The entire family loved it and seriously felt like something I’d order in a restaurant…but better. Love your detailed instructions. Definitely needed to skim about 1/4 cup of fat off the sauce towards the end otherwise it would have been too oily. I’m working my way through your site and building my recipe box. Thank you for your collection of tested recipes that I know I can trust to be awesome every time!
Hello Jenn,
I love your recipes!!!
I have seen you using a food processor in your videos and in the pictures for your recipes. Could you please let me know the name and model of it. Also would there be another model (that would work just a well) that would be smaller (I have a small kitchen) and possibly more budget friendly, but work just as well to get the chopping jobs done in a jiffy.
Thank you so much for your help!
Hi Holly, So glad you like the recipes! Though it is a bit of an investment, I highly recommend this one from Cuisinart. It has a 14-cup capacity, which I think is ideal, but you could get away with an 11-cup bowl if need be (I wouldn’t go any smaller). Hope that helps!
Winner! My family loved this. Followed the ingredients except did not need the pasta water.
When you say 2 medium onions can you tell me how many cups is it?
I really don’t know what I’d do without your recipes. You’ve made me a good cook!
When is your new cookbook coming out?
So glad your family loved it, Edythe! 2 medium onions will yield about 2 cups diced onions. Hope that helps — and my new book is coming out in October 2021. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
I love your recipes! If I want to double this recipe do I DOUBLE the milk? I read past reviews and people were inquiring.
Thank you for helping so many cooks out there!
Edie
Hi Edythe, If you double the recipe, I would double everything. Hope that helps!