Bolognese is an easy to prepare meat sauce, perfect for any type of pasta!
This spicy sauce contains ground beef, onion, and garlic, simmered until thick and rich.
This recipe freezes and reheats well, making it the perfect weeknight meal!
Bolognese differs from the typical spaghetti sauce with the addition of celery and carrot plus a little milk. While it may seem unusual, these ingredients add a distinct flavor, a bit of richness, and a bit of sweetness.
- Taste: This thick pasta sauce is spicy and full of flavor.
- Technique: Let the milk and wine simmer over a low heat until they almost evaporate. If you use a smaller pot, this may take longer.
- Preparation note: This recipe freezes well, so feel free to double it: cook once, eat twice!
- Budget Tip: You can use any ground meat for this recipe; buy what is on sale.
- Exchanges: I highly recommend wine in this recipe, but if you don’t have wine, beef broth is a suitable substitute.
- Serving Tips: This sauce is great on pasta—pappardelle it’s my favorite. You can also use it for homemade lasagna or baked ziti!
Advice on ingredients for Bolognese
- Vegetables: Onions, carrots and celery are known as mirepoix and add flavor to Bolognese. If you want other vegetables, chop them finely and add them.
- Meat: I use a combination of ground beef and pork because I love the flavor – feel free to use all meat if that’s what you have on hand. Ground veal or Italian sausage are also delicious additions.
- Tomatoes: Whole canned tomatoes have a denser consistency than diced tomatoes so I prefer them in this recipe. If possible, San Marzano tomatoes they are the best choice for flavor. You can use diced canned tomatoes or crushed tomatoes, but the texture may change slightly.
- Wine: Any dry red wine is great, but honestly any red will do. I usually use cabernet or merlot. The wine adds a lot of depth to this sauce so I highly recommend adding it.
- Milk: An unusual but traditional ingredient in an authentic Bolognese ragù.
How to prepare Bolognese sauce
This Bolognese sauce takes time to make but it’s really easy! Once the prep work is done, this recipe simmers until thickened.
- Cooking vegetables and meat: Brown the chopped vegetables and meat, then drain off any fat.
- Add Wine/Milk: Add the wine and let it evaporate. Then add the milk and cook that too.
- Simmer: Add the remaining ingredients (according to the recipe below) and simmer until thickened.
While the sauce boils, cook the pasta according to the directions. Add salt, pepper and parmesan, serve and enjoy your meal!
Serving Tips
I like to serve this bolognese on long pasta like pappardelle or noodles. Serve this dish with the side dishes you would add to the spaghetti and meatballs.
Save leftover Bolognese sauce
Bolognese is a great sauce to make ahead of time because, like the chili recipe, the flavors “meld and marry” and improve.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in a sealed container, leaving about an inch for expansion. A tightly sealed zippered freezer bag also works. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
- Heat on stovetop or in microwave, stirring occasionally until hot.
More Italian inspiration
Did you like this homemade Bolognese sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and comment below!
Homemade Bolognese ragù
Bolognese is a rich, meaty tomato sauce made with ground beef and pork. It’s simmered with a splash of wine and seasonings to create a restaurant-worthy pasta Bolognese at home!
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- In a large pot, cook the onion in the oil over medium heat until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrot, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef and pork. Break it up with a wooden spoon until all the pink remains. Drain the fat.
- Add the wine and simmer until it evaporates, about 10 minutes. Add the milk and simmer until evaporated, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, Italian seasoning and bay leaf. Break up the tomatoes with a spoon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta water and drain the pasta well.
- Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the pasta water to thin it out if necessary.
- Serve hot with parmesan.
Wine: When using wine in cooking, use the wine you would drink (not cooking wine).
Reserve some of the pasta water when draining the pasta. Not only can it be used to adjust the consistency of the sauce, but adding a little to the sauce also helps it stick to the pasta better. Be sure not to rinse the pasta after cooking.
For a thicker sauce, simmer a little longer. For a thinner sauce, add the pasta water.
- Fridge – Store in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
- Freezer – Store in an airtight container, leaving about an inch for expansion, or in a zippered freezer bag for 2 – 3 months.
To heat – Thaw in the refrigerator. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds, until thoroughly heated.
Calories: 359 | Carbohydrates: 14G | Protein: 26G | Fat: 18G | Saturated fat: 6G | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 929mg | Fiber: 3G | Sugar: 8G | Vitamin A: 2112UI | Vitamin C: 18mg | Soccer: 126mg | Iron: 4mg
The nutritional information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pasta, Sauce
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