Lamb Bolognese
User Reviews
4.7
Lamb Bolognese
Description
This Lamb Bolognese recipe uses finely minced yellow onion, garlic, carrot, and anchovies blended into a puree, which softens during initial sautéing and infuses the sauce with subtle umami notes. Ground lamb is browned until cooked through and combined with crushed red pepper and tomato paste for spice and richness. Red wine and canned crushed tomatoes add acidity and body, balanced with a pinch of sugar to offset the tomato's tartness.
Butter enriches the sauce, and it simmers allowing flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken. The texture is hearty and somewhat chunky, with tender bits of lamb and softened vegetables. The anchovies dissolve during cooking, enhancing savory depth without a fishy taste. This sauce pairs well with various pasta types and is garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves to add sharpness and freshness.
Serve Lamb Bolognese over your choice of pasta for a satisfying main course, particularly suited for cooler weather or when a richer, meaty sauce is desired. The recipe notes include recommended cookware and utensils to aid preparation.
Ingredients
- 1 yellow onion peeled and minced
- 6 garlic peeled and minced, cloves
- 2 carrot peeled and minced
- 2 anchovy minced, filets
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 pound lamb ground
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- Pinch sugar
- 3/4 cup red wine
- 1 (24-ounce) crushed tomatoes canned
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 pound pasta of choice
- Parmesan Cheese as garnish, reggiano
- basil as garnish, leaves
Instructions
To Make the Lamb Bolognese:
- I like to mince everything up in a food processor. If you don’t have one, mince the onion, garlic cloves and carrots by hand—no biggie!
- Add the onion, garlic cloves, carrots and anchovies to a food processor. Blitz until pureed.
- In a large Dutch oven or medium pot set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is warm, add the onion/carrot mixture. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and allow to cook until softened, about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring it every so often.
- Then add the ground lamb, breaking it up with your spatula. Mix everything together and cook until the meat has browned, about 5 minutes. Pour in the crushed red pepper and tomato paste and mix; add in the pinch of sugar and red wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to lift up any bits.
- Pour in the can of crushed tomatoes. And then fill the can about halfway up with water, swishing it around to pick up any leftover tomato and pour into the pot. Give it a good mix, bring it to a simmer and then immediately drop the heat to low. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook at a gentle simmer for 1 hour.
- It’ll be super fragrant and delicious at that point. Give it a taste and adjust the salt according to your liking. I added a few more pinches.
- To neutralize the acid, I like to add a few tablespoons of butter. This is totally optional. You can also add a tablespoon of sour cream or creme fraiche, if you have it. Or you could skip this part all together.
To Assemble:
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in your pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup of pasta water. In the same pot that you cooked the pasta, add a few ladles of the sauce and add the drained pasta. Toss it in the sauce until it’s covered. If needed, add a splash or two of pasta water.
- Divide the pasta amongst bowls. Top it with a ladle of the bolognese and top with fresh basil (if you have it) and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.
To Store the Bolognese:
- This makes delicious leftovers. Bring the entire bolognese to room temperature and then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days OR you can freeze it for up to 3 months. To thaw, transfer to the fridge overnight and then warm up in a sauté pan or in the microwave.
Notes
- A food processor can be used to mince onion, garlic, carrot, and anchovies into a puree but finely chopping by hand works as well.
- A 5-quart Dutch oven or medium pot is ideal for cooking the sauce thoroughly and evenly.
- Use a silicone spatula for breaking up ground lamb and mixing ingredients.
- The sauce benefits from slow simmering to develop depth; taste and adjust salt as needed.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 278 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 4g | |
| Calories | 278kcal | 14% |
| Carbohydrates | 48g | 16% |
| Protein | 8g | 16% |
| Fat | 4g | 6% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Cholesterol | 8mg | 3% |
| Sodium | 520mg | 22% |
| Potassium | 316mg | 7% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 2797IU | 56% |
| Vitamin C | 4mg | 4% |
| Calcium | 30mg | 3% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
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