The Best Homemade Bolognese
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
40 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
8 servings
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Course
Main Course
The Best Homemade Bolognese
Description
This Bolognese starts by sautéing diced onion, carrot, and celery in butter until tender, then adding ground beef, ground pork, and diced pancetta cooked until browned. Tomato paste, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg, and cinnamon are stirred in to develop aromatic depth. Red wine is added and reduced to concentrate flavor, followed by milk to soften acidity and add richness. Crushed tomatoes are incorporated and the sauce is simmered covered, allowing the flavors to meld and thicken over about 20 minutes.
The sauce is finished with fresh parsley and adjusted seasoning, then served immediately over cooked pappardelle pasta. The blend of meats and spices creates a layered, savory profile, with the milky step adding smoothness balancing the tomato acidity.
This sauce can be frozen in individual portions once cooled, flattened for quicker freezing, and reheated gently after thawing, allowing convenient make-ahead and storage options without loss of flavor or texture.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 onion diced, medium sweet
- 1 carrot peeled and diced
- 1 celery diced, rib
- ¾ pound ground beef
- ¾ pound ground pork
- 4 ounces pancetta diced
- salt to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, Kosher salt and freshly ground
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano dried
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cups red wine dry
- 1 cup milk whole
- 1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons parsley chopped fresh leaves
- 1 pound pappardelle pasta
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add ground beef, ground pork, pancetta, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until browned, about 5-8 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef and pork as it cooks; drain excess fat.
- Stir in tomato paste, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, nutmeg and cinnamon until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Stir in wine, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until reduced, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until thickened and flavors have blended, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in parsley; season with salt and pepper, to taste.*
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well.
- Serve immediately with bolognese sauce.
Notes
- Freeze individual portions after cooling by flattening in freezer bags for quicker freezing and easier storage.
- Thaw frozen Bolognese overnight in the refrigerator before reheating over low heat, stirring occasionally.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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