Bolognese Sauce

After years of testing and refining this classic Italian sauces in my kitchen, I’ve perfected my Bolognese to reach the perfect balance between rich meatiness, bright tomato flavor, and velvety texture. This recipe is a family favorite because the simple addition of milk at the end creates an incredibly tender texture that sets it apart.

What is Bolognese Sauce?

Simply put, Bolognese is an Italian meat sauce often served with thick, flat pasta like fettuccine. Many people also know it as “ragù” or “ragù Bolognese.” 

This sauce originated in the Bologna region of Italy and over time, as it became popular in other parts of the world, it became more known as Bolognese sauce. The Bolognese Sauce we are more familiar with has a thicker tomato base than the original ragù but is still packed with meats, traditional vegetables, and milk. 

Bolognese is not a quick sauce you can whip up on a Monday night, it does demand a couple of hours of slow cooking to be the best. Even though it will take a while to cook, I guarantee that every minute of effort put into the sauce is worth it. It will become your favorite way to eat pasta after the first bite.

Key Ingredients In Bolognese Sauce

Meats – after testing this recipe many times, I find that the combination of ground beef and ground pork is the best. Use ground beef that has a little fat content, like the 85/15 meat to fat ratio. I do not drain off the liquid as the meat cooks because that liquid has so much flavor! Don’t waste it! Incorporate it into the sauce.

Vegetables – Bolognese sauce starts with what’s called “soffritto,” which is a trio of onions, celery, and carrots that is at the base of many sauces and soups.   

Tomatoes – modern Bolognese sauce has a heavy base of tomatoes and tomato paste. Use both crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to give a deep tomato flavor, acidity, and some sweetness. 

Wine – To compliment the beef and bring richness to the sauce, I prefer to use red wine in this sauce. White wine can easily be substituted as well and to be honest, the flavor difference is so fine, many people won’t even notice the substitution. 

Milk – I recommend using milk over cream because it is not added to make the sauce creamy but rather give it a different texture and help tenderize the meat. 

Herbs – Classic Italian cuisine herbs and aromatics include garlic, oregano, parsley, and some fresh basil to finish the sauce. 

Gluten free notes: my Bolognese sauce recipe should be completely gluten free. As always, double check all the packaging of the products you are using. You can serve it with gluten free pasta, zucchini noodles, sauteed vegetables, or spaghetti squash. 

What Pasta is Best to Serve with Bolognese Sauce?

Traditionally, this sauce is served with thick, flat pasta like fettuccine or tagliatelle. Of course, you can choose your own pasta based on personal favorites and what your kids will agree to try. I’ve made Bolognese sauce with rotini on many occasions because I like the way the twisted pasta catches the meat sauce so well. 

Try this meat sauce over tortellini, and ravioli for the extra cheesy bite. It would also be fantastic over gnocchi.

For healthier options, serve Bolognese sauce with zucchini noodles or spaghetti squash.

How To Make Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce is made through a combination of sauteing, sweating, and stewing and it will take a time to cook. I recommend using a Dutch oven for better and even cooking.

1. Start by sauteing onions, carrots, and celery until it’s soft and add the meats. Break down all the clumps as meat cooks. Once meat is mostly browned, add red wine and let it simmer for a few minutes. 
2. Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper to the meat and mix it all well. Bring it to a simmer and lower the heat to low. Close the lid but leave a small crack for the steam to escape. Let is stew for about an hour. Remember to stir from time to time and scrape the bottom.
3. After an hour, add milk and basil, close the lid and cook for another 45 minutes to an hour. Don’t rush this sauce! It’s all about giving it time for the flavors to develop and meat to be tender.

Storing and Freezing Suggestions

Store sauce in a glass jar (or two jars) with an air-tight lid, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. It’s better to divide the sauce among two jars so that the same jar is not opened several times for different recipes.

Expert Tip: Food spoils faster when bacteria is introduced. To lower chances of bacteria getting in, do not put spoons or anything else in when getting sauce out, but pour some sauce out of the jar instead. Keep the lid on and open the jar as little as possible.

Freezing Instructions:

• For a longer shelf life and to prevent bacteria, it is best to cool the sauce quickly before freezing; an effective method is to place the pot in a larger container of ice.
• Portion cooled sauce into several freezer bags or freezer containers. Get all the air out and close completely. Label the bag or the container with date and name. Freeze them laying flat so they are easy to stack once frozen. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
• Thaw slowly, in the refrigerator, overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Expert Tips and Variations

Don’t Rush the Simmer: The key to a deep, rich flavor is a low and slow simmer. Don’t be tempted to turn up the heat; a gentle bubble is all you need.

Choosing Your Wine: A dry red wine like a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon is classic, don’t use sweet wines!

Omitting wine: while it will affect the flavor slightly, you can omit the red wine and use bone beef broth instead.

Adding parmesan: if you want to incorporate cheese flavor right into the sauce, you can add an about 1-inch parmesan cheese rind to the sauce while it’s cooking. Just discard it after the sauce is done.

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Some More Comforting Italian Recipes To Try

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Italian Meatballs

Lasagna Recipe

Chicken Parmesan

Baked Ziti

If you love classic Italian Sauces, try my Alfredo sauce, classic spaghetti sauce, or vodka Sauce.

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in May 2019.