Authentic Bolognese Sauce
Authentic Bolognese sauce is a slow cooked ragù that builds flavor gradually as pancetta, beef and pork cook together with finely diced vegetables. Wine reduces into the base before milk and cream are added later to round out the sauce. The result is a thick meat ragù perfect tossed with wide pasta.
Servings: 6
Equipment
- Microplane or Cheese Grater
- Pot Large Heavy-Bottomed
Ingredients
- 4 Ounces pancetta finely diced
- 1 Pound ground beef
- ½ Pound Italian sausage or ground pork
- 1 Teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- ½ Teaspoon black pepper
- 1 Cup onion finely diced
- ½ Cup celery finely diced
- ½ Cup carrot finely diced
- 2 Cloves garlic finely minced
- 2 anchovy filets optional
- 1 Cup dry white wine
- 1 Cup beef broth
- 28 Ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Cup whole milk
- ½ Cup heavy cream
- ½ Cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- ⅛ Teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- ¼ Cup fresh basil finely chopped, optional
- ½ to 1 Cup reserved pasta water optional
To Serve
- pasta cooked pappardelle or tagliatelle
- Parmesan cheese freshly grated
Instructions
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
Cook the Meats
- Add the pancetta and cook slowly until the fat renders and the pancetta is lightly golden.
- Add the ground beef and Italian sausage.
- Season with salt and pepper and cook, gently breaking up the meat, until no longer pink and lightly browned.
Add the Veggies
- Add the onion, celery and carrot, and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add More Ingredients
- If using anchovies, add them now and stir until they dissolve into the sauce.
- Pour in the white wine and simmer until mostly evaporated, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the Bolognese Sauce
- Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered at a very gentle simmer for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the milk and continue cooking for 30 minutes, allowing it to absorb fully into the sauce.
- Add heavy cream, basil and nutmeg. Simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes, until thick, and rich.
- If needed, stir in a small amount of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce.
Season, Serve and Enjoy
- Remove bay leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Let the finished dish rest for 10 minutes before serving over hot, cooked pasta.
Notes
Dice small: Finely dice the veggies so they cook down into the sauce.
Keep the heat low: Cook pancetta slowly to render fat without browning too fast.
Let wine reduce fully: Allow the wine to cook down so no sharp alcohol taste remains.
Add milk before cream: Milk integrates into the meat mixture while cream enriches the finished sauce.
Use wide pasta: Wide noodles catch the thick ragù better than thin strands.
Keep the heat low: Cook pancetta slowly to render fat without browning too fast.
Let wine reduce fully: Allow the wine to cook down so no sharp alcohol taste remains.
Add milk before cream: Milk integrates into the meat mixture while cream enriches the finished sauce.
Use wide pasta: Wide noodles catch the thick ragù better than thin strands.
Nutrition
Calories: 624kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 19g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 18g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 129mg | Sodium: 1336mg | Potassium: 972mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 2591IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 254mg | Iron: 4mg
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