Traditional Bolognese Sauce

4.69 from 19 votes

Traditional Bolognese Sauce is meat sauce made with finely chopped vegetables, tomatoes, white wine, milk, and spices, and left to simmer for maximum tenderness! Serve this over pasta noodles or vegetables for the perfect cozy meal.

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Italian

Keyword bolognese sauce, meat sauce

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2 30

Total Time 2 45

Servings (one-cup servings)

Calories 513kcal

Author Sue Ringsdorf

Ingredients

For the meat, veggies, and seasonings:

4 oz. pancetta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 cup onions - minced
1 cup carrots - minced
1 cup celery - minced
3 cloves garlic - minced
1 pound ground beef - 85% lean
1 pound Italian sausage
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Other:

1 cup white wine - something you would drink
1 cup 2% milk - or heavy cream
28 oz. crushed tomatoes
3 Tablespoons tomato paste
1-2 cups broth - or water
3 whole bay leaves
fresh basil or cilantro - to serve
grated parmesan cheese - to serve
pasta noodles (I used fettuccini noodles) or spaghetti squash - your choice

Instructions

In a large stock pot, heat to medium high heat, and add diced pancetta. Cook until crispy, approximately five minutes. Remove pancetta to a plate.
4 oz. pancetta
In same pot, heat olive oil and add onions, carrots, and celery, and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until slightly softened. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
1 Tablespoon olive oil, 1 cup onions, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery, 3 cloves garlic
Then add ground beef, Italian sausage, and seasonings (Italian Seasoning, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper) and cook until browned, stirring frequently. Add pancetta back to the pan.
1 pound ground beef, 1 pound Italian sausage, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning, 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
When meat is browned, drain some of the grease off. Then add white wine, and simmer until the wine is absorbed. Add milk, and simmer again until reduced, approximately 30-45 minutes.
1 cup white wine, 1 cup 2% milk
Add crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and water (or broth). Add bay leaves. Simmer until reduced, approximately 30 minutes.
28 oz. crushed tomatoes, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1-2 cups broth, 3 whole bay leaves
Simmer on low for another 1-2 hours. You can also transfer to a slow cooker, and let it cook on low all day long. This will make the sauce more tender and more delicious.
Serve over pasta (or any vegetable of your choice). Garnish with basil or cilantro, and parmesan cheese.
pasta noodles (I used fettuccini noodles) or spaghetti squash, grated parmesan cheese, fresh basil or cilantro

Video

Notes

The sauce is complete in around two hours, unless you choose to simmer it for longer. You could add additional water, if the sauce becomes too thick.
You could make the bolognese sauce one day, store it in the refrigerator overnight, and then pour it into a crockpot to cook all day on low. You would need to add some extra water in this case.
The wine and milk are key to giving this sauce that extra flavor. Don't skip it. However, if you are opposed to cooking with wine, you could use chicken broth in it's place.
This sauce freezes well.

Nutrition