Best Bolognese Sauce Recipes

BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, warm oil over medium heat and saute bacon, onion and garlic until bacon is browned and crisp; set aside.
• In large saucepan, brown beef and pork. Drain off excess fat. Stir in bacon mixture, mushrooms, carrots, celery, tomatoes, tomato sauce, wine, stock, basil, oregano, salt and pepper to saucepan. Cover, reduce heat and simmer one hour, stirring occasionally.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• Serve sauce over hot pasta.

HOW TO MAKE BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Melt butter with olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; cook onion, celery, and carrot with pinch of salt until onion turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir ground beef into vegetables and cook, stirring constantly until meat is crumbly and no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Season meat mixture with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg.
• Pour milk into ground beef mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until most of the milk has evaporated and bottom of pan is still slightly saucy, about 5 minutes.
• Raise heat to medium high and pour white wine into ground beef mixture; cook and stir until white wine has mostly evaporated, about 5 more minutes.
• Pour tomatoes with juice into a large mixing bowl and crush them with your fingers until they resemble a slightly chunky sauce. Pour tomatoes into sauce; fill can with 2 cups water and add to sauce. Bring to a simmer.
• Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, until mixture cooks down into a thick sauce, at least 3 hours but preferably 4 to 6 hours. Skim fat from top of sauce if desired. If sauce is too thick or too hot on the bottom, add a little more water. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

BECHAMEL SAUCE FOR LASAGNA BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy-bottom, medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add flour, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking occasionally, 2 to 3 minutes; do not let roux brown.
• Whisking constantly, add about 2 tablespoons hot milk to saucepan.
• Pour half of the remaining hot milk into the saucepan in small increments, whisking the mixture constantly, until a smooth paste forms.
• Whisk remaining milk into pan; add nutmeg and salt. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, making sure to scrape bottom and sides, until sauce is thick and creamy, about 15 minutes; if any lumps form, stir sauce rapidly with a whisk. Season with pepper; remove from heat. Let sauce stand until lukewarm, about 30 minutes, before assembling lasagna.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until butter starts to sizzle, then reduce heat to medium. Add pancetta, and cook until golden and fat has rendered, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown around edges, about 10 minutes (adjust heat if mixture is browning too quickly).
• Add beef and pork and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and separating meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Once meat is completely browned, pour off any excess fat. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring to intensify sweetness.
• Pour in wine and cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot, until liquid has evaporated, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes (don't worry if it appears slightly curdled, it will smooth out again). Add thyme bundle and bay leaves, and then pour in tomatoes and 6 cups stock. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook, partially covered, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, skimming the fat from the surface with a ladle periodically. If at any time the sauce appears too dry, add up to 1 cup more stock as necessary. The finished sauce should have the consistency of a loose chili. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup milk and season with salt and pepper, as desired. If not serving immediately, let cool completely before transferring to airtight containers. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months; defrost in the refrigerator before using.

"REAL" ITALIAN BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a Dutch Oven or Medium Size Pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat until butter begins to froth.
• Add onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bacon.
• Cook until onions are translucent (about 8 to 10 minutes).
• Remove bacon and remove fat.
• Chop lean portions of bacon in small pieces and return to pot.
• Add Ground beef and ground Pork, and cook until meat loses red, raw color.
• Raise heat and add wine and consomme.
• Cook sauce until wine and consomme are mostly evaporated.
• Turn heat down to simmer and add oregano, salt, pepper, sage, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg.
• Let cook for approximately 20 minutes.
• Add crushed tomatoes and bring heat to a boil.
• Once the mixture comes to a boil, return to simmer.
• Let sauce simmer (very slowly) partially covered for about 2 to 4 hours (the longer the better), stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
• About 5 to 10 minutes before serving, add milk.
• Sauce can now be added to cooked Penne Pasta, Spaghetti or many other Pastas to your liking.
• Remaining sauce may be frozen for up to two months for future use.

CLASSIC BOLOGNESE MEAT SAUCE (BOLOGNAISE)

Steps:

• Put the oil, 3 tbsp butter and chopped onion in the pot, turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring the onion until it becomes translucent.
• Add the celery and carrot and stir for two minutes while cooking to coat them well.
• Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
• Cook the beef while crumbling it with a fork until the beef has lost its red colour.
• Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently until the milk has completely bubbled away.
• Add the nutmeg.
• Add the wine and let it simmer until it has evaporated.
• Add the tomatoes and stir well. When the tomatoes start to bubble turn the heat down so that it is just simmering with the occasional bubble breaking the surface.
• Cook uncovered for 3 hours, stirring from time to time. While it is cooking you will find the sauce dries out so continue to add a 1/2 cup of water when necessary to stop it sticking. However there should not be water left at the end of the 3 hours. The fat will separate from the sauce and this should happen.
• Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary and toss with the pasta and rest of butter. Serve with parmesan on the side.

NORTH ITALIAN MEAT SAUCE (RAGU BOLOGNESE)

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add pancetta, onion, carrot, and celery and cook, stirring often, for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a heavy large saucepan.
• In same skillet, heat olive oil. Cook ground beef and pork over medium heat, stirring to break up any lumps, until browned. Pour in the wine, increase the heat and boil briskly, stirring constantly, until almost all of the liquid has evaporated. Transfer ground meat mixture to the saucepan with the pancetta and vegetables. Set skillet aside.
• Stir the beef stock and tomato paste into the saucepan. Bring sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat in the original skillet. Add chicken livers and saute for 3 to 4 minutes, or until firm and lightly browned. Remove livers from skillet and dice. Set aside and add to sauce 10 minutes before it is done. A few minutes before serving, stir in the cream and let it heat through. Season sauce with nutmeg, salt, and pepper to taste.

SPAGHETTI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook the beef, carrot, celery, onion and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in spaghetti sauce and Italian seasoning; bring to a boil. Stir in cream and parsley. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes., Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions; drain. Add to sauce and toss. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE SAUCE (BEEF AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE)

Steps:

• Brown ground beef, season to taste with salt and pepper, drain and set aside.
• Cut link sausage up into meatball size pieces, brown, drain, and set aside. I use Thomasville Hot. If making sauce for lasagna, remove sausage from casings and brown with the ground beef.
• Sauté garlic, onion, and bell pepper in olive oil, just until the onions are translucent.
• Add meat, tomato sauce, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, herbs and spices, mushrooms, sugar, and wine. I use fresh mushrooms, and a red burgandy for a deeper earthy flavor. Omit mushrooms if making sauce for lasagna.
• Simmer on medium low for at least one hour, stirring occasionally.
• When ready to serve, mix corn starch with water and add to sauce, along with both cheeses to thicken.
• When cheese is incorporated, and sauce has thickened, serve over your choice of pasta or use as a meat filling for lasagna.

THE ACTUAL OLIVE GARDEN BOLOGNESE SAUCE RECIPE (SPAGHETTI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes.
• Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
• Deglaze pan with wine, let it reduce.
• Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir, simmer for about 1 hour.
• Serve over fresh, hot pasta.

PAPPARDELLE WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the ground meats, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook until thoroughly browned and crisp, about 12 minutes. Add more oil as needed if the meat is sticking to the pan.
• Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic and a heavy pinch of salt to the meat and continue cooking, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Whisk together the tomato paste and white wine in a small bowl. Add to the pot and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until the bottom of the pan is dry, about 8 minutes.
• Tie the thyme and sage together with some twine to form a bundle and add to the pan. Stir in the chicken stock and season with salt. (Taste to check the seasoning.) Bring the sauce to a simmer. Reduce the heat to maintain a low simmer. Cover and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While the sauce simmers, make the pappardelle: Divide the Fresh Pasta dough in half, working with one half at a time and keeping the other half wrapped. Set up a pasta roller attachment on a stand mixer (or secure a hand roller to the side of your work surface) and set it on the widest setting. Lightly dust a baking sheet and work surface with semolina and roll out your dough with a rolling pin until it is thin enough to pass through the pasta roller. Turn on the pasta roller and pass the dough through once, then fold in half, dust with semolina, and put through the roller again. (Keep dusting lightly with semolina flour as needed if the dough seems sticky or damp.) After the second pass through the roller, fold the dough into thirds (like a letter) and roll out one side slightly with a rolling pin so it is thin enough to pass through the machine. Pass through the machine, fold in half again, and pass through one more time. Go to the next setting and pass the dough through twice without folding. Go to third setting and pass through twice. Repeat with the fourth and fifth settings, passing the dough through twice on each.
• Coat the rolled dough with semolina and cut the long sheet of pasta into 10- to 12-inch pieces (you should have three). Stack them on top of each other, sprinkling semolina flour between each sheet. Once all the pieces are stacked, fold the stack in half, then fold in half again. Cut the dough crosswise into strips that are 3/4 to 1 inch wide. Unfold and separate the noodles and place on the prepared baking sheet, making sure they are coated with semolina. (If not cooking right away, make 3 small nests, put in resealable plastic bags and freeze until ready to cook.) Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining pasta dough.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rapid boil.
• When the sauce is thick and the flavors are well developed, remove the herb bundle. Stir in the cream and set aside until ready to serve.
• Drop 3 servings of pasta (half the full amount of noodles) into the boiling water and stir immediately. Leave the pasta to cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer about 1 1/2 cups sauce to a large skillet over medium heat. Once the noodles are done, use tongs to transfer them to the pan. Allow some of the pasta water to get in the pan to help thicken the sauce. Toss well and add more sauce if necessary; simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Finish with grated Parmesan and toss again. Divide among 3 bowls and serve with more Parmesan. Repeat with the remaining pappardelle and sauce (you will have some sauce left over).
• Mound the flour in the center of a clean countertop or cutting board. Make a well in the center of the flour 3 to 4 inches wide.
• Crack the eggs into the well and add a pinch of salt. Using a fork, break the yolks and begin to beat the eggs as you would if making scrambled eggs.
• Continue stirring the eggs with a fork in large circles, slowly incorporating the flour. When the eggs form a thick mass and become difficult to stir, about 3 minutes, fold the loose flour from the edges into the pile with a bench scraper and knead until a smooth dough forms. Discard any excess flour.
• Shape the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 20 minutes before rolling. If waiting more than 1 hour, refrigerate or freeze the dough. The dough will keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.

BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook onions, celery, carrot, and garlic in oil in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add pancetta, veal, and pork and cook over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up lumps, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in tomato paste, milk, wine, water, and thyme and gently simmer, covered, until sauce is thickened, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper and remove from heat.
• Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and cooled, uncovered, before chilling, covered. Frozen, it keeps for 1 month.

OLD SCHOOL LASAGNA WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Tomato Sauce:
• In a medium pot, heat the olive oil and add the onions and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. When it turns light brown, add the thyme, bay leaf and tomatoes. Simmer for 20 minutes, then taste for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper, if desired. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaves. Stir in the basil leaves and shut off the heat to allow the sauce to "rest."
• Pasta: Bring the water to a boil over medium heat. Add the salt and the lasagna sheets. Cook for 4 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water. The pasta should still be very firm to the touch. Separate the sheets carefully so they don't stick together.
• Divide the tomato sauce in half and reserve half for the Bolognese and half for the lasagna.
• Assemble the lasagna:
• Spoon a thin layer of the sauce in the bottom of the baking pan. Arrange a layer of pasta sheets over the sauce. Sprinkle some of the mozzarella and Parmesan over the pasta and another thin layer of sauce. Repeat the layering process 2 more times. It is important there be remaining cheese and sauce for the top. Cook's Note: I love to get a corner piece from the pan and pick at the crispy edges of the top layer. When you finish, there should be 4 layers of pasta and 5 layers of filling.
• Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and put it in the center of the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Raise the temperature of the oven to 450 degrees F and remove the aluminum foil. Bake until the top browns slightly, about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes or so before serving.
• Make the Bolognese while the lasagna is baking:
• In a large wide pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Add the ground beef and cook until brown, about 4 to 5 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up the pieces. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside. Set the pot back over the heat and add a little more olive oil. Add carrots, onion and celery. Cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the beef back to the pot, then add the reserved 1/2 recipe of tomato sauce. Cover slightly and simmer for 20 minutes.
• When done, finish with milk, taste, season and serve, spooned over the lasagna.

CLASSIC ITALIAN BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 3 quart saucepan heat oil and butter. Add pancetta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until most of the fat has be rendered. Then add carrots, celery, and onions and saute for 3 minutes. Now add the beef, salt and pepper to taste and cook until the beef is no longer pink. Add the milk and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the milk is completely evaporated. Add wine and simmer until evaporated.
• Finally, add the tomatoes and simmer slowly, stirring occasionally, for 2 hours partially covered. It's important to reduce as slowly as possible. If sauce becomes dry, add 1/2 cup water whenever necessary. When almost ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it is tender but still firm to the bite, 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, pat dry and return to the pot. Add your sauce to the past and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl, and serve immediately. Top with freshly grated parmesan cheese if desired.

FRESH PASTA WITH 20 MINUTE SAUSAGE AND BEEF BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Bring 4 quarts salted water to a boil in large pot.
• In a large pot on high heat, add extra-virgin olive oil. Add carrot and onion and cook for 1 minute. Add both sausage and ground beef and cook until 3/4 done, about 5 minutes.
• Add tomato paste and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Deglaze with wine and reduce for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in crushed tomatoes and reduce for 10 minutes on medium heat until slightly thickened.
• Add pasta to water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
• Stir in basil, parsley, and pasta and season with salt and pepper. Add pasta cooking water, if needed, to loosen sauce to liking. Garnish with grated cheese and parsley.

BOLOGNESE MEAT SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the oil, butter, and chopped onion in the pot, and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring the vegetables to coat them well.
• Add the ground beef, a large pinch of salt, and a few grindings of pepper. Crumble the meat with a fork, stir well, and cook until the beef has lost its raw, red color.
• Add the milk and let it simmer gently, stirring frequently, until it has bubbled away completely. Add a tiny grating-about 1 teaspoon-of nutmeg, and stir.
• Add the wine, let it simmer until it has evaporated, then add the tomatoes and stir thoroughly to coat all ingredients well. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, turn the heat down so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers, with just an intermittent bubble breaking through to the surface. Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is cooking, you are likely to find that it begins to dry out and the fat separates from the meat. To keep it from sticking, continue the cooking, adding /2 cup of water whenever necessary. At the end, however, no water at all must be left and the fat must separate from the sauce. Taste and correct for salt.
• Toss with cooked drained pasta, adding the tablespoon of butter, and serve with freshly grated Parmesan on the side.
• Ahead-of-time note: If you cannot watch the sauce for a 3- to 4-hour stretch, you can turn off the heat whenever you need to leave, and resume cooking later on, as long as you complete the sauce within the same day. Once done, you can refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container for 3 days, or you can freeze it. Before tossing with pasta, reheat it, letting it simmer for 15 minutes and stirring it once or twice.
• Variation of Ragù with Pork: Pork is an important part of Bologna's culture, its economy, and the cuisine, and many cooks add some pork to make their ragù tastier. Use 1 part ground pork, preferably from the neck or Boston butt, to 2 parts beef, and make the meat sauce exactly as described in the basic recipe above.

SPAGHETTI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make sauce: In a Dutch oven (or 5-quart saucepan), heat oil over high heat. Add onions, carrots, and garlic; cook, stirring, until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, breaking up meat with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste; cook 1 minute. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Add wine and tomatoes. Bring sauce to a simmer; cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 1 hour. Add milk; simmer until completely absorbed, about 15 minutes more. Season again with salt and pepper.
• When sauce is almost done, cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente, according to package instructions; drain. Toss pasta with half the meat sauce; save remaining sauce for next day. Serve sprinkled with cheese.

AUTHENTIC BOLOGNESE SAUCE (SUGO ALLA BOLOGNESE)

Steps:

• Place the chopped onions, carrots, celery, and garlic clove in a food processor. Pulse the motor until the vegetables are finely chopped.
• Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan set over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and chopped bacon (or pancetta, which is an Italian bacon). Stir in the salt, pepper, basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
• Add the ground veal (or beef) to the pot with the vegetables. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
• Stir in the wine, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, and the milk (or cream). Add the pinch of ground nutmeg.
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve over spaghetti, cooked al dente, and pass the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Mangia!

SPAGHETTI WITH VEAL BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place mushrooms in a small bowl; cover with 1/2 cup boiling water. Let soak 15 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid, and chop medium fine; set aside. Strain liquid through cheesecloth; set liquid aside.
• Place garlic in food processor; process until finely chopped. Add onion; process until finely chopped. Transfer onions and garlic to a small bowl. Process carrots in food processor until coarsely chopped, about 15 pulses. Add celery; process until carrots and celery are finely chopped; set aside.
• Spray medium-high, straight-sided skillet with olive-oil spray; place over medium-low heat. Add vegetables, cover, and cook until translucent, about 7 minutes.
• Add veal, and raise heat to high; cook until veal turns opaque, about 5 minutes. Add wine; cook until evaporated. Stir in tomato sauce, mushrooms, stock, reserved mushroom liquid, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium low; simmer until meat is tender and most liquid has been absorbed, about 2 hours.
• Cook pasta until al dente; transfer to large serving dish. Pour sauce over pasta; toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan, if desired.

FRESH RIGATONI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion; cook for two minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring a 6-quart pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes; drain.
• Add heavy cream, if using, to sauce; stir to combine. Serve immediately over pasta.