It doesn’t take much effort to create a delicious, meaty, and incredibly flavorful traditional Italian bolognese sauce, but it does require time. The secret to any tomato sauce is allowing it to simmer and develop its flavor profile. But I know you’ll agree that it’s time well spent after just one bite of this dish, to declare it the very best bolognese recipe you’ve ever tasted.
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When it comes to pasta with meat sauce, nothing compares to a traditional Italian Bolognese sauce.
Bolognese sauce is known in Italy as Ragù alla Bolognese or simply Ragù. The meat-based sauce has its humble origins in Bologna, Italy.
As with most Italian dishes, there are as many ways to make them as there are Italian grandmothers. My Classical Bolognese sauce embraces the traditions of the recipe with just a few variations, creating the flavor profiles I find more appealing.
While the basic recipe starting with a soffritto (onion, celery, and carrots) remains fairly constant, the amount of meat, types of ground meat, amount of tomatoes, and types of herbs used in the sauce vary. You’ll find this varies from region to region.
But one thing remains constant: it’s delicious! And during my restaurant days, Bolognese Pappardelle was as popular as Veal Parm and Fettuccine Alfredo.
Gather the ingredients to prepare our bolognese recipe. Culinary professionals call this the “Mise en Place,” which means “everything in its Place.”
Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also ensures you have all the necessary ingredients on hand to make the recipe.
I use a combination of ground beef and Italian sausage in my bolognese recipe.
What type of tomatoes should I use for Bolognese Sauce?
I use San Marzano tomatoes in my recipes, and they are packed as whole tomatoes in juice, which is the only way they’re allowed to be packed for the DOP designation. If you ever see crushed San Marzano tomatoes, they may not be true San Marzano tomatoes.
That specific variety of tomatoes is grown in other regions of Italy and even in the US. So buyer beware! It’s the soil, as well as how they’re grown and harvested, that makes these tomatoes prized among chefs and home cooks. You can find true San Marzano tomatoes at the grocery store and online.
I don’t use tomato paste in my sauce, because I let it cook for 4-6 hours, which thickens the sauce sufficiently and makes a rich, amazingly delicious sauce.
If you need to make a quick bolognese sauce, you can use tomato puree or tomato sauce, but you’ll also need tomato paste. The paste will help thicken the sauce and add tomato flavor.
Do I have to use carrots, onions, and celery?
No, you don’t. However, I urge you to try it with all the ingredients I’ve used before making any changes. If you use a food processor to chop the vegetables finely, you won’t even know they’re in the sauce.
My wife, who dislikes cooked carrots, looked at me when she saw the carrots and wasn’t happy. This was the first time I’d made the sauce for her, and she couldn’t believe how ah-mazingly delicious it was (with no visible sign of carrots).
But as I’ve stated in the past, recipes are guidelines and if you cook with ingredients you enjoy eating, you’re going to enjoy cooking and spend more time creating delicious dishes for your friends and family.
How to quickly cut vegetables
Use a food processor to chop the carrots, onions, and celery finely. This will make your sauce smoother and give it a less stew-like appearance.
The first step in creating this classic Italian meat sauce is making the soffritto. This mixture of celery, onions, and carrots is cooked in butter over medium heat for about 10 minutes. This allows the veggies to cook and caramelize slowly.
At the end of the cooking process of the soffritto, add the minced garlic and continue to cook for an additional 2 minutes.
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I use my 6 qt. Copper-core 5-ply All-Clad pot for making bolognese. It’s classified as a roaster but works for soups, sauces, and so much more. It’s the most used pot in my kitchen!
*You could also use a Dutch oven to make the sauce.
The next step is cooking ground beef, sausage meat, and seasonings. Each type of meat should be cooked separately, allowing it to brown with as much surface area touching the pan as possible.
Don’t disturb the meat. Let it cook without turning it over until the very end.
This allows the meat to caramelize, adding another layer of flavor to the sauce. When the cooking is complete, deglaze the pan with red wine. This will release all the flavorful bits that get stuck to the pan during the cooking process.
*Use a wire whip to break up the chunks of meat. It’s the quickest and easiest way to make the pieces smaller and more palatable.
If you have leftover ground beef, you can use it up in my tasty meatloaf recipe that everybody loves!
Do I have to use sausage in Bolognese Sauce?
No, you don’t. As I mentioned earlier, depending on the region of Italy you’re in, the type of meats could be different. You can use any of these meats in your sauce, combining various kinds of meat or one single type.
- ground chuck
- sausage (pork, chicken or turkey)
- chicken livers (the secret ingredient in many versions)
- ground pork
- ground veal
- ground chicken or turkey
The next step is combining the cooked meats with the soffrito. Mix the ingredients together thoroughly. Add the tomatoes and milk to the pan and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a simmer and allow to cook for 3-4 hours.
After the bolognese sauce has simmered for at least 3 hours, you’ll find that it has thickened.
If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little water to it.
The final step in creating this rich and delicious meat sauce is the addition of heavy cream and grated Romano cheese or parmesan cheese.
In the old days, Italian grandmothers would only use a wooden spoon to stir their sauce. Feel free to keep the tradition alive.
This bowlful of deliciousness will definitely bring smiles to your dinner tables. My recipe is also large enough so you can freeze some to use another day.
*Bolognese sauce freezes well and can be stored in your freezer for up to 6 months.
What type of pasta should I use?
The short answer is to use whatever type of pasta you like to eat. Traditionally, Italians enjoy using a wider noodle for the heavier meat sauce. My favorites are:
- Pappardelle
- Tagliatelle
- Fettucine
- Rigatoni
**Bolognese is also used when making classic lasagna. **
Can I use a slow cooker or an Instant Pot?
Yes, you can, but to do justice to this sauce, you need to sauté the vegetables first and let the meats cook and caramelize before adding everything to the slow cooker.
After cooking the vegetables and meats as described in steps 1 and 2 of the recipe, add all the ingredients to your slow cooker and allow to slow-cook for 4-6 hours.
Recipe FAQs
Bolognese is a ragù that originated from Bologna, Italy. It’s quite different from an Italian-American meat sauce in preparation and seasonings.
Bolognese is a much thicker, more decadent meat sauce that combines beef and pork along with milk and cream. The tomato isn’t the star of the sauce as much as the meats.
Carrots, along with celery and onion, are part of the soffrito that helps season the sauce. The natural sweetness of the carrots contributes to the complex flavor profile characteristic of a bolognese sauce.
Most Italian grandmothers will let their sauces simmer for hours, if not all day long. That being said, 3-4 hours on the simmer after incorporating all the ingredients is the minimum amount of time needed to make a bolognese sauce. Of course, it can be rushed, but it won’t reach its potential.
Bolognese sauce originates from the Bologna region of Italy and is typically made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork, although other ground meats can also be used. Bolognese is slow-cooked with tomatoes and a soffrito (made of onions, carrots, and celery), and milk. Finished with heavy cream and grated Romano cheese to give it a creamy texture.
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Traditional Italian Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Soffritto
- 2 Tablespoon olive oil
- 6 Tablespoons butter
- 1 large onion finely chopped (approx 1 cup)
- 2 large carrots finely chopped (approx 1 cup)
- 4 stalks celery finely chopped (approx 1 cup)
- 3 cloves garlic chopped
Bolognese
- 1 pound ground chuck 20% fat
- 1 pound sweet Italian sausage meat loose out of casing
- 1 tablespoon sea salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper to taste
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes to taste
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg optional ( I left it out, I don't like nutmeg)
- 1 cup red wine *You can use a dry white wine if you prefer
- 84 ounces plum tomatoes 3- 28 ounce cans of crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes(San Marzano variety if possible). *If using whole tomatoes crush them by hand or with an immersion blender.
- ¼ cup Italian parsley finely chopped
- ¼ cup basil finely chopped
- 1 cup milk
Finish Sauce
- 1 cup Romano cheese grated (parmesan can be used as a substitute)
- 1 cup heavy cream (Light cream or half and half can be used as a substitute)
Instructions
Soffritto
- Use a food processor to finely chop the celery, onion, and carrots
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Then add onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté until the veggies begin to caramelize (about 6 – 8 minutes).
- Add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the cooked vegetables (soffritto) from the pot and save until needed.
Bolognese
- Add the olive oil and ground beef to the pot. Season with sea salt and black pepper and cook for about 10 minutes until the meat browns. Don't be tempted to continually stir and break up the meat. Allow it to get brown well, caramelizing some of the natural sugars in the meat. When the ground beef is fully cooked break up the meat with a wire whip and remove it from the pan.Repeat this process with the sausage meat. Add more olive oil if needed.When cooking is complete add the cooked beef back into the pot.
- Add the red wine to the hot pot. It will deglaze the pan, releasing all the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Scrape the bottom of the pot with a large spoon to help get all the stuck bits loose.
- Return the reserved soffritto to the pot, mix well and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, milk, basil and parsley, mixing well. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer. *If you want to add the nutmeg this is the time to do it. Traditionally nutmeg is added, but its a flavor I've never enjoyed or included in my Bolognese sauce.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 3 to 4 hours.
Finish Sauce
- Stir in heavy cream and Romano cheese, mix well to incorporate the cream and cheese into the sauce. If the sauce is too thick you can add a little water, red wine or milk to thin it out.
- Re-season with sea salt, black pepper and crushed red pepper to taste.
- Serve with your favorite wide noodle pasta, I used Pappardelle.
tax1ahk says
Thank you Chef Dennis for this wonderful recipe. Loved that you noted that ” As with most Italian dishes there are as many ways to make them as there are Italian grandmothers.” Makes this Irish grandmother feel better about the many ways to make an Irish potato dish and not feel guilty that you are not following a recipe that can be created to your tastes.
I did add mint to my recipe instead of the basil. It provides a pop of flavor that blends well with the sweet italian sausage and I think elevates the dish. That is the only deviation from your recipe and may I say… fantastic!
Chef Dennis Littley says
You are very welcome,and I’m happy to hear you enjoyed the sauce and added your own little twist to it!
Sommer Parmeter says
This recipe is terrific, I love bolognese! Thanks so much for publishing it! I love the other recipes too and can’t wait to try some of those!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m glad you like my bolognese sauce, it was always a hit in my restaurant days. If you enjoy meaty sauces, try my Ragu Napoletano -> https://www.askchefdennis.com/ragu-napoletano/
Sharon from CA says
I want to make this but I shouldn’t eat a lot of salt. Can I omit the tablespoon of salt, or at least greatly reduce the amount?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Of course you can reduce the amount of salt. Use what you feel is best for your dietary needs. It will affect the taste for those that use more salt, but if you’re already used to a reduced salt diet, you probably won’t notice the difference. And anyone else can always add salt to it.
GMJ says
QUESTION ALERT
After a ton of research and testing, I make a bolognese extremely close to yours… I should have come here first !!!. It would have saved sooo much testing.
The main difference is I use ground beef and sweet Italian TURKEY sausage links (casings off) One reason is b/c some people I occasionally cook for do not eat pork.
Question about the tomatoes:
I also use only San Marzano Tomatoes ( Centro certified) Those whole tomatoes are packed in a puree as opossed to a thinner juice. Are the DOP tomatoes you use packed in puree or Juice??? Care to share a brand you like ??
Thanks for all the research you put into this recipe !! The results are stellar.
GMJ says
Ooops, I did some reasearch and found that my beloved Centro Brand San Marzano whole tomatoes, are not actually DOP certified. So I will test with A DOP certified brand like REGA.
Centro is made in the same area of Italy, and imported here… but independantly certified. I my opinion, it is excellent. Especially for my quicker cooking Marinara.. HOWEVER, b/ c it is packed in a puree, could be the reason I need to add some water during the long low simmering process.
My bad for missing the part of your blog that specified packed in Juice.
Testing again should be interesting.
pd says
Chef, Do you drain the fat from the ground beef and sausage?
Chef Dennis Littley says
I do not, but you can if you like or need to for dietary reasons. I usually skim some of it off after it is done simmering, but leave most of it. I removed all of the fat one time and the sauce just didn’t have the same flavor. Unfortunately Fat=Flavor
Tanya Deane says
Dear Chef Littley,
I just found your recipe and it is the one that just stood out to me over all the others. I haven’t made this yet, but I was so excited to see the ingredients that I grew up on I had to give 5 stars! Thank you for bringing back childhood comfort food memories. You are the Best. Thank you so much.
Take Care,
Tanya D.
Chef Dennis Littley says
You’re very welcome Tanya, I hope it lives up to your childhood memories.
PMD says
I first made your Bolognese in the Fall of 2023 and the family swooned!! Best Bolognese recipe I have ever made!! I will only use DeCecco Pappardelle my absolute favorite store bought, and closest to homemade!! I am cooking for a small crowd soon- how much Pappardelle can I use with this recipe, Chef? Wondering if I should double and just freeze any ‘leftovers’ (laughable!) Thank you!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m very happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my bolognese recipe. The recipe will make about 16 portions, depending on how much you need, doubling the recipe isn’t a bad idea. I generally make it for the two of us and freeze the rest for nights I don’t feel like cooking.
I love DeCecco pasta, I always used it during my restaurant days and you’re right about the Pappardelle, its the best!
Jenny Mcilroy says
I have been looking for a recipe like this for a long time . I have look at others but this one stands out the best.
Chef Dennis Littley says
Thanks! I hope you enjoy the sauce.
Lisa Cronin says
I have been making this recipe for years. It is an absolute family favorite and most requested meal I make. I am going out of town for about a month and my dad asked if I would make him a batch to freeze so he could enjoy it while I was away. I am 50/50 Greek and Italian and I have been cooking for my large family for 30 years, this is by far the best sauce I have ever made. Thank you Chef, my family thanks you too!!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m happy to hear you’ve been enjoying my bolognese sauce. It’s one of my favorite sauces.
Jenn says
Do you drain the tomatoes before crushing or use all the juice from the can?
Chef Dennis Littley says
Use all of the juice along with the tomatoes.
Lisa says
Thank you Chef for such a delicious recipe! My family and friends love it so much I know your recipe by heart! I usually make it on the stove top, but for convenience last night I made it in the croc pot and it was just as delicious. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Chef Dennis Littley says
I’m thrilled to hear that you have been enjoying one of my favorite pasta sauces. If you’d like to try another delicious meat sauce, check out my Ragu Napoletana _> https://www.askchefdennis.com/ragu-napoletano/