Bolognese Sauce

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A rich, slow-simmered Bolognese made with ground beef, pork, bacon, and a splash of cream. Deeply savory and velvety, with layers of flavor from wine, aromatics, and tomato.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 30

Total Time1 45

Course: dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bolognese, traditional Italian meat sauce

Servings: servings

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

2 thick-cut bacon diced
1 onion finely diced
1 large carrots finely diced
1 stalk celery finely diced
4 garlic cloves minced
1 pound ground beef 80/20
½ pound ground pork
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup beef broth
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomato
2 bay leaves

Instructions

In a 10–12 inch heavy-bottomed skillet, add the diced bacon, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are softened and the bacon begins to render, about 8–10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
Add the ground beef and ground pork, breaking it up with a fork or wooden spoon. Cook until browned, about 5–6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.
Stir in the heavy cream and let it simmer until mostly absorbed, about 2–3 minutes.
Pour in the white wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
Increase the heat to high. Stir in the tomato paste, oregano, nutmeg, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves. When the sauce begins to boil, reduce the heat to low.
Let the sauce simmer gently, uncovered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened and rich. Remove the bay leaves. Spoon the sauce over hot pasta and serve with garlic bread.

Notes

Beef and pork combination: Using only beef creates a denser, more robust flavor, while combining beef with a smaller amount of pork adds depth and balance.

Adding cream: Traditionally in Northern Italy, cream is stirred in to soften the acidity of the tomatoes and create a smoother, more luxurious sauce.

Simmering time: The sauce will be flavorful after 30 minutes, but for a thicker, more traditional Bolognese, let it simmer gently on a back burner for up to 1½ hours, partially covered (with the lid ajar). Stir occasionally and add a splash of broth or water if it gets too thick.

Make ahead & freezing: Bolognese tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld. It also freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely before transferring to freezer containers.

Serving ideas: Toss with tagliatelle, pappardelle, or other wide noodles that can hold the hearty sauce. It’s also excellent layered into meat lasagna.

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