An Authentic Bolognese Sauce is luxurious, deeply flavorful and something everyone should try at least once in their life! Made from humble ingredients, this traditional Italian meat sauce is completely different from the tomato heavy sauce we think of as Bolognese!
Table of contents
The "Best" Bolognese Sauce
This recipe is, hands down, the BEST Bolognese sauce... and I don't say that lightly. Although I grew up with America's version of this Homemade Meat Sauce (my mothers is still a family favorite) I hadn't had a true Italian Bolognese sauce until I went to Italy. It was, to put it mildly, a complete game changer!
When most of us think of Bolognese sauce we think of ground beef in a thick tomato sauce. But a classic Bolognese sauce bears no relationship to America's version. It's subtle and surprisingly light.
I became a little obsessed with this sauce during my travels in Italy and tried various versions in a number of trattorias.
However, I learned the true "secret" to this classic sauce from a group of Italian "Nonna's" who set me straight on what makes an authentic bolognese sauce (and what doesn't!) - time and ingredients!
What is Bolognese sauce?
A traditional Bolognese sauce is an Italian pasta sauce made with meat - generally beef but it can be a mix of beef, pork and veal and flavored with carrots, celery onion, and white wine. Italian meat sauces are known as ragus and almost every region of Italy has its own version of this sauce.
So, all meat sauces are ragus.... but not all ragus are Bolognese sauce!
What's the difference between Bolognese and meat sauce?
What makes Bolognese, (named for the city of Bologna) different from other Italian meat sauces, is that the main sauce ingredient isn't tomatoes! Although a small amount of tomato is included, the sauce is flavored with both milk and wine. And it doesn't include herbs or garlic!
Bolognese sauce ingredients:
As I mentioned, this sauce is "all" about the ingredients! But let's be clear - this sauce isn't made with Italian sausage, garlic, stock, tomato paste or herbs. so here are the only things you'll need:
- Ground beef - ground beef or ground chuck is the best choice. You need ground meat with at least 20% fat for this sauce.
- Ground Pork - Pork adds a wonderful flavor to the sauce but you can make it with all beef OR substitute the same amount of ground veal.
- Canned Tomatoes - whole tomatoes are the best choice and authentic San Marzano tomatoes are the clear winner here- and what I recommend. Fortunately, lots of grocery stores are now selling Italian canned tomatoes. I get mine from a small Italian market and they are actually cheaper than the ones I buy in the grocery store. If you can't find them, Muir Glen Organic tomatoes are a good substitute.
- Onions
- Celery
- Carrots
- Whole milk - I know milk is a strange ingredient to see in a pasta sauce, but the milk proteins help tenderize the meat and add a silky texture to the sauce.
- Dry white wine - A medium-priced Pinot Grigio is what I usually use, but Sauvignon Blanc works as well. You don't need an expensive bottle of wine, but it should be one you would enjoy drinking.
- Salt and pepper
- Nutmeg - you only need a small amount so ground nutmeg works fine. However, if you've never tried freshly grated nutmeg you definitely should give it a try!
- Olive oil
- Unsalted butter
How to make Bolognese Sauce
Homemade Bolognese sauce isn't hard but it will take time! Although there are many recipes that say you can make this in 30 minutes or use an Instapot or a slow cooker - you simply can't.
Or rather, you can, but you can't get the same flavor and texture - and it is that flavor and texture that makes this sauce truly special.
- Sweat the vegetables. Sweating draws out the moisture and mellows the onion flavor.
- Add the meat and cook until the meat is browned. Like the onions, you don't want to caramelize the meat.
- Add the milk and simmer. Adding milk not only adds richness, but the proteins in milk help to tenderize the meat. While it's really tempting to turn up the heat to reduce the milk, don't! You want a nice lazy simmer... and yes, this will take time! Stir the mixture frequently to keep the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan. It will separate and not look very appealing, but that's how it is supposed to look!
- Add the wine and simmer some more. Wine enhances flavor - alcohol acts as an amplifier of flavor and also adds a bit of acid which helps to balance out the other flavors in a recipe.
- Simmer - LOW AND SLOW is the name of the game and essential for making the best bolognese sauce.
The best pasta to serve with Classic Bolognese Sauce
Shape matters! Although all pasta is made from virtually the same ingredients, what makes them different is their shapes. For this Italian meat sauce, you want a pasta that the sauce will cling to.
Tagliatelle is the traditional pasta served with beef bolognese sauce. But if you can't find it, here are some other choices that are more widely available.
- Reginelle - this is the pasta I used. It's similar to tagliatelle but with a ruffled edge.
- Rigatoni - the ridges on these pasta tubes really help to hold the sauce!
- Fusilli - the curly nature of this shape is also really good at holding the sauce.
Want more Italian Recipes? Don't miss these!
- Pork Ragu - succulent pork ragu over polenta will have you swooning!
- Chicken Contadina - a simple one-pan supper with tomatoes, veggies and fresh herbs
- Chicken Scarpariello - this Italian American one-pan supper combines chicken, sausage and peppers!
- Parmesan Risotto - made in the Instant Pot, you may never make it on the stove again!
- Fettuccine Alfredo - the ultimate, creamy Italian classic!
If you enjoyed this recipe, I would LOVE for you to give it a 5-star rating! Cheers! Nancy
📖Recipe
Authentic Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- ½ cup unsalted butter divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped celery
- 1 ⅓ cups chopped carrots
- 1 lb ground beef with at least 20% fat
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups milk whole
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 3 cups whole, canned tomatoes cut up
- 3 lbs. pasta
- freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven or soup pot, add the olive oil, 6 Tablespoons of butter and the onions.
- Heat over medium heat and cook the onions until they are translucent. Do not brown the onions. If the onions start to brown a bit around the edges, reduce the heat.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the beef and pork. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cook until the beef and pork are no longer pink, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Add the milk and let simmer until the milk has evaporated, stirring frequently for about 30 minutes.
- Add the nutmeg and stir.
- Add the wine, stir and simmer until the wine evaporates, about 30 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and their juices and stir to combine., Increase the heat until the mixture begins to bubble. Turn the heat to low, simmer (i.e. a bubble only breaks the surface every so often).
- Cook, uncovered for approximately 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
- If the sauce begins to dry out, add about ½ cup of water and stir, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pan.
- Cook and drain the pasta and toss with the sauce and the remaining butter.
- Divide between low bowls and top with grated parmesan if desired.
Judy says
My family would say there is no room in our house for two bolognese sauces (they are my biggest fans ;)), so I keep my adventurous bent in other areas. The tomatoes, the red pepper flakes, I'm with you on those, however, the cream is not optional for us, it makes a difference. I like the noodles you chose for the dish, very nice.
Nancy says
Hi Judy! I was tempted to add the cream but after tasting the sauce, I just couldn't bring myself to add it. Will definitely try it with the next batch - I am betting it would be divine!!
aida mollenkamp says
Wow, there are so many types of meat in this bolognese. I usually stick to veal or pork but this recipe definitely seems worth a try!
the urban baker says
Never would have coined bolognese as a one-pot, "butcher shop" meal, but that it is. Mine has pork, veal, beef, and pancetta. Love that term and I am sure your meal was perfectly delicious!
HeatherChristo says
bolognese is one of the most delicious sauces on earth. My husband take it BEYOND seriously, and is the "red sauce" maker in this house. This is a unique style that looks like a must try!
Milena says
This is by far my favorite pasta sauce recipe. Love bolognese, such a hearty and filling meal. Absolutely worth the 4 hours spent in the kitchen. I use the fire roasted Muir Glen tomatoes in the recipe and it’s just divine. My husband loves his Alfredo sauces but even he admits this is the best tasting pasta sauce he’s ever had.
Nancy says
Hi Milena,
Your comment made my week - I love Muir Glen's fire roasted tomatoes and I know they were fabulous in the sauce! I'm so happy you and your husband enjoyed it!!!
marla {family fresh cooking} says
Oh how I wish we had this for dinner tonight ~ such a hearty pasta perfect for pares ski!
Lucy Lean says
I love Barbara Lynch and this recipe looks every bit as goods what I'd expect from her - thanks for sharing.
Lucy
Lana @ Never Enough Thyme says
Very interesting adding chicken livers to the sauce. Hmmm...don't think I've ever had a bolognese with chicken livers. I would think they'd make for a very rich sauce. So going to try this!
Nancy says
Hi Lana,
I was really surprised at the depth of flavor they added to the sauce - definitely worth trying, even if you don't like liver!
Bps says
Chicken livers ? How much do you add and do you add them uncooked?
Trying this weekend
Lori says
I'm going to have to step out of my comfort zone on this one and move toward the chicken livers instead of away. It will be hard, but you've made it look so delicious, how could I not try?
Happy New Year Nancy! I hope it's off to a good start for you :).
Nancy says
Hi Lori! Happy New Year to you too! Believe me I know what you mean - I was afraid my family would run from this sauce - but they totally embraced it and scarfed down the rest of the sauce the next day as a post workout snack!
Chef Debbi says
Looks lovely, can't wait to try!
Thanks Nancy!
Allison [Girl's Guide to Social Media] says
Delish! This would be a perfect meal the evening before one of my half marathons.
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
Well then you must share grandma's sauce recipe! Funny that you should mention chicken livers, I remember them fondly (yes, fondly) from my early restaurant days - they play front and center in a recipe I'll be posting soon and I can imagine the depth of flavor they added to your sauce!
Nancy says
I definitely plan to share my mom's recipe! Can't wait to see what you post featuring chicken livers - I was truly surprised at the depth of flavor they imparted!
Carolyn says
Love it! I guess it's called that because of all the different types of meat in it. It looks wonderful!
Kitchen Runway says
Nancy - it's lovely!! Bolognese is one of my favorites! By the way I'm coming over for grandma's "spaghetti" soon! xoxo!
Linda says
I really love it if you'd share your family's "Top 5" recipes! I'm sure they'd be a hit with all your readers. Oh, and by the way, those pesky chicken livers are the keystone ingredient to a true, authentic Bolognese sauce; they are required in Bologna, that's for sure. So, readers who are waffling on adding them, just go ahead! You won't really be aware they're in there, but the sauce is definitely NOT the same without them! 🙂
Maris (In Good Taste) says
Looks like yummy comfort food to me!
Lora @cakeduchess says
I never heard of chicken livers in a Bolognese either but it sounds and looks like a hit! We love to make a nice Bolognese on Sunday for lunch. 🙂
Magic of Spice says
The chicken livers would add a unique depth of flavor here...really nice recipe for sure. And you photos are gorgeous, as always 🙂
Amy Scattaglia says
Absolutely no flavor whatsoever!!! I followed the recipe exactly and was very disappointed:(
Nancy says
Hello Amy,
I am so sorry that you didn't enjoy the Bolognese sauce. It is very different from the typical "spaghetti sauce" which is much more assertive in flavor. Bolognese, in contrast is much, much subtler in flavor and is really about the meat - with a marinara it is definitely about the tomatoes and the acidity.
Laura S says
I was worried an authentic Bolognese recipe would be difficult, especially when I saw how long the cook time was, but this was super easy and SO worth the wait! The kitchen smelled heavenly as I cooked, and it tasted amazing; I think I would have made my Italian grandmother proud! Definitely making this again!
Nancy says
Hello Laura!! I can't tell you how happy your comment made me! I am so glad you enjoyed the bolognese and I know your Italian grandmother would be proud!
M says
I’m currently making this bolognese and it looks nothing like your photos. Not a tomato sauce texture at all! I consider myself a good cook and the recipe was easy. What am I missing?
Nancy says
Hi M!! I don't think you are missing anything!The texture definitely won't be like the tomato sauces we make here. The best way I can describe it is here ours is like "sauce with meat" and a traditional bolognese is "meat with a little sauce". As to the color, I went back to the photos right out of the camera to see how it compared and they were a bit duller (overcast day when I shot them!) but the tone was virtually the same. All I did was increase the exposure and sharpen them a bit. The color will definitely be more brown than bright red - which is exactly as it should be. I will warn you it won't have a robust tomato flavor - it's much, much more subtle and not nearly as spicy as most jarred sauces are. I hope that explanation helps!!
Tammy says
This is a good recipe and very easy to prepare. I used beef, veal and pork.
Nancy says
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it!!!
Vicki Smith says
I made this exactly as directed and according to the recipe and it was so blah, we could not eat it. I tried to add Italian seasonings and red pepper flakes which made it some better.
Nancy says
Hello Vicki,
I am sorry you did not enjoy it. I think part of it is that we have expectations on how things should taste. The vast majority of "spaghetti sauces" in this country are much spicier and I'm sorry if that is what you were expecting.A true bolognese sauce is not spicy and, as you know, has very little tomato. The flavor comes from the mix of meat used in the sauce. Thank you though for the feedback!!
Bren says
Delicious 😋
Norma says
My family enjoyed this authentic recipe. Reminded me of our family trip to Rome, Italy. Thank you so much for sharing! God bless you.
Nancy says
I am so happy you enjoyed the recipe! I think one of the best things about food is how it can connect us to happy memories!!
Janice says
Just made this and it turned out awesome. I used ground Bison and pork as well as added pancetta. Followed the recipe and also added sliced portobello mushrooms. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks for sharing!
Nancy says
Oooh... bison and portobellos - making a note to try this the next time I make the sauce!!