The Very Best Bolognese Sauce Recipe
A rich and hearty Bolognese sauce made with a blend of ground beef, pork, pancetta, aromatic vegetables, and a luscious tomato base simmered slowly with wine, broth, and milk for deep, complex flavors. Perfect for pasta dishes, this classic Italian sauce is elevated with careful preparation and slow cooking to achieve the best texture and taste.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 50 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 small carrots, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
Meat & Protein
- 8 ounces pancetta
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20)
- 1 pound ground pork
Liquids & Sauces
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 (29 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (4 ounce) tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
Seasonings
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: In a food processor, add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Pulse until coarsely chopped, taking care not to over-process to avoid a mushy texture. Remove and set aside.
- Chop pancetta: Add the pancetta to the food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Cook pancetta: Transfer pancetta to a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat for 5-6 minutes or until it begins to crisp. Remove and set aside on a plate.
- Brown meats: In the same skillet, add the ground beef and ground pork. Cook and crumble the meat thoroughly until it is fully cooked and broken into small pieces, which may take some extra effort.
- Add vegetables and wine: Stir in the chopped vegetables, crispy pancetta, and white wine. Allow the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits to enhance flavor.
- Add tomato base and broth: Incorporate the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, and chicken broth into the skillet.
- Simmer sauce: Reduce heat to low and let the sauce simmer gently for 2 hours to blend flavors and thicken.
- Finish with milk and season: During the last 15 minutes of cooking, add the whole milk. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm over your favorite pasta.
Notes
- Use whole milk instead of cream to add a creamy texture without overpowering the sauce.
- Simmering the sauce slowly enhances the flavor depth and ensures the meat becomes tender.
- To save time, finely chop vegetables by hand if you don’t have a food processor.
- This sauce pairs perfectly with tagliatelle, pappardelle, or any wide ribbon pasta.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Keywords: Bolognese sauce, Italian meat sauce, slow simmered sauce, ground beef and pork sauce, pancetta sauce, pasta sauce
Find it online: https://spatulaqueen.com/the-very-best-bolognese-sauce-recipe/
