Authentic Bolognese Sauce is a delicious and classic Italian recipe for a slow-cooked hearty meaty sauce made just how they do in Bologna, Italy!
My Authentic Bolognese Sauce recipe is the only bolognese recipe you need! It’s made authentically the way traditional bolognese sauce is supposed to be made. One bite and you’ll agree that it’s the best bolognese recipe out there!
For more traditional Italian red sauces, don’t miss my Simple Marinara Sauce, Sugo di Pomodoro, or Tomato Butter Sauce. For an easy weeknight dinner, try my Baked Ricotta Pasta or Blueberry Polenta Cake for a sweet treat!
The Best Bolognese Sauce!
One bite of this authentic bolognese sauce and you’ll be hooked. This hearty and meaty sauce is cooked to perfection and truly the best recipe out there.
If you are looking for an authentic bolognese recipe, look no further. My recipe is made the traditional way they do in Bologna, without any additional or unnecessary ingredients.
This sauce, known also as ragù alla bolognese, is a slow-cooked meat sauce that’s full of rich and hearty flavors. The combination of meats, veggies, and sauce, makes it perfect for special occasions.
I am confident that this recipe is filled with authentic ingredients and made just how they do in Bologna, Italy. I was able to try bolognese last time I was in Bologna, and this tastes just the same, if not better!
So, if you are searching for the best authentic bolognese sauce, look no further and made this recipe today!
What is Bolognese?
Bolognese is a rich Italian meat sauce that originated in Bologna, Italy. It’s made by slowly simmering ground meat (a mix of beef, pork, and pancetta) with onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, wine, and milk until thick and flavorful.
Traditionally, it’s called ragù alla bolognese in Italy and is served with wide pasta like tagliatelle, not spaghetti. The long cooking time helps develop a deep, hearty flavor that’s perfect for coating fresh pasta or layering in lasagna.
Authentic Bolognese Ingredients
- Veggies: Use a combination of diced onion, celery, and carrots.
- Olive oil: Add a bit of olive oil to the pan to help cook the vegetables.
- Beef: Ground beef is a must of good bolognese. Use a 80/20 blend.
- Pork: Ground pork is another traditional bolognese ingredient.
- Pancetta: Cubed pancetta adds great flavor and gives bolognese a salty bite.
- Red wine: Use a good quality dry red wine.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato paste melts beautifully in the sauce and adds a deep tomatoey flavor.
- Passata: Passata is a smooth uncooked tomato puree made from strained ripe tomatoes and contains no added herbs, salt or seasonings. If you can’t find passata, use a good quality canned tomato like San Marzano tomatoes.
- Parmesan Rind: I love to add a parmesan rind to my slow cooked sauces. This is optional and not needed if you don’t have it on hand.
- Milk: Traditional bolognese is finished with a bit of whole milk, or you can use heavy cream if you’d like.
What’s NOT in Traditional Bolognese
Authentic Bolognese sauce is simple and does not include many ingredients that people often associate with tomato sauces.
Here’s what’s NOT in traditional Bolognese:
- Garlic: Italians from Bologna don’t add it; the flavor comes from onion, carrot, and celery instead.
- Dried Herbs: dried herbs like oregano, basil, or Italian seasoning.
- Tomato sauce: authentic Bolognese uses a bit of passata rather than canned tomato sauce.
- Sugar: authentic recipes don’t use sugar to sweeten the sauce.
How to Make Authentic Bolognese Sauce
Authentic Italian Bolognese sauce needs time to simmer to bring out its rich and hearty flavors—plan for 4 hours to cook. Also, be sure you are using a thick heavy pot to make it in like a dutch oven.
Step 1: Soften veggies
Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add in the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 2: Brown meats
Increase to medium heat. Use a spoon to move the veggies to the sides of the pan and add in the ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spoon while it cooks.
Once the meat has cooked and is no longer pink, turn the heat to medium-high and add in the red wine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has been absorbed and is mostly evaporated.
Step 3: Add tomatoes and simmer
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute, then add in the passata (or tomato sauce), salt and parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a low simmer and then turn the heat down to low.
Cover the bolognese sauce with a lid and let simmer for 3½ hours, stirring occasionally. Do not let the sauce boil, it should just simmer during that time.
Step 4: Stir in milk and serve
Stir in the milk and cook on low for another 30 minutes.
Serve your ragù bolognese sauce with hot cooked pasta and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and enjoy your authentic Bolognese sauce!
Tips for Making Authentic Bolognese Sauce
- Start with a soffritto: Dice the veggies very small so they melt into the sauce. Don’t puree the veggies as they will be too small and mushy.
- Use a mix of meats: A combination of ground beef and pork, and diced pancetta gives the sauce a rich flavor.
- Add wine before the tomatoes: After browning the meat, pour in the red wine and let it simmer until mostly evaporated.
- Use milk or cream: Stirring in a bit of whole milk (or cream) helps mellow the acidity of the tomatoes and creates a velvety texture.
- Cook it low and slow: Classic Bolognese sauce should simmer gently for at least 3 to 4 hours—the longer it cooks, the richer and more flavorful it becomes.
- Serve with the right pasta: Serve with a long noodle like tagliatelle or buccatini.
How to Store Leftovers
- Cool completely to room temperature before storing.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freeze in an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months.
- To reheat from frozen, thaw in fridge overnight and then slowly reheat on stove over low heat adding a splash of water to loosen if needed.
- Store sauce separately from pasta to keep the pasta from getting mushy.
Authentic Italian Pasta Recipes
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Authentic Bolognese Sauce
Equipment
- large dutch oven or heavy pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced small (about 1½ cups)
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and diced small (about ¾ cup)
- 2 celery stalks, diced small (about ¾ cup)
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 blend)
- 1 pound ground pork
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 24 ounces passata (or good quality tomato sauce) (about 3 cups)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- parmesan cheese rind (optional)
- ½ cup whole milk
- 1 pound pasta of choice, cooked al dente (I recommend a long thick noodle like bucatini or tagliatelle)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add in the diced onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until the vegetables have softened, about 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Increase the heat to medium. Use a spoon to move the veggies to the sides of the pan and add in the ground beef, ground pork, and pancetta. Brown the meat, breaking the meat up with a spoon while it cooks.
- Once the meat has cooked and is no longer pink, turn the heat to medium-high and add in the red wine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the wine has been absorbed and is mostly evaporated.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for about a minute, then add in the passata (or tomato sauce), salt, and parmesan rind (if using). Bring to a low simmer and then turn the heat down to low.
- Cover the bolognese sauce with a lid and let simmer for 3½ hours, stirring occasionally. Do not let the sauce boil, it should just simmer during that time.
- Stir in the milk and cook on low for another 30 minutes. Serve your bolognese sauce with hot cooked pasta and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.
