Classic Bolognese Sauce
This classic Bolognese sauce is packed with a surprising amount of flavor for such a simple combination of ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium carrot
- 2 ribs celery
- 4 strips pancetta, diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- Kosher salt, to taste
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed with your hands
- 1 cup low sodium beef stock, or more as needed
- 1 large bay leaf
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Hot cooked tagliatelle or pappardelle, for serving
- Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, for serving
- 1 pinch grated nutmeg
Recommended Equipment
- Large sauté pan
Instructions
- Chop the onion, carrot, and celery into 1/4-inch dice.1 medium onion | 1 medium carrot | 2 ribs celery
- Arrange the pancetta in a large, heavy sauté pan and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes or until most of the fat is rendered. Add the diced vegetables and cook over low heat until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.4 strips pancetta, diced
- Add the ground beef and pork to the pan with the vegetables and pancetta. Break the meat into very small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for 8 to 10 minutes until the meat is deeply browned and any water it has released has evaporated. You want it to sizzle and take on color, not steam. Season lightly with kosher salt here to help draw out moisture.1 pound lean ground beef | 1/2 pound ground pork | Kosher salt
- Pour in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the milk is completely absorbed by the meat and the pot looks dry again. This step tenderizes the meat and keeps it from turning grainy once the tomatoes are added.1/2 cup whole milk
- Add the wine and raise the heat to medium. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes until the wine has almost completely evaporated. The alcohol should be gone and the pot should look fairly dry again before you add the remaining sauce ingredients.1/2 cup dry white wine
- Add the tomato paste, drained hand-crushed tomatoes, beef stock, and bay leaf.3 tbsp tomato paste | 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes, drained and crushed with your hands | 1 cup low sodium beef stock, or more as needed | 1 large bay leaf
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours. If the sauce is thin, continue cooking, uncovered, for 30 minutes more or until thickened. Add extra warm stock 1/4 cup at a time only if it looks dry.
- Taste and season with a pinch of nutmeg, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.Kosher salt | Freshly ground black pepper | 1 pinch grated nutmeg
- Remove the bay leaf and serve with hot cooked pasta and Parmigiano Reggiano.Hot cooked tagliatelle or pappardelle | Grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
Tip: Don’t rush this step and don’t turn the heat up. If you boil the milk hard or add wine while milky liquid is still in the pan, the dairy can split and the meat won’t stay tender. You want a bare simmer and a pot that looks greasy and dry with no visible milk before moving on. This step tenderizes the meat and keeps it from turning grainy once the tomatoes are added.
Nutrition
Calories: 305kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 18gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 253mgPotassium: 466mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1442IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 2mg
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
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