Classic Homemade Bolognese Sauce Recipe

I’m sharing my Easy Bolognese that uses one small, surprising ingredient to deepen the sauce and turn a simple pantry-driven dinner for two into something special.

I love this Classic Homemade Bolognese because it tastes like something you’d wait all day for, but it’s actually simple. I throw in a chopped onion and plenty of ground beef, let flavors mingle, and it turns into the kind of sauce that makes a bowl of pasta feel important.

It’s the Easy Bolognese I reach for when guests show up unannounced, or when I want that Beef Bolognese Sauce that sticks to the fork. It’s rich but not fussy, keeps well in the fridge, and somehow makes pasta suddenly essential.

Try it once and you’ll keep coming back.

Ingredients

• Olive oil: Adds healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, mild fruity flavor, not sweet.
• Pancetta or bacon: Gives smoky salty richness, adds protein and fat, use sparingly.
• Onion: Provides sweetness and fiber when cooked, builds savory base flavor.
• Garlic: Punchy aromatic, small amount gives big umami and depth.
• Ground beef and pork: Protein rich, gives hearty texture and savory flavor, tends to be fatty.
• Whole milk: Smooths acidity, adds creaminess and protein, helps mellow tomato sharpness.
• Crushed tomatoes: Provide acidity, natural sweetness, vitamin C and fiber, core sauce body.
• Parmesan rind: Adds salty umami depth as it simmers, rich in calcium.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter (15 g)
• 50 g pancetta or bacon, finely chopped (about 2 oz) optional
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1 cup
• 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed
• 250 g ground beef (9 oz)
• 150 g ground pork (5 oz)
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (120 ml)
• 1 cup whole milk (240 ml)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 x 14 oz can crushed tomatoes (400 g)
• 1/2 cup beef or chicken broth (120 ml)
• 1 bay leaf
• Pinch of grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano or a small sprig fresh thyme
• 1 small Parmesan rind or 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, optional
• Fresh parsley or basil for finishing, optional
• 200 g pasta for serving, optional (about 7 oz)

How to Make this

1. Warm the olive oil and butter in a large heavy pot over medium heat until the butter is melted and foamy, then add the pancetta or bacon if using and cook until it starts to render fat and get a little crisp, about 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Add the finely chopped onion, carrot and celery and cook on medium low until soft and a bit translucent, about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then so they dont brown; add the garlic in the last minute.

3. Push the vegetables to the side and add the ground beef and ground pork, breaking it up with a spoon. Turn the heat up to medium high a bit and brown the meat well so you get some caramelized bits, seasoning with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper as it cooks.

4. Pour in the white wine and scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze, letting the alcohol evaporate and the liquid reduce until almost gone.

5. Stir in the milk and a pinch of grated nutmeg and let it simmer gently until the milk is mostly absorbed; this softens the meat and cuts the tomato acidity later on.

6. Mix in the tomato paste and cook for a couple minutes to deepen the flavor, then add the crushed tomatoes, the broth, the bay leaf, and either the oregano or the thyme sprig plus the Parmesan rind if using. Bring to a gentle simmer.

7. Lower the heat to very low, cover the pot partially and let the sauce simmer slowly for at least 1 hour, preferably 1 to 2 hours for better flavor, stirring occasionally, breaking up any large pieces of meat and skimming excess fat on top; add a splash more broth if it becomes too thick.

8. Taste and adjust salt and pepper, remove the bay leaf and the Parmesan rind, and if it seems too acidic add a little more milk or a tiny pinch of sugar; finish with chopped fresh parsley or torn basil if you like.

9. Cook the pasta in salted boiling water until just al dente, reserve about half a cup of the pasta cooking water, drain the pasta and toss it with the Bolognese adding reserved water as needed to loosen the sauce, then finish with grated Parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil or a small pat of butter for silkiness.

Equipment Needed

1. Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven for the Bolognese, you’ll need even heat for browning and long simmering
2. Large pot for boiling pasta
3. Sharp chef knife for chopping onion, carrot, celery and meat trimming
4. Cutting board (wood or plastic)
5. Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to stir and break up the meat
6. Measuring cups and spoons for wine, milk, broth and seasonings
7. Fine grater for Parmesan (or microplane)
8. Colander and tongs or a pasta fork to drain and toss the pasta with the sauce

FAQ

Classic Homemade Bolognese Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Pancetta or bacon: prosciutto chopped small (same weight), smoked ham, or omit and stir in 1 tsp smoked paprika for that smokey note.
• Ground beef / ground pork: swap with ground turkey or chicken (add 1 tbsp oil since they’re leaner), or ground veal for a closer texture, or use Italian sausage (reduce added salt).
• Dry white wine: use an equal amount of dry vermouth, or replace with broth plus 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice, or use a dry red wine for a deeper flavor.
• Whole milk: use half and half or light cream thinned with a bit of milk, or 2% milk plus 1 tbsp butter, or unsweetened soy milk if dairy free.

Pro Tips

1) Brown the meat properly, and dont crowd the pot. If you pile it in you steam instead of caramelize, so brown in batches if needed. Those browned bits are where most of the flavor lives, so scrape them up when you add liquid.

2) Sweat the onion, carrot and celery low and slow until really soft, not browned, it makes the sauce sweeter and smoother. If you want to save time, pulse them a few times in a food processor so they’re uniform and cook evenly.

3) Use milk and a Parmesan rind early in the sauce for richness and to tame acidity. Let the milk mostly absorb before adding tomatoes, it makes the meat silkier and the sauce less sharp. Taste and season in layers, not all at once.

4) Simmer gentle and long, and finish by adjusting texture with pasta water or a splash of broth so it coats the pasta. Also skim excess fat as it cooks, cool and refrigerate overnight if you can, flavors get way better the next day and it freezes great.