Easy Pasta Bolognese will elevate any weeknight dinner to a gourmet experience! This comforting Italian classic is a great recipe to have in your back pocket.
My easy pasta Bolognese Recipe is a classic Italian meat sauce that’s comforting and SO satisfying! It gets even better as it sits in the fridge, so plan to make a big batch over the weekend and enjoy it all week long.
pasta Bolognese is an instant upgrade for your family’s favorite meat sauce
I grew up on a plain meat sauce made with a brick of frozen hamburger, some chopped onion, and a jar of spaghetti sauce. It doesn’t sound like much but my sisters and I loved it, and I continued the tradition when I cooked for my own girls. It was part of our rotation of family meals for many many years and was such a favorite I never thought to mess with success. But somewhere along the line I was introduced to the classic Italian pasta Bolognese sauce, and it only took one bite to realize that we’d been missing a lot all those years.
what is Bolognese sauce or ragรน alla bolognese?
it’s an Italian meat sauce that’s traditionally long simmered and very rich.
it comes from the Italian city of Bologna.
Bolognese sauce is richer than American meat sauce; wine and a little milk or cream gives it a depth of flavor and a wonderful slightly creamy texture.
what you’ll need to make pasta Bolognese
olive oil
garlic
onion
carrot
a small hot red pepper orred pepper flakes
ground beef
ground pork
crushed tomatoes (buy the good Italian tomatoes)
tomato paste
red wine
bay leaf
fresh thyme
salt and pepper
heavy cream or milk (heavy cream is best!)
Worcestershire sauce (not traditional but adds a touch of acidity and umami)
the secrets to a perfect Bolognese sauce
There are a few key elements that will transform any simple meat sauce into a fabulous pasta Bolognese that tastes like more than the sum of it’s parts.
the slow browning of the minced vegetables develops the first level of deep flavor, so don’t skip it
a combination of beef and pork adds a second level of flavor and complexity
the hot pepper creates a spicy note, the wine and the fresh herbs contribute complexity, and the cream adds a final but essential dreamy richness
what pasta goes best with Bolognese sauce?
If you want to be scrupulously traditional, youโll toss your Bolognese sauce withย tagliatelle, a flat strand egg pasta similar to fettuccine. I usedย pappardelle, which is wider, but still delicate. A flat strand pasta encourages the sauce to cling and the wide pappardelle makes this satisfying sauce even more satisfying. That being said, you can use a Bolognese sauce in any recipe where you need a meat sauce ~ I love it in myย stuffed shells Bolognese.
Easy Pasta Bolognese will elevate any weeknight dinner to a gourmet experience! This comforting Italian classic is a great recipe to have in your back pocket.
Cover the bottom of a heavy pot with olive oil and saute the onion, carrots, pepper and garlic for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. This is an important step towards developing the special flavors of the sauce, so don’t skip it. Add more oil if the vegetables start to stick and stir frequently.
Add in the ground meats and cook until they are browned. While it is browning, break up the meat well, so there are no large chunks. Then add in the wine, tomatoes, and paste, along with the bay leaves and the fresh thyme leaves. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste (start with 1 tsp of each)
Cover and simmer for about 2 hours on a low heat. (Make sure the sauce is simmering slowly, not boiling furiously.) Add the milk or cream and Worcestershire sauce during the last half hour of cooking. Leave the top off during that time to thicken it.
When the sauce is done, remove the bay leaves, and check the seasonings, adding more salt and pepper if you like. The sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.
Cook the pasta to an al dente stage according to the package directions and drain. Reserve a cup or so of the cooking liquid in case you need to loosen the sauce later.
Add the pasta to the sauce and toss with tongs to coat, then heap into big pasta bowls and garnish with some fresh cheese and thyme.
Notes
ย
If you have the time, by all means cook this sauce, covered, for up to 3 hours on a low heat.
This sauce gets better with age, so it makes wonderful leftovers.ย There’s nothing like coming home to a fridgeful of pasta Bolognese after a busy dayย ~ nothing!
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although The View from Great Island attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
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We werenโt big fans of Bolognaโs but this recipe changed that. My husband and I and our two boys loved this version. The addition of Worcestershire sauce was genius! Thanks for another great recipe ?
This recipe was delicious, my whole family loved it and there were no leftovers! The cream at the end surprised me, I have made a lot of spaghetti sauce but not bolognese. Pretty sure I canโt go back:)
The local meat market did not have ground angus, so I used ground wagyu. The sauce was so velvety and luxurious! My picky husband said it was the best fish I ever made! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this yesterday for the hubby and kiddos. We loved it! Definitely adding to our meal rotation. I added mushrooms just because we had them in the refrigerator and they needed to be used. Also used ground pork and ground turkey (1 lb each). Froze half of it for future meals. Thanks for the great recipe!
This was the best we loved it. After 50 years of cooking I am always looking for simpler recipes. I put the leftovers in the freezer for busy days. It’s so nice to come home after a busy day and have something easy and delicious for dinner. Thank you so much.
Hey there ~ I'm Sue. I love to make delicious food, photograph it, and write about it, but mostly, I just love to EAT. Isn't that what it's all about? My recipes are creative, vibrant, and totally approachable no matter what your skill level. Let's grab a bite together!
Made this for a celebration today! It was a hit.
So happy to hear it!
This was dinner last night! Delicious! Froze the sauce that was left, so we’ll enjoy it again on a busy day!
I’m so glad Nikki, thanks ๐
We werenโt big fans of Bolognaโs but this recipe changed that. My husband and I and our two boys loved this version. The addition of Worcestershire sauce was genius! Thanks for another great recipe ?
You’re welcome Leah, glad you and the boys loved it!
Absolutely delicious! My family enjoyed every bite. Will double it next time and freeze half. Thank you for another wonderful recipe.
Have you heard of adding cinnamon to your pasta sauce?
No, but love that idea, cinnamon in savory dishes is amazing.
Do you know if this sauce freezes well?
Yes, fabulously!
This recipe was delicious, my whole family loved it and there were no leftovers! The cream at the end surprised me, I have made a lot of spaghetti sauce but not bolognese. Pretty sure I canโt go back:)
Thanks Michelle, and I know just what you mean about the great surprise of the cream in this recipe, what a difference it makes ๐
The local meat market did not have ground angus, so I used ground wagyu. The sauce was so velvety and luxurious! My picky husband said it was the best fish I ever made! Thanks for the recipe.
Made this yesterday for the hubby and kiddos. We loved it! Definitely adding to our meal rotation. I added mushrooms just because we had them in the refrigerator and they needed to be used. Also used ground pork and ground turkey (1 lb each). Froze half of it for future meals. Thanks for the great recipe!
There’s nothing more comforting than Bolognese…you’ve just made me hungry!
This was the best we loved it. After 50 years of cooking I am always looking for simpler recipes. I put the leftovers in the freezer for busy days. It’s so nice to come home after a busy day and have something easy and delicious for dinner. Thank you so much.