Description

Bolognese sauce is a hearty, slow-cooked meat sauce originating from Bologna, Italy, combining ground meats, vegetables, tomatoes, and cream for a deeply flavorful pasta topping. Perfect for family dinners, special occasions, or as a comforting homemade meal. Easily paired with various pasta types like spaghetti, tagliatelle, ravioli, or gnocchi.

Ingredients

For the Sauce:

– 2 tbsp olive oil

– 5 oz diced pancetta

– 1 lb sweet Italian sausage, casing removed

– 1 lb ground beef

– 6 cloves minced garlic

– 1 large yellow onion, finely diced

– 1 medium carrot, finely diced

– 4 tbsp tomato paste

– 1 cup white wine or red wine (substitute beef stock or vegetable stock if needed)

– 1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes with basil

– 1 cup beef stock (substitute vegetable stock for lower-sodium diets)

– ½ cup heavy cream (substitute half-and-half or plant-based cream for lighter options)

– 2 tsp granulated sugar

– ½ cup chopped fresh basil

– ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

– Salt (start with ¾ tsp, adjust to taste)

– Pepper (start with ½ tsp, adjust to taste)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook for 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned.
Add sausage and ground beef, breaking them into small pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook for 5 minutes, or until browned and no pink remains.
Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute, or until fragrant.
Add onion and carrot, cooking for 6–8 minutes, or until softened and almost translucent.
Stir in tomato paste. Pour in wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook for 5 minutes.
Add ½ cup of beef stock and all of the crushed tomatoes, stirring well to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 hours, gradually adding remaining beef stock as needed.
Stir in sugar, basil, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Reduce heat to low and slowly whisk in heavy cream, stirring constantly. Whisk in nutmeg.
Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes

– Use high-quality ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and fresh herbs for maximum flavor. Substitute plant-based ingredients for vegan diets.

– Store sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage; thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Avoid boiling if possible to preserve texture.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Category: Main Dish / Sauce
Method: Slow-Cooking
Cuisine: Italian / Comfort Food

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup
Calories: ~350
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 600mg
Fat: 25g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Unsaturated Fat: 12g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 15g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 20g
Cholesterol: 80mg