I want to start by telling you to double this recipe. Originally, the recipe was, in fact, twice the amount that you see here, but because not everyone feels the need to hoard pasta sauce as they live in a very specific and slightly disturbing reality show, restraint was exercised. You see before you a dignified Bolognese sauce recipe designed to make enough sauce for 6 people, one pound of pasta, the amount that normal people most often are looking for.

Once you’ve made this incredible sauce whip up an easy Escarole Salad, Winter Salad, Sicilian Orange Salad, or Sautéed Broccoli and enjoy yourself a wonderful meal.

(Psst….. double this recipe. Invite over a lot of people, or freeze half).

Traditional Bolognese usually involves a much longer cooking period but this Bolognese Sauce is a quick and easy weeknight version.

What Is Bolognese Sauce?

Bolognese sauce is a traditional meat-based pasta sauce originating in Bologna, Italy. Bolognese sauce is very similar and often confused with Ragu, however Ragu often has large chunks of vegetables and meat while Bolognese is more finely chopped.

Easy Bolognese Sauce Recipe for Weeknights

The definition of true Bolognese sauce, like all Italian pasta sauces, is a matter of opinion. My family’s opinion is that this was great, and my opinion is that this is very easy and quick and that it’s a great make-ahead dish. Traditional Bolognese usually involves a much longer cooking period, but this is a weeknight version.

If you’d like to make it with half ground beef and half ground pork, that’s also a classic Bolognese meat sauce combo. This quick Bolognese recipe makes a sauce that is very thick, truly a ragu, and intended to be that way.

This is the kind of food I think of as snow day food — wonderful to make and scent your house on a snowy day, amazing to come home to after a day of sledding or shoveling or skiing, and when extra kids trail into your house with their wet boots, just make more pasta, maybe add some more tomato puree or sauce to the pot, and watch the sauce magically expand.

Ingredients

• Olive oil – For cooking.
• Ground sirloin – Feel free to use a mix of ground pork as well if you would like.
• Onion, carrots, and celery – The combination of these three ingredients makes the flavorful base called mirepoix.
• Garlic cloves – For depth of flavor and aromatics.
• Salt and pepper – To taste.
• Dry red wine – The wine adds a lot of depth to the dish.
• Tomato puree – The flavorful base of the sauce.
• Tomato paste – For a rich umami flavor.
• Dried oregano – For earthy notes.
• Red pepper flakes – For a touch of spiciness.
• Whole milk – For some extra richness and creaminess.
• Parmesan cheese – For a tangy and salty finish.
• Dried linguine – But also any pasta will work well; check out the note below for more.
• Slivered fresh basil leaves – For fresh (for serving; optional)

What Pasta to Pair Bolognese Sauce With?

Ooh, pasta bolognese is a topic some people can get a little heated about or at least have firm opinions on. Tagliatelle is a typical pairing for Bolognese sauce in restaurants, as is spaghetti, but any long flat noodle, from fettuccine to linguine, is good.

On the other hand, chunky tubular shapes also work very well and can catch some of the sauce in their centers, which is nice. Ziti, rigatoni, even penne. The only shapes I would stay away from are very skinny pasta, like angel hair, or tiny pasta shapes, which will get a bit lost in the thick meat sauce.

How to Make Bolognese Sauce

1. Sauté the beef: In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat one tablespoon of the olive oil over medium heat and sauté the beef until browned, drain in a colander, and set aside.
2. Make the sauce base: Heat the remaining oil, cook the onions, carrots, and celery until tender and lightly browned, add the garlic, and sauté a bit longer. Season with salt and pepper, and add the red wine, tomato puree, tomato paste, oregano, and red pepper flakes. Return the browned beef to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes until the sauce is nicely thickened.
3. Add the dairy: Add the milk and 1/2 cup Parmesan and cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce is creamy and thick.
4. Cook the pasta: Boil and salt a pot of water and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
5. Compose and enjoy: Add the Bolognese sauce and stir to coat the pasta well with the sauce. Serve hot, sprinkled with fresh basil if desired.

What Kids Can Do

If you want to get the kids involved, let them peel the carrots, measure the ingredients, and stir the sauce with supervision. When he was 14, my older son Jack made this entire sauce from start to finish — yes, I was there to guide — and felt pretty pleased about it.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can make the entire thing up to 3 or 4 days ahead of time, or you can make the sauce through Step 2 and keep it in the fridge for the same amount of time, and then heat it up and finish with the milk and the Parmesan.

Leftovers heat up beautifully in a pot over low heat. You may want to add a bit of chicken broth or even a bit of water to loosen up the sauce.

You can also freeze the sauce after Step 2, and then defrost it, heat it, and add the milk and cheese when you are ready to serve.

Recipes that Use Bolognese Sauce

• Instant Pot Ziti “Lasagna” with Bolognese Sauce
• Simple Baked Pasta with Bolognese Sauce

What to Serve With Bolognese Sauce

Classic Caesar Salad

Roasted Broccolini with Lemon

Endive, Arugula and Orange Salad

More Tomato Sauce Recipes

• Homemade Marinara Sauce
• Penne alla Vodka
• Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
• Fresh Heirloom Tomato Pasta Sauce

Just in case: 10 Things To Make With Leftover Ground Beef!