Description
This is an authentic, slow-simmered beef Bolognese sauce recipe, capturing the rich, deep flavors from my Italian grandmother’s kitchen. It takes time, but the result is a deeply satisfying comfort food classic perfect for pasta.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup dry red wine (like Chianti or Merlot)
- 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
- Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery (the soffritto) to the pot. Cook gently for 8 to 10 minutes until softened, stirring often.
- Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the red wine. Let it simmer and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This takes about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, milk, beef broth, bay leaf, and oregano. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and let it cook slowly for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer it simmers, the better the flavor.
- Remove the bay leaf before serving. Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve over your favorite pasta.
Notes
- For a weeknight version, you can reduce the simmering time to 1 hour, though the flavor will be less developed.
- The milk tenderizes the meat and balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Do not skip it.
- This sauce freezes wonderfully. Cool completely before storing in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
- Use high-quality crushed tomatoes for the best base flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Main Dish / Sauce
- Method: Stovetop Simmering
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 550mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 90mg