Bolognese Sauce Recipe
You'll want to make this traditional Italian Bolognese sauce recipe over and over again! This homemade sauce simmers low and slow for a rich, beefy sauce that's perfect to serve with pasta, within lasagna or freeze for later.
Servings: 20 servings
Calories: 194kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 3 carrots peeled + diced
- 3 celery stalks diced
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb ground beef (I used 90%/10%)
- 1 cup Cabernet Sauvignon or preferred dry, red wine
- 84 oz canned, peeled, whole tomatoes 3 cans of 28 oz each
- ¾ cup water ¼ cup water in each opened tomato can; see recipe for instructions
- ⅔ cup milk see note below
- 100 grams Parmigiano Reggiano rinds about 2 rinds
- 4 large sprigs fresh basil
- salt to taste
- fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, sauté the carrots, celery and onions in the butter and extra virgin olive oil over medium heat for about 4 minutes or until soft. Add in the minced garlic, cooking for another 3 minutes. Add in the tomato paste and cook with the rest of the veggies for about 3 minutes or until the color of the paste changes from bright red to brick red.
- Add the ground pork and ground beef into the pot and cook for about 8 minutes. Then add in the red wine and cook down for about 4 minutes or until you don't smell alcohol anymore.
- Pour in the canned, whole tomatoes - including the juices in the can. Then add a bit of water (about ¼ cup) into the cans and swirl. This is a trick to "clean out" the cans and use up all of that tomato-y goodness! Pour out the water into the pot and stir everything together in the pot.
- Pour the milk into the pot and add the Parmigiano Reggiano rinds as well as the fresh basil. Stir everything well, cover and lower the temperature to low-medium low so the sauce simmers for two hours. Make sure to stir the sauce every 20 minutes or so, making sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot. As you stir, try to squish the tomatoes to the side of the pot so the juices burst - they will be easier to burst as time goes on.
- After two hours, uncover the pot and let simmer for another hour - still stirring every 20 minutes. Once there are about 20 minutes left before the hour is up, taste for seasoning and add the salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
Notes
- Milk. Use whole or 2% milk for this recipe. I don't recommend plant-based milks (oat, soy, almond, etc) as they may be too sweet or not creamy enough.
- Storing + Reheating. Once the sauce cools to room temperature, store in an air-tight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. The best way to reheat this bolognese sauce from the fridge is in a pot over medium heat. You can also defrost the sauce in a microwave-safe container in 30 sec intervals. To defrost frozen bolognese sauce, the best way to do that is to defrost in the fridge the night before. Alternatively, place the block of frozen sauce in a pot over medium heat and slowly reheat until the sauce is warmed through.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5 cup | Calories: 194kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 315mg | Potassium: 458mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1820IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 121mg | Iron: 2mg
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