by Holly
Bolognese Sauce is an easy to make tomato-based meat sauce perfect on any pasta!
I this recipe, beef and pork are combined with onion, garlic and seasonings and cooked until thick and rich. This recipe freezes and reheats well making it the perfect weeknight meal!
Who doesn’t love pasta with a homemade meat sauce? It’s got a special taste of home that you just can’t get from a jar. From a typical marinara to this Bolognese sauce, homemade is always best!
What Is Bolognese?
Ever wonder what makes Bolognese different than a typical spaghetti sauce? While it is a tomato-based meat sauce made with garlic and onion, it also includes the addition of celery and carrot plus a little bit of milk. It may sound unusual but these ingredients add a distinct flavor, a bit of richness, and some sweetness.
This sauce is great over pasta but it’s also a delicious addition to homemade lasagna or even a favorite when added to baked casseroles like ziti!
Ingredients & Variations
Vegetables: The traditional onions, carrots, and celery really should be in this dish.
I prefer to keep it simple with just those. If you’d like other veggies, chop them finely and add them in.
Meat: A combination of ground pork and beef adds amazing flavor, but you can make it with just ground beef if you prefer.
Ground veal is another flavorful addition.
Tomatoes: Canned whole tomatoes always tend to have a thicker consistency than diced so we always use them in this recipe.
If you only have canned diced tomatoes, those will work too (as will crushed tomatoes) but they may change the consistency slightly.
Wine: A dry red is great (but any red will do). I usually use a cabernet or merlot. Wine adds a lot of depth to this sauce (and the alcohol evaporates).
If you cannot use wine, you can use a bit of beef broth but it will alter the flavor slightly.
Milk: An unusual but traditional ingredient in an authentic bolognese sauce.
How To Make Bolognese Sauce
This bolognese sauce takes time to make but it really is easy! Once the prep work is done this recipe just simmers away until thickened.
- Cook Veggies & Meat: Brown the chopped veggies and the meat, then drain off any fat.
- Add Wine/Milk: Add the wine and let it simmer away. Next, add the milk and allow that to simmer away too.
- Simmer: Add remaining ingredients (per recipe below) and allow it to simmer until thick.
While the sauce simmers, cook pasta according to directions. Add salt and pepper and parmesan, serve and enjoy!
What To Serve With It
I like to serve this bolognese over pappardelle or tagliatelle, but any type of long pasta is great. If you want to offer gluten-free pasta, this sauce would work well with it. (Just be sure to check your spices and other ingredients.)
Serve this dish with the same sides you’d add to spaghetti and meatballs.
- BREAD homemade garlic bread is a must! (try this recipe for the BEST homemade garlic butter!)
- SALAD Round out the meal with an easy tossed salad or Italian Salad for a perfect Italian feast any night of the week!
- And for dessert? Why not make this yummy tiramisu? So delicious!
Storing Leftover Bolognese Sauce
This is a great pasta sauce to make ahead, dishes with tomatoes and spices “meld and marry.” as they sit and have even better flavor (like a chili recipe).
According to FDA guidelines leftover meat dishes will keep 4 days in the fridge. After that, freeze them for 2 to 3 months.
- To store in the fridge, just use an airtight container or cover a dish tightly with plastic wrap.
- For freezing, leave about an inch for expansion and cover tightly. Or you could use a tightly sealed zippered freezer bag.
- Reheating is a breeze, just defrost and prepare it on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring every 15 to 20 seconds until steaming hot and ready to eat!
You’re sure to find that this Bolognese recipe is an easy and delicious staple sauce you’ll use for lasagna, pasta, or even on homemade pizza. It’s perfecto!
More Italian Inspiration
- Penne alla Vodka – easy and quick
- Chicken Piccata – fast weeknight meal (amazing reviews)
- Chicken Cacciatore – rich, flavorful and great over spaghetti
- Spaghetti and Meatballs – family favorite
- Lasagna Roll Ups – easy twist on a classic!
- Pasta Primavera– loaded with fresh vegetables
- Easy Chicken Parmesan – reader favorite
Did you enjoy this Homemade Bolognese Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Homemade Bolognese Sauce
Prep Time 20 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves crushed
- 1 onion finely diced
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 rib celery finely diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- 1 ¼ cups red wine or beef broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 28 ounces whole tomatoes with juice
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pappardelle or tagliatelle or another long pasta for serving
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Instructions
- Cook onion in oil over medium heat until it starts to soften, about 3-4 minutes. Add garlic, carrot and celery. Cook until softened, an additional 5 minutes.
- Add beef and pork. Brown until no pink remains. Drain fat. Add wine and simmer until evaporated, about 7-9 minutes. Add milk and simmer until evaporated, about 6-7 minutes.
- Stir in tomato paste, Italian seasoning, tomatoes with juice and bay leaf. Break tomatoes up with a spoon. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1 ½ cups of pasta water.
- Toss pasta with sauce adding pasta water to thin out if needed.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese.
Recipe Notes
- Fridge - store in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap for up to 4 days.
- Freezer - store in an airtight container, leaving about an inch for expansion, or in a zippered freezer bag for 2 - 3 months.
Nutrition Information
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.)
Made this tonight and it was incredible! Reminds me of my grandma’s spaghetti Sunday dinner! One question I have, is the sauce better with a specific red wine (used a Tempranillo)
or with beef broth? Thanks again for sharing! Looking forward to using other recipes soon!
Hi Jeff, definitely personal preference but I prefer the full-bodied flavor the wine provides. For this recipe I enjoy using a Cabernet Sauvignon or whatever open bottle of red I have in the fridge :)
Excellent as written, my family devoured it
Easy to follow recipe that tasted just as good as one that needs to simmer for hours!
Made exactly as written and couldn’t believe how utterly delicious it was. This will be my Go To meat sauce from now on. Easy and delicious! What could be better!!!
Love the sauce! Reminded me of my Nonna’s.
One of the grandkids is allergic to dairy. Any suggestions on what I can substitute for whole milk?
Hi Debbie, we haven’t tried to make this recipe dairy-free but you could try a dairy-free substitute. Let us know how it turns out!
This was delicious. Followed the recipe except I used ground veal and mushrooms. I will make this again.
Yum, sounds so delicious Patty!
Very good. Very meaty – could get away with less meat if desired. Will definitely make again
I made this recipe and it turned out good. The reviews saying the recipe is “bland” do not know how to cook. Food is supposed to be seasoned to taste. I added Worcestershire sauce, sugar, vinegar and a salt to season my food. You seasoned it to taste.
This was so bland. Needs a ton more italian seasoning and salt! Even then it wasn’t the best. I will not make it again. Sorry, but true.
I have been making this for awhile now… sometimes I use green pepper and carrot, sometimes just carrot… sometimes no carrot and just the onion. I and my whole family love it, any variation. It always comes out good. I add a splash of balsamic as well as a pat of butter and a tablespoon of sugar. It is SO GOOD. Really, no matter what I do in variations; once I even added a big splash of Worcestershire. I can’t decide if i like that or the balsamic better. THANK YOU.
Someone can explain to me what is Italian seasoning? I seen it in the supermarket in Ireland, but it doesn’t exist in Italy. I’m Italian and I also don’t understand why do you put garlic in the bolognese sauce?
Italian seasoning is an American creation that is a blend of spices, found in many countries. You can find it on Amazon as well.
Italian seasoning is a blend of dry herbs that are identified as traditionally Italian. Heavy on oregano, but also with basil, thyme, and others. Using it usually means the cook doesn’t know what they’re doing. As for the garlic, you should not put it in a traditional bolognese, ever. Also this recipe uses red wine instead of white; another big no no in traditional bolognese. I actually laughed when I read the recipe list for this bolognese. Some of the comments about being too bland are also pretty funny, since this one has more “flavor” ingredients than traditional.
Hi E, that is correct, Italian seasoning is an American creation that is a blend of spices traditionally viewed as Italian. Traditional bolognese does not usually have garlic but we do love the addition, however, you can definitely leave it out and use white wine if you prefer! That sounds like a delicious substitution.
Our favorite Bolognese Sauce Recipe. The whole family loves it.
Your version is Excellent. I will make this again. Thank you
Can i make this in a slow cooker crock pot and get the same results?
We use this bolognese recipe for the slow cooker.
Best Bolognese sauce I have ever made – and the first time using milk!! Served over gluten free noodles (rice and quinoa) – already looking forward to leftovers!
Delicious!!
This was the easiest s*** I’ve ever made. F***ing easier than french toast. You’re stupid beyond belief if you cant make this right. I even subbed whole milk for almond milk. Super fab. Excellent recipe. *************
I’m Italian, this is the best Bolognese sauce I have made. Only had grass fed beef, and didn’t have whole tomatoes, added a good jar sauce (Raos) Really good! I seasoned with salt and pepper for each item, was not flat at all! Great recipe! Thanks
You’re welcome Deb!
Will it work with 2% milk? If not, what’ll h as open if I omit the milk?
2% milk should work in this recipe, the sauce may not turn out as thick but should still be delicious.