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.)
How many ounces of pasta do you recommend using with this recipe?
Hi Cindi, you will need about 2oz dry pasta per serving. This recipe serves 6 so I would suggest 12 oz pasta.
I love this recipe!!! the smell of the wine evaporating is my favorite part! Thank you for teaching me how to cook ❤️
You’re very welcome Temonie! So happy that you love this sauce!
No spice or seasoning…tasted flat.
I Love this recipe . I am allergic to beef and pork so I used more veg with yes milk and cheese . It was So Good ! Thank you
Amazing recipes
Bolognese and garlic bread tonite!!!!!!
Delicious. I substituted the ground beef with ground veal. Two thirds veal and one third pork. Instead of whole milk like others have commented I used 2 % milk, but realized why it called for whole milk. After adding the first cup of 2% instead of adding a second cup I only did half a cup and then added a big stick of unsalted organic butter. So 1 1/2 cup 2 % milk and one big stick of butter. I added a lot of flaked chilli pepper to give it more zing.
With all my pasta i never just add parmesan. I go to my cheese shop and buy roughly 3 same sizes of cheese. Parmesan, Romano, and Gran Padano. They grate it and mix it for me. This is the real italian way. And will elevate the dish.
Pappardelle pasta all the way.
Truly yummy.
So glad you love the pappardelle! Sounds super delicious Felice!
It only calls for one cup of milk…why add a second?
I noticed that evaporation takes much longer than the initial times that were given, unless I did something wrong
Other than that a very good recipe
Glad you enjoyed it Amy! It could certainly take longer if my heat was a bit higher or even if my pan is wider (this gives more surface area for evaporation).
OMG, I made a vegan version for my nephew, using beyond meat and mushrooms, I left out the milk and it was totally delicious. Today I made a double potion , some for today and later through the winter. My new go to recipe. Thank you.
This is the best bolognese I have ever had!!
Great recipes.
I do red wine , 2% milk sugar n cinnamon, stewed tomatoes chopped.
This was absolutely delicious! I made with turkey sausage and it was perfect!
Would it be OK to use leftover prime rib roast? Your recipe looks amazing!!
I have only tried this as written but it sounds delicious. Let us know how it goes!
This recipe is excellent! Only change I made was to sub in 2% milk and it still worked just fine.
Truly the best bolognese sauce ever — will be making this frequently!
Can I use ground turkey instead of pork?
Sure you can!
This recipe worked perfect with a plant-based meat substitute! It is super tasty and wholesome yet light enough to feel healthy while eating it. Da
I made this vegetarian by subbing veggie ground round for the meat and almond milk for the whole milk. Turned out great. My meat eating boyfriend loved it!
Thanks for letting us know Dana! So glad you both love this bolognese!
Homemade Bolognese Sauce was delicious. My family said it was Better then the Italian restaurant that we frequent. From the cook’s stand of view it was an easy prep and the cooking time was only an hour. It was enjoyed by all.
Delicious! I will make again and again! Thanks!