Bolognese is an easy-to-make meat sauce that is perfect for any type of pasta!
This zesty sauce has ground meat, onion, and garlic, simmered until thick and rich.
This recipe freezes and reheats well, making it the perfect weeknight meal!
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
Bolognese differs from typical spaghetti sauce with the addition of celery and carrot plus a little bit of milk. While it may sound unusual, these ingredients add a distinct flavor, a bit of richness, and some sweetness.
- Flavor: This thick pasta sauce is zesty and full of flavor.
- Technique: Let the milk and wine simmer until almost evaporated. If you’re using a smaller pot, this can take a bit longer.
- Prep note: This recipe freezes well so feel free to double it—cook once, eat twice!
- Budget tip: You can use any ground meat for this recipe; buy what’s on sale.
- Swaps: I highly recommend wine in this recipe but if you don’t have wine, beef broth is a suitable replacement.
- Serving suggestions: This sauce is excellent over pasta—pappardelle is my favorite. You can also use it for homemade lasagna or baked ziti!
Ingredient Tips for Bolognese
- Vegetables: Onions, carrots, and celery are known as mirepoix, and they add flavor to bolognese. If you’d like other veggies, chop them finely and add them in.
- Meat: I use a combination of ground beef and pork because I love the flavor—feel free to use all beef if it’s what you have on hand. Ground veal or Italian sausage are also delicious additions.
- Tomatoes: Canned whole tomatoes have a thicker consistency compared to diced tomatoes so I prefer them in this recipe. If possible, San Marzano tomatoes are the best choice for flavor. Canned diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes can be used, but may change the consistency slightly.
- Wine: Any dry red wine is great, but honestly any red will do. I usually use cabernet or merlot. Wine adds a lot of depth to this sauce so I highly recommend adding it.
- 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 the directions. Add salt and pepper and parmesan, serve and enjoy!
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve this bolognese over long pasta such as pappardelle or tagliatelle. Serve this dish with the sides you’d add to spaghetti and meatballs.
- SALAD Round the meal with an easy tossed salad or Italian Salad for a perfect Italian feast any night of the week!
- BREAD homemade garlic bread is a must.
Storing Leftover Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese is a great sauce to make ahead since, like chili recipe, the flavors “meld and marry” and just get better.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze for up to 3 months in a sealed container, leaving about an inch for expansion. A tightly sealed zippered freezer bag works as well. Thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally until hot.
More Italian Inspiration
Did you enjoy this Homemade Bolognese Sauce? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 carrot finely diced
- 1 rib celery finely diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ pound lean ground pork
- 1 ¼ cups red wine or beef broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 can whole tomatoes with juices, 28 ounces each
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- pappardelle or long pasta, for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook onion in oil over medium heat until softened, about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add garlic, carrot, and celery, and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Add beef and pork. Break it up with a wooden spoon, until no pink remains. Drain fat.
- Add the wine and simmer uncovered until evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add milk and simmer uncovered until evaporated, about 8 minutes.
- Stir in tomatoes with juice, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Break tomatoes up with a spoon. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt & pepper to taste.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve 1 ½ cups of pasta water and drain the pasta well.
- Toss pasta with sauce, adding pasta water to thin it out if needed.
- Serve hot with parmesan cheese.
Video
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.
Course Pasta, Sauce
Cuisine American, Italian© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Tried it and it’s really good and the recepie is so easy to follow
Best made with beef broth. Simmer low and slow an extra half hour.
Sounds like a delicious substitution, Dominic.
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!
Coconut milk is a great non dairy substitute.
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.