Bolognese Sauce
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 50 mins
There's something so satisfying about making the perfect bolognese sauce on the stovetop, despite the fact that it takes a while. The aroma of the sauce cooking is a 'welcome home' to all who walk through the door.
Course:
Entrées, Sauces
Cuisine:
Italian
Keyword:
Beef, Pasta, Sauces, Make Ahead
Servings: 6
Calories: 425 kcal
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 2 carrots finely chopped
- 2 ribs of celery finely chopped
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound ground pork
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup white wine or red wine if you prefer
- 28 ounce canned diced tomatoes
- water as needed
- grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
-
Pre-heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat.
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Add the olive oil and butter and sauté the onion, carrots and celery for 8 minutes, or until the vegetables soften. Stir in the fresh thyme and cook for another minute or so. Add the beef and pork to the Dutch oven and cook, seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper and breaking the chunks of meat up with a wooden spoon, until there is no pink left in the meat. At this point, you can drain some of the fat out of the pot if desired. Tilt the pot up, pushing the meat to one side so the fat collects on the other side. Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat with a spoon or turkey baster.
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Pour in the milk and stir, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to incorporate any bits of flavor. Increase the heat a little and simmer until the milk has almost entirely disappeared – about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the wine and continue to simmer until it too has almost disappeared – another 10 minutes.
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Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Simmer (with a lid askew) for at least 2 hours, or preferably longer. If the sauce becomes too dry, stir in a little water (½ cup at a time), but make sure the water has evaporated or been absorbed before serving.
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Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve over pasta with more Parmesan cheese at the table.
Recipe Video
Nutrition Facts
Bolognese Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 425
Calories from Fat 261
% Daily Value*
Fat 29g45%
Saturated Fat 11g55%
Cholesterol 90mg30%
Sodium 313mg13%
Potassium 735mg21%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 3710IU74%
Vitamin C 16.2mg20%
Calcium 123mg12%
Iron 3.4mg19%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.