Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta (2024)

What is Bolognese Meat Sauce Made Of?

While the combination of meats in this sauce can differ recipe to recipe and region to region it typically has a mirepoix base with ground meats, red wine and tomatoes. In fact, traditional bolognese from Bologna is made with white wine, milk and nutmeg. My bolognese sauce recipe includes:

• Ground beef
• Ground pork
• Italian sausage
• Ground veal
• Onion
• Celery
• Carrot
• Spices
• Red wine
• Tomatoes

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

The meats

• Beef – I use a blend of 80% lean/ 20% fat ground beef. The fat adds flavor to the sauce while also keeping the meat moist.
• Pork – Ground pork typically comes from minced pork shoulder meat and is incredibly versatile. I like the flavor using both pork and beef adds to the meatball sub recipe.
• Veal – Veal is a lean meat made from veal trimmings which makes it the perfect pairing to the 80/20 blend beef. Veal has a delicate flavor and velvety texture. If needed, the veal can be substituted with additional beef, I recommend adding it for its unique flavor.
• Sausage –I use hot Italian sausage with the casings removed in this recipe though you can swap it with mild Italian. The hot adds just a bit of heat. I use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage as it cooks in the pan.

Other Ingredients

• Mirepoix – The vegetables that are sautéed as the base of the bolognese to create a flavorful foundation are carrots, celery and onion, known as sofrito in Italian and mirepoix in French.
• Red wine – Red wine rounds out the flavor of this sauce. Use a dry red wine for bolognese since it won’t overpower the dish by making it too sweet. As the wine evaporates you are left with the flavor of the wine. While I will use just about any red wine in a pinch I prefer cooking with pinot noir. Never cook with a wine you wouldn’t drink! White wine can be used for a lighter sauce though red is preferred.
• Whole peeled tomatoes – Canned whole peeled tomatoes are extremely versatile. Tomatoes are picked when ripe then cooked and peeled before they are canned and packed in tomato juice or tomato puree. They have a rich tomato flavor perfect for tomato sauces. Look for cans with no preservatives – this way they break down quickly into the sauce.
• Pappardelle – These wide, flat noodles originating from Tuscany, Italy resembling thick ribbons are made from an egg yolk-heavy dough. Thicker noodles like pappardelle are ideal for rich meat filled sauces like this bolognese or creamy sauces such as this tomato and bacon pasta. It’s often sold in packaged nests or fresh in refrigerated cases. Other shapes like fettuccine or spaghetti also work well for bolognese.

How to Make Bolognese Sauce

1. Cook the meat in batches. Heat a large heavy bottomed pot or large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook the beef, pork, veal and sausages in small batches in the sauté pan. Set aside meat in a large bowl after browning.
2. Sauté the vegetables. Return pot to medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil until very soft and slightly light brown.
3. Reduce the red wine. Stir in the garlic, oregano and basil, and continue to sauté 3 to 5 minutes. Add the red wine and reduce until the vegetables are almost dry, about 15 minutes.
4. Add the meat and tomatoes. Stir in the sautéed meat. Add the cans of tomatoes with their liquid and 1 cup of water, stirring to combine.
5. Cook the bolognese. Cook over medium to medium-low heat for 4 to 6 hours. Stir frequently so that it does not burn.
6. Add Parmesan and season. When done cooking, stir in the Parmesan cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The sauce may need a little sugar to adjust the acidity.
7. Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to the boil; add the salt and bring back to the boil. Pour in the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain and return the pasta to the pot. Ladle in the enough of the Bolognese to coat the pasta.
8. Serve. To serve, scoop pasta into warmed bowls and serve. Freeze leftover sauce in sealed bags and store until next use.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this bolognese sauce recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Braised Pork Ragu
• Beef, Pork and Prosciutto Meatballs
• Lamb Ragu Over Tagliatelle
• Spicy Calabrian Chili Beef Ragu

Bolognese Sauce over Pappardelle Pasta