Authentic Bolognese Sauce ~ Italian Restaurant Style Ragu Bolognese

What makes a Bolognese sauce truly authentic? The answers might surprise you. Unlike the classic tomato meat sauce most of us in north America are so familiar with, an authentic Bolognese has very little (if any) tomato. And did you know…serving it on top of cooked spaghetti is somewhat frowned upon? Traditionally a ragu Bolognese is serve tossed with tagliatelle or pappardelle noodles because they hold more of the rich sauce. What other surprising characteristics exist about this beloved ancient Italian concoction? Read on to find out.

What Meat Is Used In Bolognese Sauce?

Bolognese customarily begins with pancetta. This is cooked in the beginning to render the flavor and fat. Then beef and some other minced meat are added. This can be ground veal, lamb or sometimes even sausage. One thing that doesn’t seem common among traditional recipes is to use only beef. Almost always some other type of meat is added.

How Long Do I Cook Bolognese Sauce?

For best results, cook Bolognese sauce for a minimum of 3 hours. This is necessary not only to develop the fullest flavor, but to break down the collagen in the meat. This will make the sauce super rich and the meat will be melt in your mouth tender. It’s preferable to cook Bolognese for 4-5 hours–and if you have another hour, add that on! In short, you almost can’t over do the simmering in a single day.

How Is Bolognese Sauce Different from Spaghetti Meat Sauce?

There are a few characteristics about an authentic ragu Bolognese that sets it apart from American style spaghetti meat sauce. First, it’s the amount of tomato used. A true Bolognese doesn’t use a lot of tomato, just a little tomato paste and a small amount of another tomato source. This can range from canned crushed tomatoes to passata to garden fresh. Also–think Bolognese sauce is loaded with garlic? Not at all, unlike its American copycat. Garlic added to traditional Bolognese sauce would detract from the true flavors of the dish. With spaghetti meat sauce, adding garlic is practically mandatory.

And finally, probably the most unusual quality about a true Bolognese sauce is the addition of milk. Whole milk is best, and 10% cream is even better. You usually add it near the end of cooking so its silky texture doesn’t get cooked away.

Even though it’s a bit of a time taker, I really hope you’ll give my traditional Bolognese sauce recipe a shot. Especially if you’ve never made it. And if you do, let me know how it turned out for you. Ciao!

Authentic Bolognese Sauce

Unlike typical American style tomato meat sauce, this Bolognese is truly authentic. Cooking low and slow is a must, so make it when you have the whole day.

4 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 60 grams pancetta, diced about ¾ cup
• 200 grams onion, diced 2 medium
• 150 grams carrot, diced 2 medium
• 150 grams celery, diced 2 medium stalks
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 pound ground pork
• 1 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ¾ cup crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups water plus more for adding while cooking
• 1 cup whole milk warmed

Instructions

 

• In a wide saucepan, heat olive oil over medium. Add diced pancetta and saute until slightly crispy, about 1 minute. Do not drain any fat that is rendered.
• Add onion and cook until it begins to turn slightly translucent, about 1 minute. Add carrots and celery and cook another minute until all the vegetables begin to turn soft. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add ground beef and pork. Break the meat down well with a spoon and cook over medium high heat until it begins to brown. Once browned, keep cooking until all traces of meat juice disappear. This can take up to 25 minutes. Once the beef juice has cooked off, add white wine. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes until the wine has also disappeared.
• Add tomato paste and crushed tomatoes. Cook about 5 minutes to intensify the flavor of the tomatoes. Add water.
• Bring the sauce to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for a total of at least 3 hours, checking the consistency occasionally. For a thicker sauce, remove the lid. Add more water if necessary to loosen the texture to allow for proper cooking.
• Add whole milk slowly so the sauce doesn't stop boiling. Simmer slowly for another 45-60 minutes. Give the sauce a final seasoning with salt and pepper and serve tossed with tagliatelle or pappardelle noodles.

Notes

If you don’t have pancetta you can also use prosciutto or even bacon.

You can use red wine if you don’t have white wine on hand.

 

Keyword bolognese, sauce