My Version of Bolognese Sauce

This may not be a classic bolognese sauce, but who cares? It is super easy to make and most importantly bursting with flavor.

Bolognese sauce known in Italian as ragù alla bolognese, (ragù bolognese, or simply ragù) is a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, typical of the city of Bologna. It is customarily used to dress tagliatelle al ragù and to prepare lasagne alla bolognese.

Outside Italy, the phrase "Bolognese sauce" is often used to refer to a tomato-based sauce to which minced meat has been added; such sauces typically bear little resemblance to the Italian ragù alla bolognese, being more similar in fact to the ragù alla napoletana from the tomato-rich south of the country. Although in Italy ragù alla bolognese is not used with spaghetti (but rather with flat pasta, like tagliatelle), so-called "Spaghetti bolognese" has become a popular dish in many other parts of the world.

Watch the video recipe

My Version of Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:

1lb lean ground beef

1 lb sweet Italian sausage

1 large white onion, diced

1/4 cup finely diced carrot

1/4 cup finely diced celery

5 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces can tomato paste

28 ounces can of crushed tomatoes

1/2 cup white wine

1 cup beef broth

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1.5 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste

1 cup whole milk

Freshly grated parmesan cheese and parsley to garnish

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, add ground beef and Italian sausage. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces. Brown 5 minutes.

Add in onion, carrot, and celery and cook another 5 to 7 minutes, until onions are soft and meat is cooked through.

Add in garlic and tomato paste and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, until tomato paste starts to toast.

Pour in crushed tomatoes, white wine, beef broth, and milk. Stir in fresh basil, parsley, and oregano, and season with salt and pepper. Herbs are optional for additional flavor, but not a part of traditional bolognese sauce.

Stir well and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Flavors will continue to develop the longer you allow the sauce to simmer, so simmer for up to 4 hours for best results.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Enjoy My Version of Bolognese Sauce