Bolognese Beef Hearty Sauce (Printable)
Slow-simmered Italian beef sauce with tomatoes, herbs, and vegetables for a rich, hearty dish.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 medium carrots, finely diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 14 oz canned crushed tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
→ Liquids
08 - ½ cup dry red wine
09 - 1 cup whole milk
10 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Fats & Oils
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Herbs & Seasonings
13 - 1 tsp dried oregano
14 - 1 tsp dried basil
15 - 1 bay leaf
16 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
17 - Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
# How To Cook:
01 - Heat olive oil and butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add chopped onion, diced carrots, and celery, sautéing for 6 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Add ground beef, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Cook until browned and no longer pink, approximately 8 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to develop depth of flavor.
05 - Pour in red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze. Simmer until nearly evaporated, around 2 to 3 minutes.
06 - Mix in crushed tomatoes, beef broth, whole milk, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and nutmeg. Stir thoroughly to combine.
07 - Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
08 - Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove bay leaf before serving.
09 - Ladle sauce over freshly cooked pasta such as tagliatelle or use as a filling for lasagna.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The milk transforms into something silky that makes the sauce taste less acidic and somehow more authentic than you'd expect.
- Two hours of simmering means you can actually relax instead of hovering over the stove.
- It tastes better the next day, so make extra and freeze half.
02 -
- Don't skip the milk—I know it sounds strange in a meat sauce, but it's what separates a good Bolognese from a great one, and it's been in the traditional recipe for centuries for a reason.
- Low heat and a long simmer are not optional; high heat burns the bottom and creates harsh flavors, while rushing the cooking time means you miss out on the sauce actually becoming sauce.
- Stir occasionally but not constantly—you want to avoid sticking without breaking up all the beef into powder.
03 -
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven because thin pots develop hot spots that burn the sauce at the bottom while the rest stays too thin.
- Taste as you go, especially in the last 20 minutes—acidity and salt balance shift as the sauce reduces, and a pinch of sugar can round out any too-sharp tomato notes without making it sweet.