Bolognese made easy.
My homemade Bolognese recipe is as easy as it gets! Bolognese, known as “ragu alla bolognese” in Italian, is a rich, meaty sauce that originates from Bologna, a city in Northern Italy. It is traditionally made with ground pork, beef and mirepoix, slowly simmered in a tomato wine sauce served over pasta. A true Italian delight!
Why you'll love my recipe.
Rich flavors
The rich ingredients and slow cooking process of homemade Bolognese is what makes this dish so popular among many cultures.
Hearty and comforting
The warm, hearty nature of Bolognese sauce is the ultimate comfort food, particularly in the colder months.
What is Bolognese?
Bolognese is a rich and hearty meat based Italian sauce, traditionally used as a topping for pasta or layered in dishes like lasagna.
Ingredient notes.
Pasta
I used DeLallo Pappardelle Egg Pasta. Pappardelle are long, flat and broad ribbons made with durum wheat and farm-fresh eggs. The large surface area and rough texture of the pasta make pappardelle the perfect accompaniment to robust and rich sauces.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from the first cold press of hand-selected Italian olives. Grown in Puglia, Italy, these olives are pressed within hours of harvest to capture the freshest raw olive flavor. Only the best around here!
Tomato Paste
DeLallo’s Tomato Paste Tube is a double concentrate of Italian tomatoes. A rich, super thick pantry staple perfect for adding intense tomato flavor and color to your recipes.
Garlic
We can’t make pasta with garlic, and lots of it!
Ground pork
Traditionally, Bolognese is made with a combination of beef and pork. Pork is naturally leaner but you may substitute one for the other.
For the rest of the ingredients, please see the recipe index card below!
How to make Homemade Bolognese.
The section below is a quick overview of how to make this recipe. For full details, see recipe index card below!
Prepare the sauce
To a large, heavy bottomed pot, add extra virgin olive oil, butter and mirepoix. Cook until translucent.
Cook the meat
Add the pork and cook until browned and slightly caramelized.
Simmer with tomatoes and wine
Add tomato paste, canned tomatoes, beef broth, white wine and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a slow simmer.
Cook low and slow
Cover and simmer for about 1 hour on low heat, stirring occasionally.
Expert tips from my test kitchen.
Prepare the ingredients
Basic preparation of chopping all the ingredients before beginning helps save time during the actual cooking process. By having everything ready in advanced, you are less likely to forget an ingredient.
Cook low and slow
The slow cooking process allows the flavors to meld and develop, reducing the sauce to a rich, concentrated consistency.
Season in layers
Instead of seasoning all at once, season the sauce throughout the cooking process to ensure a balanced and layered flavor.
The best way to serve Bolognese.
This recipe is great for leftovers! The flavor development intensifies over time. The best way to serve Bolognese sauce is with pappardelle pasta, fresh green salad and crusty Artisan Bread.
What can I use instead of pasta?
Zucchini noodles
A low-carb and gluten-free option, zucchini noodles pair nicely with homemade Bolognese. Their mild flavor lets the sauce shine while offering a light and healthier alternative.
Spaghetti squash
Roasted spaghetti squash has a naturally sweet and stringy texture, making it the perfect substitute for spaghetti.
Broccoli
Serve your Bolognese sauce over steamed or sautéed broccoli. This option is ideal for keto diets.
How to store leftover Bolognese.
Store leftover Bolognese in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Reheat over medium heat in a saucepan. Adjust thickness by adding additional broth.
Your feedback is valuable to us. If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments. If you try my recipes and love them, please take a moment to leave a five star review. Thank you for being part of the Bake Cook Repeat community! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Subscribe on YouTube.
Italian Bolognese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1½ cup beef or chicken broth
- 16 ounces canned, peeled tomatoes
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup parmesan
- 3 Tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 3 Tablespoons butter unsalted
- 1 bay leaf
For the mirepoix:
- 1 large yellow onion grated
- 2 celery sticks grated
- 2 large carrots grated
- 6 garlic cloves minced
Instructions
- To a large, heavy bottomed pot, add extra virgin olive oil, and mirepoix. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until fragrant and translucent. Then, add the pork and cook for 10 minutes until browned and slightly caramelized.Note: To save time and result in a smoother consistency, I grated the onion, carrots and celery but feel free to finely chop.1 pound ground pork, 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 2 large carrots, 2 celery sticks, 1 large yellow onion, 6 garlic cloves
- Add tomato paste, canned tomatoes, white wine, beef broth and bay leaf. Bring the sauce to a slow simmer.1½ cup beef or chicken broth, 1/4 cup white wine, 3 Tablespoons tomato paste, 1 bay leaf, 16 ounces canned, peeled tomatoes
- Cover the pot almost completely with a lid and simmer over medium low heat for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- When the sauce is finished, remove the bay leaf, add butter and parmesan. Taste the sauce and adjust salt seasoning to your preference. Serve over fresh pasta.3 Tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup parmesan
Nutrition
The provided nutritional value above is an estimate per serving. 100% accuracy is not guarenteed. Please see Nutrition Information Disclaimer in our Privacy Policy.
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
Another delicious recipe. This time, we purchased all the DeLallo ingredients and it made such a different in quality and flavor.
DeLallo approved!! 🙂
Once seasoning was added at the end (I needed a good amount of salt and pepper), this was OUTSTANDING! I’d recommend perhaps seasoning the layers throughout as you cook as opposed to having to dump in a lot at the end. Would highly recommend anyone to try this authentic recipe! 5 stars. We also wound up adding about 3/4 cup cheese instead of 1/4 cup, but we could just be a cheesy family 🙂
Yay! Thanks so much for the lovely review! We will make note of the seasonings being added throughout for layering. Good call. 🙂
Hi! Just wondering what is to be done with the garlic gloves? Chopped, diced, grated, left whole? I think it would be helpful to explain mirepoix as well.
Hi Sam, thank you for your observation! I have clarified both in the blog post. Garlic should be minced and mirepoix is just a fancy word for aromatics – onions, carrots, celery etc. 🙂
I’m amazed by this bolognese; 5 stars, A+!
Yay! Thank you, Jacob!
Great recipe! My kids absolutely loved it!
Thank you, Alina!
This recipe is a weekly favorite for us! Delicious and easy to follow recipe! Amazing!
Thank you, Naomi!
Such an easy recipe to follow!! And super tasty too. Will remake.
Thanks Brent! So happy to hear this!
I’ve tried so many bolognese recipes and nothing hits quite like this one. There is some sort of authentic flavor in this recipe that I can’t explain. It reminds me most of my Italian grandmothers recipe. She would be so proud. Try it if you haven’t!!
Thank you for the lovely review, Kathy! 🙂
I tried a few bolognese recipes and this one is by far the BEST one I’ve ever had.
Thank you, Dae!