The Best Slow cooked Bolognese Sauce : Homemade Recipe
Nothing says comfort food like a rich, chunky, and flavorful bolognese sauce. Made with minced meat, tomatoes, aromatic vegetables, and a blend of herbs, this classic homemade bolognese is a go-to for anyone who loves Italian cuisine’s deep, savory flavors.
Simmered to perfection, it makes for a stick-to-the-ribs meal on chilly evenings when served over spaghetti or as a base for this Lasagna Bolognese.
It’s freezer-friendly and reheats well. Make a double or triple batch to enjoy all week long !
Bolognese sauce is one of the essential and unmistakable classics of Italian cooking. It is a comforting, flavorful dish loved by food lovers, and I make most of the time on Sunday evenings. Layla loves it and usually packs it in her lunchbox.
It is a must for dishes like lasagna or tagliatelle alla bolognese, and it works perfectly with spaghetti, gnocchi, or as a filling for cannelloni or crepes. This recipe is the foundation for many dishes enjoyed by both kids and adults.
What Is Bolognese Sauce
Originating from Bologna, Italy, Bolognese Sauce is a thick, meat-based creation traditionally made with ground beef or a mix of meats like pork, veal, and beef.
Its richness comes from layers of ingredients cooked in stages, each carefully added to build deep, complex flavors.
A classic bolognese begins with a soffrito—a blend of finely chopped carrots, celery, and onions slowly sautéed to release their natural sweetness.
While traditional recipes often use milk or cream with white wine to enrich the sauce, my recipe leans into the boldness of canned tomatoes and a touch of tomato paste for a creamy, velvety finish.
The secret to an authentic bolognese lies in patience. After adding all the ingredients, the sauce simmers for three to four hours.
This slow cooking allows the meat to meld with aromatics and herbs, creating a deeply savory sauce with a texture that’s more about the meat than the tomatoes. The result is a rich, chunky sauce that clings beautifully to pasta.
There is only one official Bolognese sauce recipe, filed in 1982 by the Italian Academy of Cuisine with the Chamber of Commerce. Still, like any classic dish, many versions exist: the Neapolitan style with whole pieces of meat, vegetarian variations, and even fish-based ones.
You will also find plenty of other twists, some with nutmeg, others with added bacon, sausage, and more.
The key to a great Bolognese is the cooking time. It needs at least three hours.
The word ragù comes from the French ragoûter, which refers to slow simmering. The longer the sauce cooks, the richer and more flavorful it becomes.
You can also let it simmer on very low heat for up to six hours. If you are short on time, three hours is more than enough to get a top-tier Bolognese sauce.
Good quality matters. A well-marbled beef and a rich tomato purée will do most of the work for you.
Tips :
- If the tomato sauce tastes too acidic, add a glass of milk or a pinch of sugar.
- Fresh herbs make it even better.
How to Make Bolognese Sauce
Prepare the Ingredients
Roughly chop the onions, and finely dice the garlic, carrots, and celery into small pieces.
Cook the ground Meat
Heat the olive oil in a pot over a low heat. Add the minced meat and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the Aromatics
Add the onions, garlic, carrots, and celery to the pot. Brown them while mixing with a wooden spoon to ensure even cooking.
Incorporate the Tomatoes and Spices
Add the blended tomatoes, tomato sauce, and spices (bay leaves, oregano, and basil) to the pot. Mix well to combine all the ingredients.
Slow Simmer the Sauce
Cover the pot and cook over low heat for 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom.
Adjust the Seasoning
At the end of cooking, check the seasoning and adjust as needed. If you have fresh basil, add two leaves 10 minutes before the end of cooking for enhanced flavor. Remove the basil leaves before serving.
serve and enjoy
Serve the Bolognese sauce over spaghetti or your favorite pasta with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese on the top.
How to serve Bolognese:
As mentioned earlier, you can serve it with all kinds of pasta.
Try it on slices of garlic bread. It is incredible.
Another way to enjoy this meat ragù is with polenta made from cornmeal, a traditional dish from northern Italy.
Bolognese Sauce Success Tips
Take Your Time with the Soffritto : Slowly Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery to allow their natural sweetness to develop. This step builds the aromatic base of your sauce.
Don’t Rush the Simmering Process : Bolognese sauce benefits greatly from a long, slow cook. The three-hour simmer allows the flavors to meld beautifully and the meat to tenderize.
Make it Creamier (Optional) : To make the sauce creamier, add a splash of milk or cream during the last hour of cooking.
Store and Reheat Properly : This pasta bolognese tastes even better the next day. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until hot.
Bolognese Sauce FAQs
What is the difference between Bolognese sauce and spaghetti sauce?
Bolognese sauce is a thick, meat-based Italian sauce with a small amount of tomato, while spaghetti sauce is tomato-forward, lighter, and quicker to prepare. Bolognese is rich and slow-cooked, whereas spaghetti sauce is ready in under an hour.
What makes Bolognese sauce sweet?
The natural sweetness in bolognese sauce comes from the caramelization of onions, carrots, and tomatoes during cooking. Slow simmering for hours enhances the sauce’s sweet undertones by reducing acidity and intensifying flavors.
What is the best pasta for Bolognese?
The best pasta for bolognese is wide, flat pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle, which can hold the rich, meaty sauce well. Depending on your preference, you can also use other hearty pasta shapes, like rigatoni, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
Storage:
You can prepare Bolognese sauce ahead of time and reheat it when needed. Keep it in an airtight glass container, and it will stay good in the refrigerator for up to three days.
If you prefer, you can freeze it for up to three months.
Homemade Bolognese Sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese), an easy recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Lb ground beef
- 3 cup canned tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 onions chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 3/4 cup tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon basil
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1/2 cup celery stalk chopped
Instructions
- Start by roughly chopping the onions, finely mincing the garlic, and cutting the carrots and celery into small dice.
- Heat the olive oil in a pot, add the ground beef, and let it cook on low heat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the onions, garlic, carrot, and celery. Sauté while stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Add the blended tomatoes, the tomato sauce, and the spices (bay leaves, oregano, and basil). Mix well.
- Cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat for 3 hours. Stir occasionally so the sauce does not stick to the bottom.
- At the end of the cooking time, check the seasoning. If you have fresh basil, add two leaves about 10 minutes before turning off the heat. This gives the sauce a great flavor. Remove the leaves before serving.
- Serve with spaghetti and top with Parmesan.
