Real Bolognese from Bologna requires exactly 3 hours of simmering and zero garlic—most restaurants fake it completely.
Pasta Bolognese
Dive into a hearty bowl of Pasta Bolognese, a timeless favorite that transforms your leftover veggies into a savory masterpiece! With a rich blend of ground meat and aromatic herbs simmered to perfection, each bite bursts with flavor. Get ready to savor the deliciousness as you twirl your fork through this comforting classic!
Prep
15
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- carrot
- celery
- garlic
- onion
- cracked pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(4)
- beef (454 g)
- beef stock (240 ml)
- pancetta (28.4 g)
- pork (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- milk (240 ml)
- parmesan rindsoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- pasta (454 g)
- tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- bay leaf
📦Other(2)
- parmigiano
- passata (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a Dutch oven, add pancetta first to release its fat for cooking the vegetables.
- 2
Add diced celery, carrot, and onion to the pancetta and cook until slightly translucent.
- 3
Add beef and pork, breaking it up until there are no big chunks left, and cook until the water evaporates and the meat starts to fry.
- 4
Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, then add tomato paste.
- 5
Pour in passata and beef stock, and add back the pancetta.
- 6
If available, add leftover parmesan rinds and a bay leaf.
- 7
Let the mixture simmer for one hour.
- 8
After an hour, stir in milk and let it cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce is rich.
- 9
Boil the pasta until 70% cooked, then finish cooking it in the sauce with some pasta water and parmigiano.
- 10
Serve with extra parmigiano and cracked pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the meat mixture until all moisture evaporates and you hear sizzling - this Maillard browning at 285-300°F creates the deep, complex flavors that define authentic Bolognese.technique285-300°F
- ✓Add milk in the final 30 minutes because its proteins and fats bind with the acidic tomatoes, reducing harshness and creating a silky mouthfeel through emulsification.timing30 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of beef to pork for optimal fat content - pork's higher fat percentage (20-25%) keeps the sauce moist during the long simmer while beef provides structure.ingredient2:1 ratio, 20-25% fat
- ✓Simmer uncovered at barely a bubble (185-195°F) so collagen breaks down into gelatin without boiling away the concentrated flavors you've built.technique185-195°F
- ✓Save 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining - its 2-3% starch content helps bind the sauce to pasta through gelatinization when tossed together.technique2-3% starch content
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
90
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Real Bolognese from Bologna requires exactly 3 hours of simmering and zero garlic—most restaurants fake it completely.
Pasta Bolognese
Dive into a hearty bowl of Pasta Bolognese, a timeless favorite that transforms your leftover veggies into a savory masterpiece! With a rich blend of ground meat and aromatic herbs simmered to perfection, each bite bursts with flavor. Get ready to savor the deliciousness as you twirl your fork through this comforting classic!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(5)
- carrot
- celery
- garlic
- onion
- cracked pepper
🥩Meat & Seafood(4)
- beef (454 g)
- beef stock (240 ml)
- pancetta (28.4 g)
- pork (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- milk (240 ml)
- parmesan rindsoptional
🫙Pantry Staples(2)
- pasta (454 g)
- tomato paste (15 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(1)
- bay leaf
📦Other(2)
- parmigiano
- passata (240 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a Dutch oven, add pancetta first to release its fat for cooking the vegetables.
- 2
Add diced celery, carrot, and onion to the pancetta and cook until slightly translucent.
- 3
Add beef and pork, breaking it up until there are no big chunks left, and cook until the water evaporates and the meat starts to fry.
- 4
Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant, then add tomato paste.
- 5
Pour in passata and beef stock, and add back the pancetta.
- 6
If available, add leftover parmesan rinds and a bay leaf.
- 7
Let the mixture simmer for one hour.
- 8
After an hour, stir in milk and let it cook for another 30 minutes until the sauce is rich.
- 9
Boil the pasta until 70% cooked, then finish cooking it in the sauce with some pasta water and parmigiano.
- 10
Serve with extra parmigiano and cracked pepper.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook the meat mixture until all moisture evaporates and you hear sizzling - this Maillard browning at 285-300°F creates the deep, complex flavors that define authentic Bolognese.technique285-300°F
- ✓Add milk in the final 30 minutes because its proteins and fats bind with the acidic tomatoes, reducing harshness and creating a silky mouthfeel through emulsification.timing30 minutes
- ✓Use a 2:1 ratio of beef to pork for optimal fat content - pork's higher fat percentage (20-25%) keeps the sauce moist during the long simmer while beef provides structure.ingredient2:1 ratio, 20-25% fat
- ✓Simmer uncovered at barely a bubble (185-195°F) so collagen breaks down into gelatin without boiling away the concentrated flavors you've built.technique185-195°F
- ✓Save 1 cup of starchy pasta water before draining - its 2-3% starch content helps bind the sauce to pasta through gelatinization when tossed together.technique2-3% starch content