Classic Spaghetti Bolognese
Dive into a bowl of warmth with our hearty Spaghetti Bolognese, featuring succulent beef simmered to perfection in a luscious tomato sauce. Tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti and a splash of red wine, this classic dish is a crowd-pleaser that brings comfort to any dinner table. Get ready to savor every bite of this Italian favorite!
Prep
15
min
Cook
120
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Carrot – 1, finely grated
- Celery stalk – 1, finely chopped
- Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
- Yellow onion – 1, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- Beef broth – 1 cup (240 ml)
- Ground beef – 1 lb (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Parmesan cheese – ½ cup, grated (120 ml)
- Whole milk – ½ cup (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- Crushed tomatoes – 28 oz can (794 g)
- Olive oil – 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Spaghetti – 12 oz (340 g)
- Tomato paste – 2 tbsp (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Bay leaf – 1
- Black pepper – ½ tsp (2.5 ml)
- Dried oregano – 1 tsp (5 ml)
- Salt – 1 tsp (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- Dry red wine – ½ cup (120 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 2
Add ground beef and cook for 6 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains.
- 3
Add diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent.
- 4
Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5
Add grated carrot and chopped celery, cooking for 3 minutes until softened.
- 6
Mix in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen its flavor.
- 7
Pour in red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 8
Simmer the wine for 3 minutes until reduced by half.
- 9
Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, whole milk, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
- 10
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- 11
Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 12
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- 13
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- 14
Add spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes until al dente.
- 15
Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
- 16
Add cooked spaghetti to the Bolognese sauce along with ¼ cup of pasta water.
- 17
Toss vigorously to combine and emulsify the sauce.
- 18
Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Don't overcrowd the pot when browning ground beef—use a Dutch oven at least 5-6 quarts and cook in batches if needed, because excess moisture released from crowded meat causes steaming instead of the Maillard reaction that develops deep, savory flavor.techniqueabove 300°F for browning
- ✓Cook the tomato paste for the full 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, since this caramelizes its natural sugars and breaks down raw tomato compounds, converting bitter notes into complex umami flavor.technique2 minutes at medium-high heat
- ✓Reduce the red wine until it's visibly thickened and reduced by half (roughly 3 minutes at a rapid simmer) to cook off harsh alcohol vapors while concentrating tartaric acid and fruit esters that balance the richness of the meat.timingreduced by 50%
- ✓Dice the carrot and celery smaller than the onion (roughly 1/4-inch) since their tougher cellulose structure takes longer to soften, ensuring all soffritto vegetables reach the same tender texture by the 3-minute mark.ingredient1/4-inch dice
- ✓Use an 80/20 ground beef blend rather than lean meat, as the higher fat content renders during the 6-minute browning stage and carries fat-soluble flavor compounds throughout the sauce during the long simmer.ingredient80/20 fat ratio
Share this recipe
Prep
15
min
Cook
120
min
Serves
4
people
Level
intermediate
Share this recipe
Classic Spaghetti Bolognese
Dive into a bowl of warmth with our hearty Spaghetti Bolognese, featuring succulent beef simmered to perfection in a luscious tomato sauce. Tossed with perfectly cooked spaghetti and a splash of red wine, this classic dish is a crowd-pleaser that brings comfort to any dinner table. Get ready to savor every bite of this Italian favorite!
📝 Ingredients
Serves 4🥬Fresh Produce(4)
- Carrot – 1, finely grated
- Celery stalk – 1, finely chopped
- Garlic – 3 cloves, minced
- Yellow onion – 1, diced
🥩Meat & Seafood(2)
- Beef broth – 1 cup (240 ml)
- Ground beef – 1 lb (454 g)
🥛Dairy & Eggs(2)
- Parmesan cheese – ½ cup, grated (120 ml)
- Whole milk – ½ cup (120 ml)
🫙Pantry Staples(4)
- Crushed tomatoes – 28 oz can (794 g)
- Olive oil – 2 tbsp (30 ml)
- Spaghetti – 12 oz (340 g)
- Tomato paste – 2 tbsp (30 ml)
🧂Spices & Seasonings(4)
- Bay leaf – 1
- Black pepper – ½ tsp (2.5 ml)
- Dried oregano – 1 tsp (5 ml)
- Salt – 1 tsp (5 ml)
📦Other(1)
- Dry red wine – ½ cup (120 ml)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- 2
Add ground beef and cook for 6 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon until no pink remains.
- 3
Add diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until translucent.
- 4
Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 5
Add grated carrot and chopped celery, cooking for 3 minutes until softened.
- 6
Mix in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen its flavor.
- 7
Pour in red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- 8
Simmer the wine for 3 minutes until reduced by half.
- 9
Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, whole milk, dried oregano, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper.
- 10
Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce heat to low.
- 11
Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
- 12
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- 13
Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
- 14
Add spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes until al dente.
- 15
Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
- 16
Add cooked spaghetti to the Bolognese sauce along with ¼ cup of pasta water.
- 17
Toss vigorously to combine and emulsify the sauce.
- 18
Stir in grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Don't overcrowd the pot when browning ground beef—use a Dutch oven at least 5-6 quarts and cook in batches if needed, because excess moisture released from crowded meat causes steaming instead of the Maillard reaction that develops deep, savory flavor.techniqueabove 300°F for browning
- ✓Cook the tomato paste for the full 2 minutes over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, since this caramelizes its natural sugars and breaks down raw tomato compounds, converting bitter notes into complex umami flavor.technique2 minutes at medium-high heat
- ✓Reduce the red wine until it's visibly thickened and reduced by half (roughly 3 minutes at a rapid simmer) to cook off harsh alcohol vapors while concentrating tartaric acid and fruit esters that balance the richness of the meat.timingreduced by 50%
- ✓Dice the carrot and celery smaller than the onion (roughly 1/4-inch) since their tougher cellulose structure takes longer to soften, ensuring all soffritto vegetables reach the same tender texture by the 3-minute mark.ingredient1/4-inch dice
- ✓Use an 80/20 ground beef blend rather than lean meat, as the higher fat content renders during the 6-minute browning stage and carries fat-soluble flavor compounds throughout the sauce during the long simmer.ingredient80/20 fat ratio