There’s something incredibly satisfying about letting Bolognese, the famous Italian meat sauce, simmer on the stove for hours, perfuming your whole house with its meaty aromas. Sigh! While this sauce is usually served with hearty pasta, you can also work it into baked potatoes, bell peppers, or nachos! I loved this easy Bolognese recipe so much that I ate it with rice. (I mean, have I ever said anything more Puerto Rican?!)
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Stephanie
Easy Recipe for Bolognese Sauce
Now, I’ll be the first to say this isn’t a traditional recipe. Bolognese is the traditional meat sauce of Bologna, Italy. It’s mostly ground beef with a bit of pork thrown in, stewed in tomatoes, with a touch of milk and butter added to round out the sauce’s acidity. American meat sauces tend to be much more tomato-forward, often with garlic, oregano, and other herbs mixed in.
In this version, I blend the two styles to make something that’s easy, flavorful, and totally doable for home cooks. I skip the pork to keep things budget-friendly and lean on a little garlic for extra depth. I also use canned crushed tomatoes instead of fresh ones to save time and money (although you can use fresh if you like). It’s still rich, cozy, and perfect after a slow simmer—the kind of sauce that clings lovingly to your pasta!
Bolognese Recipe
Bolognese, the dreamy (and easy) Italian meat sauce, pairs with more than pasta. Work it into baked potatoes, bell peppers, rice, or nachos!
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- 4 Tbsp butter, divided ($0.56)
- 1 medium onion, diced ($0.70)
- 1/2 tsp salt, divided ($0.01)
- 2 stalks celery, diced ($0.20)
- 1 large carrot, diced ($0.11)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced* ($0.08)
- 1 lb ground beef, 80/20** ($4.98)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.01)
- 1 cup milk ($0.18)
- 1 cup wine (red or white)*** ($1.14)
- 1 28oz can crushed tomatoes**** ($1.69)
Place a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add butter to the pan. When the butter foams, add the onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sautée until translucent.
Add the celery and carrot and sautée for two minutes, until they have softened some.
Next, add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the ground beef and pepper. Brown the beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon as it cooks.
Once the beef has browned, add the milk, wine, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir occasionally and simmer until the liquid has evaporated completely, about 30 minutes.
Add the crushed tomatoes. Mix until incorporated. Lower the heat as soon as the tomatoes come up to a simmer.
Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours. Stir occasionally. If the sauce dries out, stir in a half cup of water. Once it is finished, taste for salt and pepper.
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**I use an 80/20 ground beef. Lean beef does not work well for this recipe.
***I use white wine, but either red or white will work. But if you use red, the sauce must cook for longer to mellow the flavor. White wine cooks down much faster, which is why I used it in this recipe. If you don’t want to use wine, substitute it with white grape juice with a bit of white vinegar.
****If you want to use fresh tomatoes, you’ll have to puree the fresh tomatoes first and double the cooking time on the sauce.
Serving: 1cupCalories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 13gFat: 18gSodium: 386mgFiber: 3g
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How to Make Bolognese Step-by-Step Photos
Gather all of your ingredients.
Sauté the vegetables: Place a heavy-bottomed pot (like a Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to the pan. When the butter is foaming, add 1 medium diced onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent.
Now, add 2 stalks of diced celery and 1 large diced carrot and sauté for two minutes, until they have softened some. Next, add the 2 cloves of minced garlic and sauté until it becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
Brown the beef: Carefully add a pound of ground beef and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Break up the ground beef into smaller meat crumbles with a wooden spoon as it browns.
Add the milk and wine: Once the beef has browned, add 1 cup of milk, 1 cup of wine, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir occasionally and simmer (don’t boil) until the liquid evaporates completely. This took me about 30 minutes in total.
Add the tomatoes: Pour in the 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes and mix to combine. Once the tomatoes come up to a simmer, immediately lower the heat.
Cook and serve: Cook, without a lid, for 3 hours. Be sure to stir it occasionally. If the sauce dries out at all, stir in a half cup of water. When it’s finished simmering, taste for salt and pepper and adjust the seasoning. Serve this over hearty pasta like tagliatelle, pappardelle, or rotini. You can also pair it with a baked potato, stuff it into a bell pepper, or serve it over rice or nachos!
- Use a large heavy-bottomed pot. A Dutch oven is perfect, as it retains heat and simmers ingredients without scorching them.
- Chop the onions, carrots, and celery into small dice. Ensuring all vegetables are the same size helps them melt into the sauce and creates deeper flavor.
- Be patient. This homemade Bolognese is a long game. Cook at a simmer for a minimum of 3 hours. Do not boil.
Serving Suggestions
This rich, hearty sauce calls for some sort of pasta, but like I said earlier, you can serve it in baked potatoes or with nachos! However, a slice of warm, buttery garlic bread on the side is pretty much non-negotiable for most people. If I want something fresh to balance it all out, I’ll throw together a quick Greek salad, too. It’s a simple, satisfying meal that hits all the right notes.
Storage & Reheating
Store the sauce in an airtight container, preferably glass or ceramic, as it stains plastic. It will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re freezing this recipe for Bolognese, try doing so in portions, so you only thaw it once. Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the microwave until it starts to steam. If microwaving it, I’d top it with a paper towel over it so it doesn’t splatter everywhere.
Our Bolognese recipe was originally published 4/15/23. It was retested, reworked, and republished to be better than ever 4/22/25.
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