Description
This rich and hearty Bolognese Sauce recipe combines a medley of aromatic vegetables, savory meats, and bold seasonings slowly simmered to perfection. Made with Italian sausage, ground beef, wine, cream, and tomatoes, it is a classic Italian meat sauce perfect for serving over tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta. The sauce develops deep flavors with extended simmering and finishes fresh with parsley and basil.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 1 cup celery (chopped)
- 3 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 6 cloves garlic (smashed and minced)
- 5 sprigs fresh rosemary (chopped) or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/3 cup fresh parsley (optional)
- 1/3 cup fresh basil (optional)
Meats
- 1/2 pound mild Italian sausage
- 1/2 pound ground beef
Liquids & Sauces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 6-ounce can tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth (or 2 cups water + 2 teaspoons beef base)
- 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Seasonings and Spices
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (crushed)
For Serving
- 1 & 1/2 pounds tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta (boiled in salted water)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (to garnish)
Instructions
- Chop Vegetables: Finely chop 1 large onion, 1 cup celery, and 3 medium peeled carrots. Use a food processor or a knife ensuring carrots are chopped small for even cooking.
- Heat Oil and Add Vegetables: Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots, coating them well in the oil.
- Season Vegetables: Season the vegetables with 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary if fresh is not used.
- Sauté Vegetables: Cook and stir the vegetables with the spices for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
- Prepare Herbs and Garlic: Chop 5 sprigs fresh rosemary finely. Using the side of a chef’s knife, crush and then finely mince 6 cloves garlic.
- Add Rosemary and Garlic: Add rosemary and garlic to the pot, ensuring enough oil is present to prevent burning. Cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Add Meats: Add 1/2 pound Italian sausage and 1/2 pound ground beef to the pot.
- Brown the Meat: Break the meat apart with a wooden spoon and cook until fully browned, approximately 5 minutes.
- Add Liquids and Tomato Paste: Pour in 1 cup white wine, 1 cup heavy cream, and stir in the 6-ounce tomato paste. Bring to a simmer and cook 5-10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the liquid reduces.
- Add Broth and Tomatoes: Stir in 2 cups beef broth and the 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar.
- Simmer Sauce: Bring the mixture to a low simmer over medium to medium-low heat so it bubbles gently.
- Long Simmer: Allow the sauce to simmer for at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours, adding extra broth as needed to maintain desired consistency. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor.
- Add Fresh Herbs: Stir in 1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley and 1/3 cup chopped fresh basil just before serving.
- Cook Pasta: In a separate large pot, boil several quarts of water with 2 tablespoons salt until it tastes as salty as the ocean. Add 1 & 1/2 pounds tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta and cook 3-6 minutes, following package instructions for al dente. Drain immediately.
- Plate and Serve: Toss pasta with olive oil if desired. Plate the pasta and generously top with Bolognese sauce. Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan and additional fresh basil and parsley if desired.
Notes
- Use fresh herbs whenever possible for maximum flavor, but dried rosemary works well too.
- Simmering the sauce for longer than an hour intensifies the flavor and tenderizes the meat.
- Add extra broth during long simmers to prevent the sauce from becoming too thick or drying out.
- Leftover cooked meat from this recipe can be reused in Italian Wedding Soup for a delicious meal.
- The type of pasta traditionally paired with Bolognese is tagliatelle, but pappardelle is an excellent substitute.
- Be generous with seasoning the pasta water; it should taste very salty to properly season the pasta.
