Bolognese Pasta Sauce
I used the last of my summer garden tomatoes to make Bolognese Pasta Sauce. I love this recipe because it makes enough so that I can serve it for dinner and still freeze some for dinner on another day. This sauce is thick and chunky and full of flavor. It simmers for a few hours, which makes the house smell so good.
What is Bolognese?
Bolognese is a ragu, which is an Italian sauce that is slow-cooked and consists mostly of meat. Bolognese can be creamy with the addition of milk or cream. It originates from Bologna, Italy. The sauce is traditionally used to make many Italian dishes, including lasagna and tagliatelle. Italian families make this sauce with pasta and serve it for large family dinners.
My recipe includes heart vegetables, which adds richness and depth to this sauce. There is nothing that smells more heavenly than a big pot of Bolognese Pasta Sauce as it simmers slowly over low heat for an hour. It is simply the best! It will be thick and rich and so very flavorful. And remember to freeze the leftovers for another meal later.
Bolognese Pasta Sauce Recipe
What’s needed?
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 slices of thick cut smoky bacon, sliced into thin strips
- 1/2 of an extra large sweet onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound mild Italian sausage
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 2 quarts of fresh tomatoes (or 2- 28 ounce cans crushed tomatoes)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons each of basil, oregano, and parsley
- 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 pound pasta, cooked according to package directions (8-10 minutes)
How to make Bolognese Pasta Sauce?
- In a large dutch oven, add the olive oil, bacon, onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until bacon is browned, stirring frequently.
- Remove bacon and onions from the pan and set aside. Add the ground beef and bulk sausage to the pan and brown until cooked through.
- Drain the excess fat from the pan. Add the bacon and onions back to the pan. Add the mushrooms and celery and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and spices. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
- Add the carrots and the white wine. Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.
Bolognese Pasta Sauce is thick, chunky and loaded with rich, deep flavor! The recipe makes 10 servings, which is enough for two meals for 5 people. I served it with angel hair pasta, a crisp garden salad and a glass of white wine. Perfect!
Allow the remaining sauce to cool completely. Ladle it into a gallon size freezer bag and freeze for use later. It takes a bit of time to make this amazing sauce, but it pays off in flavor and richness. Enjoy!
For more satisfying pasta dinners, check out these delicious recipes:
- Meatballs and Toasted Ravioli
- Caprese Chicken and Pasta
- Tuscan Salmon and Pasta
- Easy Stuffed Pasta Shells
- Lasagna Soup
Make this recipe for Bolognese Pasta Sauce and serve it with YOUR favorite pasta. You’re family will ask for it again and again!
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Bolognese Pasta Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 slices smoked bacon, sliced into small pieces
- 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound Italian sausage, mild
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 stalk celery, chopped
- 3 ounces tomato paste
- 64 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 pound pasta, cooked according to package instructions
Instructions
- In a large dutch oven, add the olive oil, bacon, onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until bacon is browned, stirring frequently.
- Remove bacon and onions from the pan and set aside. Add the ground beef and bulk sausage to the pan and brown until cooked through.
- Drain the excess fat from the pan. Add the bacon and onions back to the pan. Add the mushrooms and celery and cook for 5 more minutes.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar and spices. Simmer on low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
- Add the carrots and the white wine. Simmer for another hour, stirring occasionally.
- Bolognese Pasta Sauce is thick, chunky and loaded with rich, deep flavor! The recipe makes 10 servings, which is enough for two meals for 5 people. I served it with angel hair pasta, a crisp garden salad and a glass of white wine.
Equipment
- 1 large Dutch Oven, or large soup pot