Bolognese Sauce

Meats – Use a combination of ground beef and ground pork in the Bolognese sauce. Pick ground beef that has a little fat content in it, like the 85/15 meat to fat ratio. I do not drain off the liquid as the meat cooks because that liquid has so much flavor in it. 

Vegetables – Bolognese sauce starts with what’s called “soffritto,” which is a trio of onions, celery, and carrots that is at the base of many sauces and soups.   

Tomatoes – Even though original ragù had a light amount of tomato sauce, Bolognese sauce that we know today has a heavy base of tomatoes and tomato paste. Use both crushed tomatoes and tomato paste to give a deep tomato flavor, acidity, and some sweetness. 

Wine – To compliment the beef, I prefer to use red wine in this sauce. White wine can easily be substituted as well and to be honest, the flavor difference is so fine, many people won’t even notice the substitution. 

Milk – I recommend using milk over cream because it is not added to make the sauce creamy but rather give it a different texture and help tenderize the meat. 

Herbs – Classic Italian cuisine herbs gives this sauce amazing flavor. Add garlic, oregano, parsley, and some fresh basil to finish the sauce. 

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.

Bolognese sauce is made through a combination of sauteing, sweating, and slow cooking and it will take a couple of hours to cook. I recommend using a Dutch oven for better and even cooking.

Start by sauteing onions, carrots, and celery until it’s soft (1) and add the meats. Break down all the clumps as meat cooks (2). Once meat is mostly browned, add red wine (3) and let it simmer for a few minutes. 

Add beef stock, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper (4) to the meat and mix it all well (5). Bring it to a simmer and lower the heat to low. Close the lid and let is slow cook for about an hour (6). 

After an hour, add milk and basil (7), close the lid and cook for another 45 minutes to an hour (8).

Storing Suggestions and Shelf Life

Store sauce in a glass jar (or two jars) with an air-tight lid, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

Food spoils faster when bacteria is introduced. To lower chances of bacteria getting in, do not put spoons or anything else in when getting sauce out, but pour some sauce out of the jar instead. Keep the lid on and open the jar as little as possible.

It’s better to divide the sauce among two jars so that the same jar is not opened several times for different recipes.

You can also freeze half of the sauce and save for later. 

Freezing Instructions

It’s always best to cool foods as quickly as possible before freezing. The faster it cools and freezes, the less chance for developing bacteria and subsequently, longer shelf life.

The best way to cool the sauce is to place the pot into a larger container filled with ice. To help it cool faster and evenly, make sure to stir the sauce often as it cools.

Once it’s cooled, you can portion sauce into several freezer bags or freezer containers with air-tight lid. Get all the air out and close completely. Label the bag or the container with date and name.

Place the bags flat on a cutting board and plate it in the freezer. Cutting board will help keep bags flat and straight as the sauce freezes.

Once sauce it frozen, you can remove the cutting board and stack the bags.

If using freezer containers, don’t stack them until the sauce it frozen to make sure each container freezes evenly. 

To thaw sauce, pull out individual bags or container out of the freezer and into the refrigerator. Slow-thaw in the refrigerator overnight or for up to 24 hours.

Some More Comforting Italian Recipes To Try

Instant Pot Spaghetti Sauce

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Italian Meatballs

Classic Lasagna

Chicken Parmesan

Baked Ziti