Pasta Bolognese

Pasta Bolognese is a traditional Italian meat sauce recipe made with pancetta, ground beef, onions, carrots, celery, and tomatoes all slowly simmered into a sauce. Eat it over pasta with fresh basil, fresh thyme, and grated parmesan cheese. This is one of my favorite Sunday meals and one recipe that everyone should experience. With its rich slow cooked flavor and fresh herbs, you will want to savor this dish.

How to make Pasta Bolognese

Heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until slightly crispy. Then add the ground beef and cook until about halfway browned. Then add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.

Now add the tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf. and if desired Parmesan rinds. Bring the mixture to a soft boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 2-3 hours adding more beef broth if the mixture becomes too thick.

Once the sauce is almost simmered down bring a large pot of salted water to boil over medium-high heat. Cook the rigatoni al dente according to package instructions and drain well. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for thinning the dish if it becomes too thick. Stir the milk, fresh thyme, and fresh basil into the sauce. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste. Mix the cooked pasta into the sauce and top with fresh herbs. Dish the pasta into bowls and sprinkle with a little freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Helpful recipe tips and notes

• Pancetta is a cut from the belly of the pig that is cured with salt but not smoked. It is sliced very thin. You can eat it cooked or uncooked. I prefer mine cooked in a skillet like bacon.
• Chop the veggies very fine. It takes a little bit of time but it is well worth the effort.
• If you keep old Parmesan rinds in the fridge or the freezer and they have so signs of spoilage add them to the sauce and let them simmer in the sauce.
• Don’t forget to remove the Parmesan rinds and the bay leaf before serving.
• For best results use fresh herbs but do not add them until the sauce is finished simmering.
• Substitutions for the dry red wine include dry white wine, vodka, or more beef broth.
• Other kinds of pasta that work with this sauce include tagliatelle, pappardelle, penne, ziti, or even medium shells.
• Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water for thinning the dish if it becomes too thick.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For best results heat in the microwave at reduced power.
• Freeze bolognese sauce for up to 3 months.

What to serve with Pasta Bolognese

• Italian chopped salad
• Crusty French Bread with sweet cream butter
• Roasted broccoli
• Caesar salad
• Easy Garlic Knots
• Oven Roasted Parmesan Asparagus
• Easy Panzanella Salad
• Simple garden salad
• Cheese Garlic Bread

More pasta recipes to try!

Pasta Bolognese Recipe

Slow simmered classic Italian Pasta Bolognese sauce with pancetta, ground beef, onions, carrots, celery, and tomatoes over al dente pasta and sprinkled with fresh thyme and basil.

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: pasta

Cuisine: Italian

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 530kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 3 ounces pancetta chopped
• 1 lb lean lean ground beef
• 1 medium yellow onion finely chopped
• 1 large carrot finely chopped
• 1 rib celery finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• ½ cup dry red wine see notes
• ½-1 cup low sodium beef broth
• 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 Parmesan rinds optional
• 1 lb. rigatoni pasta
• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
• Freshly grated parmesan cheese serving

Instructions

• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook until slightly crispy, approximately 5 minutes.
• Add the ground beef and cook until about halfway browned.  Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until the beef is browned and the vegetables are tender. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute while stirring.
• Add the tomato paste, red wine, beef broth, crushed tomatoes, bay leaf. and if desired Parmesan rinds. Bring the mixture to a soft boil and then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 2-3 hours adding more beef broth if the mixture becomes too thick.
• Once the sauce is almost simmered down bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the rigatoni al dente according to package instructions and drain well.
• Stir the milk, fresh thyme, and fresh basil into the sauce. Season with kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
• Mix in the cooked pasta and top with fresh herbs. Serve with a little freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Notes

• Pancetta is a cut from the belly of the pig that is cured with salt but not smoked. It is sliced very thin. You can eat it cooked or uncooked. I prefer mine cooked in a skillet like bacon.
• Chop the veggies very fine. It takes a little bit of time but it is well worth the effort.
• If you keep old Parmesan rinds in the fridge or the freezer and they have so signs of spoilage add them to the sauce and let them simmer in the sauce.
• Don't forget to remove the Parmesan rinds and the bay leaf before serving.
• For best results use fresh herbs but do not add them until the sauce is finished simmering.
• Substitutions for the dry red wine include dry white wine, vodka, or more beef broth.
• Other kinds of pasta that work with this sauce include tagliatelle, pappardelle, penne, ziti, or even medium shells.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. For best results heat in the microwave at reduced power.
• Freeze bolognese sauce for up to 3 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 530kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 275mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2044IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 4mg

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