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This bolognese-style meat sauce (or ground beef ragu) is a family favorite. It’s our “go-to” spaghetti with meat sauce recipe and we go to it a lot! A sauce like this deserves quality pasta – a wide noodle like tagliatelle or pappardelle is best. However, you can also serve it on spaghetti noodles, linguine, ravioli or whatever pasta you have on hand. It’s also a great sauce for making lasagna. I like this recipe because it is relatively simple. I kept the ingredient list pretty short – all things you probably have in your pantry/freezer. The active cook time is also fairly short . . . but it does need to simmer for three to four hours though so plan ahead or make ahead. I like to make a double (or triple) batch and freeze the leftovers. Serve with garlic bread, a simple green salad, and an Italian red for a fine Italian meal.
Company coming for the holidays? This is a great sauce to make ahead – pretty much everybody (including kids) will love it. You can fancy it up with quality pasta, cheese, and fresh herbs or just keep it simple with basic spaghetti.
Looking for more ragu recipes? Try my pork ragu, lamb ragu, or duck ragu.
Bonus: If you have leftover sauce, try this risotto with ragu recipe!
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Ingredients
This sauce is made from a simple list of ingredients – things you probably already have on hand in your pantry/fridge/freezer.
- Mined onion, carrot, celery, and garlic
- Red pepper flakes
- Fennel seed
- Ground beef
- Canned whole tomatoes and tomato paste
- Oregano and bay leaf
- Chicken or beef stock
- Wine
- Milk
- Parsley and cheese for garnish
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
The active cook time for this recipe is quick – 20 minutes or so to sautee veggies and brown the meat. Then you just add the final ingredients and simmer for 3 to 4 hours. Don’t forget to give the pot an occasional stir.
Finely dice your onion, carrot, celery, and garlic.
Sautee the veggies until they are soft and fragrant.
Add the beef and cook until just browned. Then add the wine and simmer until it has cooked away.
Add remaining ingredients (except the milk) and simmer for 3 hours. Add the milk and simmer for another hour. Be sure to stir the sauce every 30 minutes or so to prevent sticking.
Cook your pasta according to package instructions. Garnish with parmesan cheese and fresh chopped parsley.
Substitutions and Variations
I typically make this recipe with ground beef but ground pork works well too. A mix of half beef and half pork is even better. Ground turkey can also be substituted.
Ragu is traditionally made with white wine but red wine also works fine. I often opt for red because that is what I prefer to drink with the meal.
This saue is seasoned with oregano and bay leaf along with a little red pepper and fennel. I like this combination but you can also opt for herbs like thyme, sage, marjoram, rosemary, and basil. Some folks like to add a little nutmeg or cinnamon to their ragu as well.
Suggested Pairings
This sauce should be served on a wide flat noodle like tagliatelle or pappardelle. I also like big tubes like pacharri. For sides, you can’t beat garlic bread. Add a simple green salad too. And don’t forget the wine – try an Italian red like Chianti, Barbera, Barolo or Barbaresco.
Equipment
No fancy gadgets are needed for bolognese-style ragu but here are some thoughts on useful equipment. It is best to make ragu sauces like this in a heavy bottom pot. Dutch ovens, like the one below, are a great option. Other helpful equipment includes a pasta pot and strainer, and basic cooking utensils.
Bolognese-Style Meat Sauce FAQ
For this recipe, I prefer leaner ground beef mixes – generally 90/10. This way you don’t have to worry about skimming lots of fat from the sauce. Higher fat content is fine too – there will be more fat to drain through.
Red Italian wines are great with bolognese. Chianti is a great option. Barolo and barbarescos are even better is you are interested in higher price point wines.
Yes, this sauce is made with the traditional bolognese ingredients and the same slow simmer cooking method.
Bolognese-Style Meat Sauce
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
- Total Time: 4.5 hours
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
Description
A slow-simmered hearty pasta sauce packed with flavor!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons bacon grease or butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, minced
- 1 carrot, minced
- 1 stalk of celery minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon fennel seed
- 1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 can whole tomatoes in their juices, crushed by hand
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup chicken or beef stock
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 pound cooked pasta
- Freshly grated parmesan or pecorino and chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat oil in a dutch oven or large heavy pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes. Add the garlic, red pepper, and fennel seed and cook for 2 minutes more. Next, add ground beef and salt. Crumble it and cook until the meat has lost its raw pink color.
- Add the wine and turn up the heat to medium-high. Simmer until the wine has evaporated.
- Add the tomato paste, hand-crushed tomatoes, oregano, bay, and stock. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 3 hours. Be sure to stir every 20 to 30 minutes to prevent sticking. After the sauce has simmered the fat will have separated and formed a layer on the top. You can skim some off the surface but be sure to leave a bit behind for flavor.
- Stir in milk and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes more.
- Serve with a wide noodle and garnish with parsley and cheese.
