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Authentic Slow-Simmered Bolognese Sauce

A close-up of fresh pappardelle pasta generously topped with rich, slow-cooked bolognese sauce in a white bowl.
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This recipe delivers a rich, traditional Italian meat sauce, slow-cooked for deep flavor. It uses a blend of beef and pork, milk, and wine, making it the best pasta sauce for your family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
  • 1 pound ground beef (80/20 recommended)
  • 1/2 pound ground pork
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup dry red wine (like Chianti or Merlot)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound tagliatelle or pappardelle pasta

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the pancetta with a slotted spoon and set aside, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.
  2. Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pot. Break up the meat with a spoon and cook until browned. Drain off excess fat.
  3. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery (the soffritto) to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more until fragrant.
  4. Pour in the red wine. Increase the heat to medium-high and let the wine bubble and reduce by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. This takes about 5 minutes.
  5. Pour in the whole milk. Let it simmer gently until it has almost completely evaporated, stirring occasionally. This step tenderizes the meat.
  6. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, oregano, and nutmeg. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer.
  7. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover the pot partially, and let the sauce simmer slowly for a minimum of 3 hours, or up to 4 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor becomes.
  8. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Stir in the reserved crispy pancetta during the last 15 minutes of cooking.
  9. Cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1/2 cup of the starchy cooking water.
  10. Toss the cooked pasta with the Bolognese sauce. Add a splash of the reserved pasta water if the sauce seems too thick. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For a freezer friendly pasta sauce, cool the sauce completely before storing it in airtight containers for up to 3 months.
  • If you want a quicker version, simmer the sauce for at least 1.5 hours, though the flavor will be less developed.
  • This rich beef pork sauce pairs perfectly with wide noodles like pappardelle or tagliatelle, as they hold the hearty sauce well.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://juliameal.com/authentic-slow-simmered-bolognese-sauce/