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Home » Recipes » Pasta

Pasta Bolognese

Modified: Dec 17, 2024 · Published: Sep 1, 2024 by Keith · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 2 reviews
hands holding a white bowl of pasta bolognese on a wooden table with yellow napkins and tomatoes

Savor the warmth of our rich, slow simmered Pasta Bolognese. This classic Italian dish is a hearty, comforting meal made with love.

Pasta Bolognese Finished

I've been making this Pasta Bolognese recipe for my family for years. The smell of this sauce simmering on the stove just feels like home. Unlike simple meat sauce, my Bolognese combines ground beef and ground pork for satisfying, complex flavor. And it's not just great over pasta. We like it layered into lasagna, spread on flatbreads, and even as a dipping sauce for homemade focaccia bread.

What we love most about this recipe is that you get rich, full-bodied flavor in just over 30 minutes. Sure, you can simmer it longer if you have time. But like our Pasta Pomodoro and Beef Stroganoff, this recipe makes an easy, weeknight dinner.

Serve it with: Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad, Burrata Toast, or Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • 🔪Top tip
  • Instructions
  • Variations
  • 🍝 More Pasta recipes
  • Wine Pairing
  • Storage
  • Related recipes
  • FAQ
  • Pasta Bolognese recipe

Ingredients

Pasta Bolognese Ingredients
  • GROUND BEEF: we like 85/15 ground beef
  • GROUND PORK: 70/30 ground pork
  • CARROTS: fresh carrots, finely diced
  • GREEN ONIONS: fresh green onions (scallions), chopped
  • GARLIC: garlic cloves, chopped
  • TOMATOES: canned whole peeled tomatoes
  • PARSLEY: fresh parsley, chopped
  • OLIVE OIL: use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can afford
  • BLACK PEPPER: ground black pepper
  • SALT: sea salt or kosher salt
  • PASTA: we like fettuccine pasta for this recipe

*see recipe card for quantities.

🔪Top tip

To save time and money, you can buy a Ground Beef and Pork Blend or "Meatball Mix", which includes beef, pork, and veal.

Instructions

  1. Cook the Meat: add ground beef and ground pork to heavy bottom stock pot. Cook over medium high heat until browned.
  2. Drain Meat: Drain meat and discard fat. Set browned meat aside to add later.
  3. Make the Roux: Add to stock pot olive oil, carrots, onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until carrots are tender (about 10 minutes). 
  4. Add Tomatoes: Add tomatoes along with juice from cans, along with salt and pepper, cook for 15 minutes breaking up tomatoes as it cooks.
  5. Blend: Add 1 C water and using an emulsion blender, blend until smooth or until you reach desired consistency.
  6. Add Meat to Tomato Sauce: Add ground meat back to pot and cook for 10 minutes over medium high heat stirring often. 
  7. Add Parsley: Add chopped parsley and stir to combine. Allow sauce to simmer on low while you cook the pasta.
  8. Cook Pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions (we like ours al dente). Drain.
  9. Serve: Top cooked pasta with Bolognese sauce. Serve.
Pasta Bolognese Eaten

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Variations

  • Add a Splash of Wine: add about ½ cup of red wine to the sauce as it is cooking for even more rich, complex flavor.
  • Make it Creamy: add a ½ cup heavy cream after you remove the Bolognese sauce from heat. It adds a level of smooth, rich flavor.
  • Meatless: try our Meatless Mushroom Ragù. It's a satisfying vegetarian option
  • Let it Simmer: let the meat and tomato sauce mixture simmer on the stove over low heat for up to an hour for a traditional Bolognese Sauce like grandma would make.
  • Pasta: we love fettuccine for this recipe because its flat shape holds the flavor best. You can also use pappardelle, tagliatelle, spaghetti, or penne pasta.

🍝 More Pasta recipes

  • Linguine alle Vongole
  • Pasta Pomodoro
  • Tagliatelle Pasta with Mushrooms
  • Homemade Chorizo and Cheese Ravioli

Wine Pairing

Caymus-Suisun Grand Durif is a robust Petite Sirah that has enough weight and flavor to pair with this hearty Bolognese Sauce. Its acidity perfectly balances the tomatoes.

Pasta Bolognese Served

Storage

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Reheat in a sauté pan over medium heat, adding olive oil if necessary.
  • Freeze leftover Bolognese sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
  • Make ahead: Bolognese Sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.

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    Traditional Beef Stroganoff
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    Pasta Pomodoro
  • meatballs stacked on plate, served over polenta with red sauce on top,
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  • spaghetti with mushroom ragu in white bowl garnished with basil leaf
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FAQ

What is Pasta Bolognese?

Pasta Bolognese is a classic Italian dish made with a rich, meaty tomato sauce served over pasta. The sauce typically includes ground beef, pork, or a combination of both, along with vegetables like onions, carrots, and celery simmered in tomatoes.

What is the difference between Bolognese sauce and regular meat sauce?

Bolognese sauce is a traditional Italian sauce that is thicker and creamier compared to regular meat sauce. It typically includes a mix of meats and has a longer cooking time to develop deep flavors.

What type of pasta is best for Bolognese?

Fettuccine, pappardelle or tagliatelle are traditionally used for Pasta Bolognese because their wide, flat shape holds the rich, thick sauce well. However, spaghetti or any other pasta can also be used.

Can Pasta Bolognese be made ahead of time?

Yes, Bolognese sauce actually improves in flavor when made ahead. You can prepare the sauce a day or two in advance, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat it before serving. It also freezes well for longer storage.

Can Pasta Bolognese be made vegetarian?

Yes, Pasta Bolognese can be made vegetarian by using plant-based ground meat, lentils, or mushrooms instead of traditional meat. Try our Meatless Mushroom Ragù.

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hands holding a white bowl of pasta bolognese on a wooden table with yellow napkins and tomatoes

Pasta Bolognese recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 2 reviews

Print Recipe

Savor the warmth of our rich, slow simmered Pasta Bolognese. This classic Italian dish is a hearty, comforting meal made with love.

  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 2 quarts 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 5 oz ground beef
  • 5 oz ground pork
  • 1 C finely diced carrots
  • ½ C chopped green onions
  • 3 clove garlic chopped
  • 2 28 oz cans of whole peeled tomatoes
  • ½ C chopped fresh parsley
  • ¼ C olive oil
  • 1 tbsp black pepper
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 12 ounces fettuccine pasta 

Instructions

  1. Add ground beef and ground pork to heavy bottom stock pot. Cook over medium high heat until browned.
  2. Drain meat and discard fat. Set browned meat aside to add later.
  3. Add to stock pot olive oil, carrots, onions and garlic. Cook over medium heat until carrots are tender (about 10 minutes). 
  4. Add tomatoes along with juice from cans, along with salt and pepper, cook for 15 minutes breaking up tomatoes as it cooks.
  5. Add 1 C water and using an imulsion blender blend until smooth or until you reach desired consistency.
  6. Add ground meat back to pot and cook for 10 minutes over medium high heat stirring often. 
  7. Add chopped parsley and stir to combine.
  8. Cook pasta according to package directions (we like our al dente). Drain. 
  9. Top cooked pasta with Bolognese sauce and serve.
  • Author: Superman Cooks
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 161
  • Sugar: 8.3 g
  • Sodium: 836.1 mg
  • Fat: 7 g
  • Carbohydrates: 14.2 g
  • Protein: 12.1 g
  • Cholesterol: 31.2 mg

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Comments

  1. Jackie says

    September 01, 2024 at 8:50 am

    This has quickly become one of our favorite weeknight meals. It's amazing how much flavor can develop in so little time. Everyone in our family loves it.

    Reply
  2. Dina and Bruce says

    September 04, 2024 at 9:03 am

    THIS was so good! Thank you for sharing! The family loved it!!

    Reply
    • Keith says

      September 04, 2024 at 9:43 am

      We are so happy your family liked this as much as ours does Dina and Bruce! Thanks so much for letting us know!

      Reply

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