When you make this, don’t expect a standard tomato sauce. This is a time-honored, traditional meat sauce with just a touch of tomato. It may be unfamiliar at first, but it is addictive. (Note: some recipes do have more tomato however it is, at heart. a meat sauce.)
When I make a Ragù alla Bolognese, I use homemade Pancetta and I grind my own meat. I like home-ground meats for two reasons. First, I know how fresh it is, and I use high-quality, grass-fed, organic meats from the farmers’ market. Second, when I grind it at home, it is looser, contains less water, and doesn’t clump as much, all of which make it easier to brown.
This sauce takes time. Don’t rush it. Put on some good music, sit down with a good book, and stop by occasionally to stir, all the while enjoying the mouthwatering aromas in your home during those two hours of cooking.
Today’s recipe is based on the one by Ada Boni found in her book Italian Regional Cooking. The book was given to my Aunt Rae by her mother-in-law, Mrs. Tolaro, who was born in Sicily. Aunt Rae passed it on to me, and it is one of my trusted go-to sources for authentic Italian recipes.
I paired this with a really nice Grenache from Kitá Wines in California’s Santa Ynez Valley. Read about it on the Provence WineZine.
~ David
Ragù alla Bolognese
This is an authentic recipe from Emilia Romagna, home to the tradition Ragù alla Bolognese. Click icon below to print recipe.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 4 ounces pancetta, diced
- 8 ounces ground beef (I used boneless ribeye)
- 8 ounces ground pork (I used bone-in pork loin)
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- 3/4 cup dry white wine
- 3 rounded tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups chicken stock, simmering
- 1/2 cup light cream
- fresh tagliatelle, for serving
Instructions
- Melt half the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta, and cook until vegetables are soft and the pancetta is somewhat browned — about 10 minutes.
- Add the ground meats, breaking up any clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper, then add the wine and continue to cook until the wine has mostly evaporated — about 3-5 minutes. Remember that the butter and olive oil won’t evaporate, so the mixture will never be dry. You can tell when the wine has evaporated when the liquid in the pan turns thicker and glossier.
- Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the meat; add a ladle of stock to loosen it. Continue to cook over medium-low for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally, adding a little stock at a time to keep it moist. When all the stock is gone, add the light cream and mix in well. Cook for another 15 minutes, stirring ragù occasIonally, then add the remaining butter.
- Serve with fresh tagliatelle.
- Makes enough for 6 servings.
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Chef Mimi
March 5, 2022 at 6:14 amLovely. I made it for the first time last year.It’s heavenly.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 5, 2022 at 1:24 pmHeavenly is the perfect word, Mimi!
Provençal Pairings: Wine with FoodGruntled with Grenache - Provence WineZine
March 5, 2022 at 7:11 am[…] We shared this bottle with friends while enjoying a plate of long simmered Ragù alla Bolognese served over homemade tagliatelle. It was a fantastic pairing, and I invite you to check out the recipe on Cocoa & Lavender. […]
JOHANNA LOCKHART
March 5, 2022 at 8:36 amNostalgic and authentic-near to all ingredients in a favorite recipe of Julia Child- as cooked up, 20 years ago, at Kidz ‘n the Kitchen Cooking School, Westerly, RI by Chef Nancy Barr, Julia’s longtime cooking companion. What I most remember about Nancy’s event, An Evening with Julia, was that I forget to salt the pasta water, and Nancy let me hear about it- as would have Julia, I imagine. Thanks David for this recipe and much appreciated weekly culinary journey. Johanna in Tucson.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 5, 2022 at 1:25 pmFunny you should mention salting the water, Johanna — I’m always on Mark for forgetting, or for undersalting. The water should taste like the sea! I’m glad this brought back so many wonderful memories.
John / Kitchen Riffs
March 5, 2022 at 9:30 amThis is a masterpiece! Ragù alla Bolognese is such a classic for good reason, and your recipe is pitch perfect. It’s been a long time since I’ve made this — I more often make a meat sauce with a lot of tomato (what a lot of US restaurants call a bolognese sauce, but of course it isn’t; although it’s awfully good). You have me craving this. Will be making your recipe, soon. Thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 5, 2022 at 1:29 pmWhen we served it to guests, they assumed it was going to be a tomato-based sauce. I asked if they’d ever had a Ragù alla Bolognese in Italy, and they said no. I told them that next time they were in Italy, especially in Emilia Romagna, that they should have it there. And, John, I’m not against a tomato meat sauce, in fact I love them. They are just two different things!
sippitysup
March 5, 2022 at 11:43 amHave you ever added chicken livers? Sounds strange but I’ve read that the first known written recipe (1891) for bolognese included them. However, in today’s Italy, I bet twenty different cooks will make twenty different versions so there is no definitive answer here. I’ve tried it and it adds depth and creaminess without adding a “liver” flavor. Still, when I make it I usually follow something very close to your excellent recipe. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
March 5, 2022 at 1:29 pmI have never tried this, Greg. In fact you’re the second person to take a comment that a couple of chicken livers makes a big difference. I will definitely give it a shot… Sounds fascinating, and I imagine it adds quite a bit of depth to the flavor.
Marian Jensen
March 5, 2022 at 1:22 pmOooooohhhhh. I love Ragu–and this recipe looks amazing. Have you tried it with rigatoni?
Cocoa & Lavender
March 5, 2022 at 1:32 pmRagù is the best! I have never served it with any other pasta than tagliatelle, as that is the traditional form used in Bologna. Besides, my Mark is not a big fan of rigatoni as a pasta shape. 🤷🏼♂️
Eha
March 5, 2022 at 3:22 pmI prepare the ragu in a remarkably similar manner and very often – possibly because in a slightly less sophisticated manner it is at least a weekly dish in the Baltics – I grew up on it 🙂 ! I have a very helpful local butcher who will mince my choice of meats – and that varies according to ‘mood’ – in front of me. Tomatoes have never played a big part if any and I also do not use cream . . . but oddly, in ‘my way’, a tablespoon of sour cream may embellish ) ! Love handcut flat noodles with this . . . Glad to see you seem to be well . . .
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2022 at 7:36 amIt’s fun hearing about all the different versions made. Sour local butcher is just as obliging but, once the meat has been packaged to go home, it’s already compressed. I never mind grinding it at home. I know – as you have mentioned quite often – that you don’t do cream or milk, but that is one ingredient that makes it a true Ragù alla Bolognese.
Eha
March 6, 2022 at 3:21 pmI take your point . . . but, as far as milk is concerned – I love the low-fat stuff, and ricotta, low fat cottage cheese, plain yoghurt , certain cheeses etc et al . . . just the nutritionist in me speaks up at times . . . my apologies 🙂 !
Valentina
March 5, 2022 at 4:43 pmI love “chatting” with like-minded cooks who, like me, enjoy the time while things are on the stove. When something is on the stove for a long time, I so enjoy the “stopping by” to check on it, the adjusting the heat, the seasonings, the aromas wafting through the house, etc.
I don’t think I’ve had a bolognese like this, without a generous portion of it being tomatoes. I welcome this version and will try it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2022 at 7:40 amYou know, Valentina, this recipe is exactly why cooking sous vide isn’t for me. While I know the process makes for perfectly cooked meats and such, it takes away one of the best part of cooking — the aromas in the house! I hope you give this a try!
sherry M
March 5, 2022 at 7:28 pmwow i admire your dedication david. Making pancetta? grinding meat? sounds marvellous. As you may remember i am not a big fan of tomatoes so a sauce with less sounds wonderful 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2022 at 7:41 amI hadn’t thought of you and the minimal tomato issue, Sherry, but am glad it works for you.
Stephanie Zarpas
March 5, 2022 at 9:54 pmHi David! I’ve been making this one from Nigel Slater for several years. It is delicious and similar to yours in many ways. I often make it with ground lamb and find I prefer it in this recipe. I’ve just ordered a vintage copy of Ada Boni’s book to see what other treasures it holds. Thanks for your beautiful, inspiring blog! — Stephanie xo
https://food52.com/recipes/26984-nigel-slater-s-really-good-spaghetti-bolognese
Cocoa & Lavender
March 6, 2022 at 7:46 amStephanie — Slater’s sauce sounds really good but, to me, it will never be a Ragù alla Bolognese, not just because of the lamb, but also the addition of mushrooms and garlic. Believe me, I’m not against playing with my food (recipes) but if I am playing with a time-honored, traditional recipe, I simply rename it.
Ronit Penso Tasty Eats
March 6, 2022 at 4:54 pmThe dish looks perfect! I’m all for the minimalist approach of the traditional recipe.
Definitely with you on grinding meat at home, especially for this dish!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:09 pmHome ground meat is the best, Ronit! I thought there’s a saying, you just get so much more control over it – and you know how well you cleaned the grinder after the last time!
Inger
March 7, 2022 at 1:59 pmI’ll have to try this David. I may even break out my meat grinder if I happen to be on top of things!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:11 pmIt’s definitely worth getting out the meat grinder, Inger!
Jeff the Chef
March 7, 2022 at 9:41 pmWhat a fantastic looking Ragusa! Homemade pancetta??? Man, would I love a bowlful!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:11 pmIt really tasted great, Jeff! Can’t wait to make it again… And again… And again…
Christina Conte
March 8, 2022 at 7:48 amThis is a lovely thing to see: a REAL Bolognese sauce! Does my head in seeing what people “think” is Bolognese, especially in the UK when they call the dish, “spag-bol”! Horrible.
Thanks for sharing the Italian love, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:12 pmI can’t tell you if I’ve ever had a real Ragù alla Bolognese in the United States! Other than in someone’s home. It is the best!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
March 8, 2022 at 12:44 pmOh yeah, this looks impeccable. You went an extra mile grinding the meat, and I definitely support this slow-cooking process. I’ve heard some Italians can cook meat ragù for many hours (7 and longer). But I think 1 1/2 hours are perfectly fine, too 🙂 Excellent job!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:12 pmI have heard that also, Ben. I can’t imagine 7 1/2 hours, but it depends on the meat I suppose…
the-FoodTrotter
March 10, 2022 at 4:26 pm¨People don’t often realize how long a real ragu is supposed to simmer. Even though I don’t cooked the typical ragu alla bolognese quite often, any tomato sauce I make cook for at least 1h.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:13 pmI agree, Romain. The longer you cook a sauce or a Ragù, the more it concentrates and the flavors are so much better.
Raymund
March 10, 2022 at 5:37 pmMe too, I love grinding my own meat, first because you know what goes on it, its fresh and you can control the fat content. For me I add more fat as it brings tons of flavour and moisture. Nothing worse than a dry meat
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:14 pmI’m with you, Raymund!. Sometimes you need a good amount of fat to make the flavor just right.
2pots2cook
March 11, 2022 at 4:20 amGreat ragu it is. I would just add few words to Greg’s comment: chicken liver adds such a creamy texture. Doing so, it needs less tomato sauce. Enjoy your weekend!
Cocoa & Lavender
March 11, 2022 at 2:14 pmI will definitely try it next time, Davorka!
John
March 19, 2022 at 3:59 pmI must try this recipe, David, and I really like Greg’s tip of adding chicken liver. I’d never even think to do that, but I’m sure it’s divine.
Cocoa & Lavender
March 20, 2022 at 6:55 amI know — the liver sounds really interesting as an addition. I love how I learn things that that from you all.