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

38 Comments

  1. Chef Mimi

    March 5, 2022 at 6:14 am

    Lovely. I made it for the first time last year.It’s heavenly.

    Reply
  2. 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. […]

    Reply
  3. JOHANNA LOCKHART

    March 5, 2022 at 8:36 am

    Nostalgic 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.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 5, 2022 at 1:25 pm

      Funny 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.

      Reply
  4. John / Kitchen Riffs

    March 5, 2022 at 9:30 am

    This 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.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 5, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      When 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!

      Reply
  5. sippitysup

    March 5, 2022 at 11:43 am

    Have 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

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 5, 2022 at 1:29 pm

      I 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.

      Reply
  6. Marian Jensen

    March 5, 2022 at 1:22 pm

    Oooooohhhhh. I love Ragu–and this recipe looks amazing. Have you tried it with rigatoni?

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 5, 2022 at 1:32 pm

      Ragù 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. 🤷🏼‍♂️

      Reply
  7. Eha

    March 5, 2022 at 3:22 pm

    I 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 . . .

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 6, 2022 at 7:36 am

      It’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.

      Reply
      • Eha

        March 6, 2022 at 3:21 pm

        I 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 🙂 !

        Reply
  8. Valentina

    March 5, 2022 at 4:43 pm

    I 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

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 6, 2022 at 7:40 am

      You 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!

      Reply
  9. sherry M

    March 5, 2022 at 7:28 pm

    wow 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 🙂

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 6, 2022 at 7:41 am

      I hadn’t thought of you and the minimal tomato issue, Sherry, but am glad it works for you.

      Reply
  10. Stephanie Zarpas

    March 5, 2022 at 9:54 pm

    Hi 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

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 6, 2022 at 7:46 am

      Stephanie — 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.

      Reply
  11. Ronit Penso Tasty Eats

    March 6, 2022 at 4:54 pm

    The 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!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:09 pm

      Home 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!

      Reply
  12. Inger

    March 7, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    I’ll have to try this David. I may even break out my meat grinder if I happen to be on top of things!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      It’s definitely worth getting out the meat grinder, Inger!

      Reply
  13. Jeff the Chef

    March 7, 2022 at 9:41 pm

    What a fantastic looking Ragusa! Homemade pancetta??? Man, would I love a bowlful!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:11 pm

      It really tasted great, Jeff! Can’t wait to make it again… And again… And again…

      Reply
  14. Christina Conte

    March 8, 2022 at 7:48 am

    This 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!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      I 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!

      Reply
  15. Ben | Havocinthekitchen

    March 8, 2022 at 12:44 pm

    Oh 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!

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:12 pm

      I have heard that also, Ben. I can’t imagine 7 1/2 hours, but it depends on the meat I suppose…

      Reply
  16. 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.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      I agree, Romain. The longer you cook a sauce or a Ragù, the more it concentrates and the flavors are so much better.

      Reply
  17. Raymund

    March 10, 2022 at 5:37 pm

    Me 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

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 11, 2022 at 2:14 pm

      I’m with you, Raymund!. Sometimes you need a good amount of fat to make the flavor just right.

      Reply
  18. 2pots2cook

    March 11, 2022 at 4:20 am

    Great 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!

    Reply
  19. John

    March 19, 2022 at 3:59 pm

    I 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.

    Reply
    • Cocoa & Lavender

      March 20, 2022 at 6:55 am

      I know — the liver sounds really interesting as an addition. I love how I learn things that that from you all.

      Reply

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