Homemade Bolognese Sauce

5 from 3 votes
A red circle with the letters FFA red circle with the letters GFA red circle with the letters LC

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This is the best beef Bolognese Sauce with ground beef, canned tomatoes, broth, vegetables, and garlic that makes a hearty sauce for your favorite pasta. This classic homemade pasta sauce is full of flavor and will make your home smell incredible as it simmers on the stovetop!

plate of beef bolognese with pasta

Homemade Beef Bolognese Sauce

Pasta is a classic weeknight go-to. From quick Gluten-Free Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Chicken to creamy Vodka Sauce, there are so many tasty ways to serve up satisfying pasta dishes all year long. But there’s nothing like the delicious, rich aroma of a long-simmered pot of bolognese sauce. This recipe has incredible flavor from the combination of dry wine, umami-rich canned tomatoes, broth, and sauteed vegetables.

Whether you let it cook all day long on a chilly weekend or you throw it together after work, this is a family-favorite pasta dinner recipe you’ll want to keep on hand.

pot with beef bolognese sauce

Ingredients

The ingredients for this flavor-packed bolognese sauce add umami, spice, and herbal flavors. Here’s what you need to make the sauce:

  • Olive oil
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Celery
  • Ground beef. I use lean ground beef (at least 90% lean).
  • Garlic. Fresh is best, but if you don’t have it, use 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder.
  • White wine. Use a dry wine that you like the flavor of for cooking. If you prefer not to cook with wine, substitute more broth.
  • Milk. I use whole milk.
  • Crushed tomatoes. You can also use whole tomatoes and mash them a bit if you don’t have crushed.
  • Tomato paste
  • Broth. You can use low-sodium chicken or beef broth for this sauce. Homemade also works!
  • Parsley. I use fresh, but in a pinch you can use 2 teaspoons of dried parsley.
  • Italian seasoning. This is a blend of dried oregano, parsley, basil and marjoram.
  • Bay leaf
ingredients for beef bolognese sauce

How to Make Bolognese Sauce

You’ll need a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot to make this sauce. Follow these instructions to bring everything together:

Saute the vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 6-7 minutes. Avoid browning the vegetables.

Add the beef: Stir in the ground beef and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.

Add the liquid: Add the white wine and stir to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Cook for 5-6 minutes, until the liquid has evaporated. Add the milk and bring to a simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. It may appear slightly curdled at first, but will smooth out again.

Add the remaining ingredients: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. You can simmer for several hours to develop the flavors further.

Serve: Discard the bay leaf and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, prepare pappardelle or tagliatelle according to package instructions, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. If necessary, use the pasta water to thin out the sauce when you serve the pasta with sauce.

Tips for Success

Before you start making this one-pot bolognese sauce, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

  • Use a heavy-bottomed pot that maintains heat well, such as a stock pot or a cast-iron dutch oven.
  • Wait until the olive oil is heated in the pot before you add the vegetables for sauteing.
  • You can make your own Italian seasoning by combinging equal parts dried basil, oregano, parsley and marjoram.
  • Thinning the sauce with pasta cooking water adds a bit of starch to the sauce that helps it cling to the noodles better.
  • The longer you simmer this sauce, the better it will taste!
white plate of pasta with bolognese sauce

Serving Suggestions

Bolognese sauce is traditionally served with a wider pasta such as pappardelle or tagliatelle. However, feel free to use any type of pasta. Spaghetti Bolognese is also quite popular. You can definitely use gluten free pasta. But try it on zoodles or spaghetti squash for a low carb option. I like to serve bolognese with a generous dusting of parmesan cheese on top. You can also add a sprinkle of minced basil too.

On the side, I recommend making these gluten-free dinner rolls! These easy homemade rolls are perfect for sopping up the extra sauce and trust me, you will want to get every last bite of this bolognese off your plate. And it’s also nice with some Air Fryer Zucchini or a side salad with a simple homemade dressing like one of these:

fork with tomato bolognese sauce with thick noodles

Storage Suggestions

You can store leftover bolognese sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. Reheat the sauce on the stove or in the microwave in 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval.

Can I Freeze Bolognese Sauce?

Yes! To freeze the sauce, make sure it’s fully cooled. Then place the sauce in an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw the sauce in the fridge overnight. Then reheat in a pot on the stove until warmed through. Stir regularly to prevent the sauce from burning.

shallow white bowl of pasta bolognese

Shop the Recipe

Brianne Recommends

DUTCH OVEN: A nice, heavy-bottomed enameled cast iron pot is the best thing for sauces and soups and stews and other dishes that need to simmer.

TUTTOROSSO CRUSHED TOMATOES: This the the brand I always recommend. They have wonderful flavor and are great quality for a good price.

GLUTEN FREE TAGLIATELLE: I used Jovial pasta in the photos here. Sometimes these specialty shapes can be hard to find in gluten free versions.

PASTA BOWLS: If you like these shallow dishes in the photos, you can order a set on Amazon.

shallow white bowl of pasta bolognese
5 from 3 votes

Bolognese Sauce

This rich and meaty bolognese sauce is full of ground beef, crushed tomatoes and tomato paste for a comforting pasta dinner any time of year.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 55 minutes
Total: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 16 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion , chopped (about ½ cup)
  • 1 medium carrot , peeled and finely chopped (about ⅔ cup)
  • 1 stalk celery , finely chopped
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper , or to taste
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 2 cloves garlic , minced
  • 1 cup dry white wine , such as pinot grigio or chardonnay
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes (recommended: Tuttorosso)
  • 1 cup chicken or beef broth
  • 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
  • 2 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1 bay leaf

Instructions

  • Pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta, gluten free if needed, cooked al dente according to the package directions
  • Parmesan cheese for serving, if desired
  • Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot such as an enameled cast iron dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until soft, about 6-7 minutes or until soft and translucent, but not browned..
  • Stir in the ground beef and garlic, and cook until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up as it cooks.
  • Pour in wine and cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until liquid has evaporated, 5 or 6 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. It may appear slightly curdled at first, but will smooth out again.
  • Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and bay leaf, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour, or longer, if possible.
  • Discard bay leaf and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
  • Cook paparadelle or tagliatelle to al dente according to the package directions, saving 1 cup of the cooking water to thin out the sauce, if needed.
Nutrition Facts
Bolognese Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 97 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 2g10%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 3g
Cholesterol 21mg7%
Sodium 158mg7%
Potassium 162mg5%
Carbohydrates 3g1%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 6g12%
Vitamin A 719IU14%
Vitamin C 3mg4%
Calcium 31mg3%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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