This is the authentic traditional recipe for a Bolognese sauce. If it’s not done this way then it can’t be called a Bolognese ragu!
Ragù alla Bolognese is one of those dishes that gets talked about and everyone thinks they make the best Bolognese sauce. The truth is I’m sure you do! Every region of Italy has a way of making a ragu as does every family of every region. The authentic and traditional Bolognese sauce has rules that need to followed if you want to call it and authentic Ragu alla Bolognese. These are rules officially from Bologna.
A good Bolognese ragu is a slow cook sauce and you know it always seems to taste better the next day too . Pancetta gently melted, vegetables chopped by hand and softened patiently in the pan, meat browned properly, wine cooked off until it’s completely evaporated, then a long, quiet simmer. Take your time and enjoy the cook.
As it cooks, the liquid reduces, the flavours meld together, and everything starts to come together into a beautiful rich sauce that coats rather than pours. When it’s ready, it should cling to pasta and leave the bowl almost clean behind it.
One thing that’s worth saying clearly: this is not meant for spaghetti. Spaghetti is smooth and slippery, and it simply can’t carry a ragù like this. In Bologna, it’s paired with tagliatelle, pappardelle, or used in lasagne which is pasta with enough surface and structure to hold onto the sauce properly.
Maybe you’ve only ever had a quick version and cooking it this way might come as a surprise. But once you’ve made it properly, it’s hard to go back.
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See here we go, the authentic and traditional way of making the legendary Ragu alla Bolognese. Make it this way and tell me how much you enjoyed it and you will then understand why this is the best ever Bolognese recipe.
Traditional Bolognese sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese)
Ingredients
- 400 g Coarsely ground beef
- 150g Fresh pork pancetta
- ½ Onion peeled
- 1 Carrot medium and peeled
- 1 Celery stalk trimmed
- ½ cup Red or white wine white is more classic
- 200g Tomatoes canned and chopped
- 1 tbsp Tomato puree double-concentrated
- ½ cup Whole milk (optional)
- 1 cup Stock Light meat or vegetable
- 3 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Place a heavy 24-26cm non-stick casserole pan over low heat. Add the pancetta and olive oil, then gently heat until the pancetta begins to melt and release its fat.
- Finely chop the onion, celery, and carrot by hand with a knife. Add them to the pan with the pancetta and cook gently over a low heat, stirring often with a wooden spoon, until soft and fragrant but without letting them colour.
- Increase the heat to medium and add the meat. Break it up with the spoon and cook for around 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until it starts to sizzle and take on some colour.
- Pour in the wine and let it cook off completely over a medium heat.
- Stir in the tomato paste and purée, then add about a cup of boiling stock or water. Cover and simmer gently for around 2 hours (or up to 3, depending on the meat), topping up with hot liquid as needed. If using milk, add it halfway through the cooking and let it reduce fully before continuing.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. The finished sauce should be deep maroon in colour, thick, and glossy.
Notes
These changes are permitted:
• Mixed beef and pork (about 60% beef)
• Cured pancetta instead of fresh pancetta
• A pinch of nutmeg These are variations you can not do!:
• Using veal
• Smoked pancetta or using bacon
• Only pork
• Garlic, or using ANY herbs and spices
• Brandy instead of wine
• Flour as a thickening agent If you want to make some changes to your Bolognese then you are permitted to add:
• Chicken livers, hearts and gizzards
• Peeled and crumbled pork sausage
• Blanched peas, added at the end of cooking
• Dried porcini, rehydrated
Simply the best Bolognese recipe! This is the OG of Ragu!