Beef Bolognese Sauce (Printable)

Hearty Italian meat sauce simmered with tomatoes, red wine, and vegetables, perfect over pasta or noodles.

# Ingredient List:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 blend)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, finely diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Liquids

06 - ½ cup dry red wine
07 - 28 oz canned whole tomatoes, crushed
08 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
09 - 1 cup whole milk

→ Herbs & Seasonings

10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
11 - 1 tsp dried oregano
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - ½ tsp dried thyme
14 - 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
15 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ Optional

16 - Fresh basil or parsley, chopped, for garnish
17 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

# How to Make:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; sauté for 7 to 8 minutes until softened and fragrant.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
03 - Add ground beef to the pot. Cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned and no longer pink, about 8 to 10 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen flavor.
05 - Pour in dry red wine, scraping the pot’s bottom to release browned bits. Simmer until mostly reduced, about 4 minutes.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, whole milk, oregano, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir until fully combined.
07 - Bring to a gentle simmer. Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
08 - Remove bay leaf, taste the sauce, and adjust seasoning as desired.
09 - Serve hot atop cooked pasta. Garnish with fresh herbs and Parmesan cheese if preferred.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The milk in this sauce is your secret weapon—it softens the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an incredibly silky, luxurious texture that makes people ask for your recipe immediately
  • It fills your entire home with the aroma of an Italian kitchen, and honestly, that's half the reason to make it
  • One batch feeds a crowd and freezes beautifully, so you're really gifting yourself future weeknight peace
02 -
  • Don't skip the milk—I know it seems strange in a meat sauce, but it's the difference between a bright tomato sauce and a proper Bolognese. The milk tames the acidity and creates silky richness
  • The sauce needs time to develop. Rushing it to 30 minutes won't give you those deep, melded flavors. The hour and a half isn't just cooking time, it's time for the ingredients to become something greater than their parts
  • Partially covering the pot is crucial—you want some evaporation to concentrate the flavors, but not so much that the sauce dries out
03 -
  • Use an 80/20 ground beef blend—the fat is your friend here, and it prevents the meat from becoming tough and grainy as it simmers
  • For even deeper flavor and richness, substitute half the beef with ground pork; it adds something subtle and sophisticated that people notice but can't quite name
  • Always taste and adjust seasoning near the end, not at the beginning—the sauce concentrates as it simmers, and what was perfectly seasoned at the start can become too salty by the end

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