Pasta Bolognese

Tested & Perfected Recipes

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure policy.

Few dishes are as comforting and satisfying as a hearty bowl of pasta Bolognese. With layers of rich, savory flavor, it’s a dish that never disappoints.

Bolognese with pasta in bowl with glass of wine

Pasta Bolognese is a classic Italian dish that hails from Bologna, and it’s a Sunday night staple in my house—perfect for cozy family dinners. As the sauce simmers away, filling the house with its rich aroma, it’s only a matter of time before the sharks start circling the kitchen, asking, “When’s dinner?”

Unlike a typical meat sauce that leans heavily on tomatoes, ragù alla Bolognese (Bolognese sauce) develops its deep, complex flavor from pancetta, plenty of veggies, broth, wine, and a touch of milk. It’s traditionally served with wide, flat noodles like tagliatelle or fettuccine, which hold the sauce beautifully. But it’s also fantastic layered into lasagna or spooned over your favorite pasta shape. For an extra special touch, try making homemade pasta or pick up some fresh noodles from the store—it’s an easy way to take this dish up a notch.

“My whole family loves this sauce. It’s rich and full of flavor and so easy for weekday or weekend.”

Louise

What You’ll Need To Make Pasta Bolognese

ingredients for pasta bolognese
  • Onions, Carrots, Celery, Garlic: Form the flavor base of the sauce.
  • Ground Beef: The heart of the sauce—bringing richness, texture, and that classic meaty flavor.
  • Pancetta: This Italian bacon adds a rich, meaty flavor to the sauce. Unlike American bacon, it’s cured with salt and spices and then dried, not smoked. You can usually find it in the deli section or pre-cut in the refrigerated gourmet foods aisle—perfect for saving time.
  • Red Wine: A good dry red, like Chianti, Barolo, or Sangiovese, adds acidity and depth to the sauce—and pairs perfectly with the finished dish. But really, any dry red you enjoy, such as Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon, will work. Just skip the supermarket cooking wine; it’s loaded with salt and additives.
  • Beef Broth: Provides additional meaty flavor and richness, while also adding moisture.
  • Canned Crushed Tomatoes: Forms the tomato base of the sauce, contributing sweetness and tanginess; it also thickens the sauce.
  • Whole Milk: Softens the acidity from the tomatoes and wine while adding a creamy richness.
  • Pasta: The classic pasta choice is tagliatelle, a wide, flat egg noodle that holds the sauce well. Other traditional options include pappardelle and fettuccine, but any pasta shape will work! Fresh or homemade pasta is especially delicious—and it cooks faster than dried pasta.
  • Oregano and Basil: Herbs that add aromatic freshness to the sauce.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start by chopping the veggies—I like to use a food processor to make things quick and easy. First, add the onions to the bowl and pulse until they’re finely chopped but not puréed. Scoop them into a bowl, then toss the carrots, celery, and garlic into the processor and pulse until finely chopped. Alternatively, you can chop everything by hand.

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat, then add the onion and veggie mixture. Cook, stirring often, until everything is soft, about 8 minutes. If the veggies start to brown too quickly, just lower the heat a bit.

Softened vegetables in a Dutch oven.

Add the ground beef, pancetta, salt and pepper.

adding beef and pancetta to the pot

Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until meat is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes.

Dutch oven of browned beef with softened vegetables.

Add red wine and cook until almost evaporated, then stir in the broth, crushed tomatoes, and oregano.

adding broth, tomatoes, and seasoning to the pot

Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to low. Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and let it simmer for about 1 hour and 30 minutes. After that, stir in the milk and let it all come together.

stirring the milk into the bolognese sauce

Simmer until milk is absorbed, about 35 minutes. If the sauce looks greasy, use a soup spoon to skim the fat off of the top. Bolognese sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time or frozen for up to 3 months.

finished bolognese sauce

When you’re ready to serve, cook the pasta according to the package instructions.

Pasta boiling in a pot.

Drain the noodles, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the reserved pasta water little by little if the pasta seems dry. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and pass the grated Parmesan cheese at the table.

Bolognese with pasta in bowl with glass of wine

You May Also Like

Pasta Bolognese

This pasta Bolognese recipe is your ticket to a cozy, satisfying meal that the whole family will love.

Servings: 4 to 6
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Cook Time: 2 Hours 5 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 medium yellow onions, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1-inch chunks
  • 2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch chunks
  • 3 cloves garlic, very roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1⅓ pounds ground beef (85% lean)
  • 4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon salt (plus more for pasta water)
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 2 cups beef broth
  • 1 (14-oz) can crushed tomatoes (about 1¾ cups)
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 pound pasta, for serving
  • Handful chopped fresh basil or parsley, for serving (optional)
  • Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, for serving (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Pulse until very finely chopped but not puréed. Transfer the onions to a separate bowl, then add the carrots, celery, and garlic to the food processor. Pulse until finely chopped.
  2. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the finely chopped onions and vegetable mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Lower the heat if the vegetables start to brown.
  3. Add the ground beef, pancetta, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is no longer pink, 5 to 10 minutes.
  4. Add the wine and cook until it is almost evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes.
  5. Add the broth, crushed tomatoes and oregano. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer for 1 hour and 30 minutes.
  6. Add the milk to the sauce and stir to combine. Cover with the lid slightly ajar and simmer until the milk is absorbed and the meat is tender, about 35 minutes. If the sauce looks greasy, use a soup spoon to skim the fat off of the top. Remove the pan from the heat and cover to keep warm while you make the pasta.
  7. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Before straining, ladle out 1 cup of the pasta water into a bowl or measuring cup and set aside. Drain the pasta, then add to the sauce. Toss with tongs, adding the reserved pasta water little by little if the pasta seems dry. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Divide the pasta into serving bowls and sprinkle with fresh herbs, if using. Pass the grated Parmigiano Reggiano at the table.
  8. Note: I like the Buitoni brand of fresh pasta sold in the refrigerator case at most supermarkets for this recipe. It cooks quickly and tastes great. (But don't worry if you can't find it; any pasta will work well.)
  9. Make-Ahead Instructions: The sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead of time. Let it cool to room temperature and then store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Reheat over medium-low heat on the stovetop before serving.
  10. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop until hot.

Pair with

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (6 servings)
  • Calories: 717
  • Fat: 30 g
  • Saturated fat: 10 g
  • Carbohydrates: 71 g
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Fiber: 5 g
  • Protein: 36 g
  • Sodium: 910 mg
  • Cholesterol: 85 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

See more recipes:

Comments

  • This is the best pasta bolognese I have ever eaten! I make certain to freeze several helpings so we can have it anytime. I make it regularly and will never use any other recipe. Thanks, Jenn!

    • — Angie on February 3, 2025
    • Reply
  • As someone who’s cooked Italian food from scratch for many years yet somehow hadn’t made a Bolognese sauce, this recipe was a great place to start! I made it per the instructions, but added a few squirts of both anchovy paste and tomato paste to add some Unami. It is delicious! My one issue with it is the fat in the pancetta. I can’t stand any pieces of fat, no matter how tiny, in what I eat. And there are a lot in my finished sauce from the pancetta even though I cooked it with the beef as directed. (Maybe more than usual because I bought a pack of pre-chopped pancetta rather than buying slices.) So next time to eliminate that, I’ll either buy ground pork, or pulse the pancetta in the food processor before cooking with the beef. But other than that one thing (that’s totally my pickiness), it’s 100% fabulous! (And probably 100% authentic with those bits of fat!)

    • — Emilie on January 25, 2025
    • Reply
  • Great post! I love how you broke down the recipe into easy-to-follow steps, and the photos make it look so delicious. I’m definitely trying this out soon—thanks for sharing!

    • — Madalaine McDaniel on January 22, 2025
    • Reply
  • Could this be made with Italian sausage instead of ground beef (or a combination since I am going to double the recipe) or would that change the flavor profile too much? I’m looking forward to making this for guests this weekend. Thanks!

    • — Carol Ebinger on January 21, 2025
    • Reply
    • Hi Carol, It would be fine to use sausage here, but I’d reduce the added salt as the sausage will add some. Hope everyone enjoys!

      • — Jenn Segal on January 21, 2025
      • Reply
  • Hi, to make the Bolognese sauce dairy free what would you substitute for the milk?
    Thank you,
    Lauren

    • — Lauren Mayer on January 19, 2025
    • Reply
    • Hi Lauren, you can just omit the milk; the sauce will still be delicious!

      • — Jenn Segal on January 20, 2025
      • Reply
  • Made this delicious sauce for a snow day dinner tonight. Definitely a “make again”! It’s not difficult—just a lot of hands off time. Added a Parmesan rind before the long simmer and would definitely do that again. Love all of your recipes, Jenn!

    • — Linda on January 7, 2025
    • Reply
    • Hi, I made your Ragu! Omgosh so delish! Nothing was left. I’m Latino, tired of same food. I follow your recipes. So tried Ragu. Never made before. Added salad n GarlicBread. Family loved it! They all said different n delish! Thank u for your recipes 😋

      • — Dee on January 19, 2025
      • Reply
  • I absolutely love this recipe. Have made it 7-8 times and my wife and son rave about it. You don’t have to be a great cook. Just follow the recipe and I suggest laying all your items out on the counter before you actually start cooking. Obviously prepping the onion/celery/carrots ahead of time in the food processor is essential.

    NOTE: I use 1 lb. of ground turkey and 1/4 pound of ground beef. Also use half cup of half n half instead of the full cup of milk.

    AAA+++

    • — Buck on December 13, 2024
    • Reply
  • This is simply perfect. A family favorite. (bacon does work if you are out of pancetta)

    • — Cindy on November 5, 2024
    • Reply
    • Hi Jen, one of my guests has an allergy to wine. Can I substitute that with something else?

      • — Janene C Montlouis on December 23, 2024
      • Reply
      • Hi Janene, You can add more beef broth instead of the wine. Hope everyone enjoys!

        • — Jenn Segal on December 25, 2024
        • Reply

Add a Comment

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.