Classic Italian Bolognese Sauce
A rich, slow-simmered Italian Bolognese sauce crafted with a blend of ground beef and pork, aromatic vegetables, and red wine.
Traditional Italian Bolognese sauce is celebrated for its deep, savory complexity built on a foundation of finely minced aromatics, tender ground meat, and slow-simmered red wine. This versatile meat sauce brings comforting flavor whether tossed with long strands of pasta or served over a warm bowl of rice.
Ingredients
- 500 g ground beef
- 300 g ground pork
- 300 g red wine
- 4 fresh tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 stalks celery
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 knob butter
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- to taste sea salt
- to taste black pepper
Instructions
- 1Dice the tomatoes
Take the peeled fresh tomatoes and dice them into small, uniform cubes on a wooden cutting board to prepare them for the sauce.
Tip: Ensure the pieces are evenly sized so they break down smoothly during simmering. - 2Brown the ground meat
Add a mixture of ground beef and ground pork into a pan with hot olive oil. Stir-fry the meat over medium-high heat until it is fully cooked and browned, then remove and set aside.
Tip: Use a mix of fatty beef and lean pork for the best flavor balance and texture. - 3Sauté the aromatics
In the same pan used for the meat, add minced garlic, onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté the vegetable mixture until it becomes tender and fragrant.
Tip: Dice the vegetables finely so they melt into the sauce as it simmers. - 4Combine ingredients with butter
Add a knob of butter to the sautéed vegetable base in the pan, then return the previously browned meat and add the diced tomatoes.
Tip: The butter adds a rich, velvety texture to the vegetable and meat mixture. - 5Pour in red wine
Pour 300g of red wine directly into the pan containing the meat and vegetables without adding any water.
Tip: Red wine brings acidity and depth to the sauce; let the alcohol cook off slightly as it heats. - 6Season the sauce
Add tomato paste, sea salt, black pepper, and dried oregano to the simmering sauce. Cover and cook over low heat for half an hour until all flavors combine.
Tip: Simmering on low heat allows the flavors to meld together deeply.
