Authentic Italian Ragu Bolognese
For the best homemade sauce, make my classic ragu bolognese! It's an authentic Italian recipe full of ground beef and pancetta with a little tomato all served over pappardelle pasta.
Servings 8
Calories 450kcal
Ingredients
- 10 oz diced pancetta
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 large stalk celery, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic. minced
- 2 lb ground beef, or a mix of beef and pork
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup white or red wine
- 12-16 oz pureed tomatoes
- 2 tsp anchovy paste
- 2 cups beef bone broth
- 2 bay leaves
Instructions
- In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, saute the pancetta until well browned and the fat is rendered, 8-10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer the pancetta to a bowl, leaving the fat behind.
- Drain out all but 2 tablespoons of the fat. Lower the heat and gently saute the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic until soft, about 10 minutes.
- Add ground beef and saute until you no longer see much pink. Then push it to one side and add in the tomato paste. Saute 1-2 minutes. Return the pancetta to the pot.
- Add the milk and bring to a boil over high heat. Bring the heat down so milk simmers and cook for 10 minutes.
- Add wine. Once again bring to a boil then lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes.
- Now add in the tomato, anchovy, broth, and bay leaves. Bring the heat back up to a boil and down to low to simmer gently for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, or until the sauce is thick and rich.
Notes
- Ground Beef: I prefer using a 90% lean package or the sauce gets heavy. Alternatively, make the sauce ahead, chill it, and skim off the fat.
- Tomatoes: This should be a meat forward sauce so just use enough tomatoes give it some body without the sauce becoming tomato based.
- Beef Broth: If you can't find bone broth, use beef stock plus 1 ounce of gelatin. Sprinkle the gelatin over the stock and let it sit for about 10 minutes to soften.
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcal