Authentic Bolognese

Get ready to master the most luxurious pasta sauce ever created. This isn’t your typical meat sauce – this is the real-deal Italian Bolognese that’s been perfected over generations. Rich, velvety, and packed with layer upon layer of flavor.

The secret lies in the slow building of flavors – from the careful sautéing of aromatics to the gradual addition of wine and milk. This recipe takes time, but the result is a sauce so incredible, you’ll never look at pasta the same way again.

Ingredients

Base Aromatics:

• 1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1 small yellow onion, peeled and minced
• 1 rib celery, trimmed and minced
• 1 medium carrot, peeled, trimmed, and minced
• 3 slices prosciutto di Parma or Pancetta (about 1 oz.), finely chopped

Main Components:

• 1 1⁄2 lb ground chuck
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1⁄2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup room temperature milk
• 1 cup beef, veal, or chicken broth
• 1 (28-oz.) can Italian plum tomato purée
• 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg (optional)

Steps

1. Prep Phase (15 minutes): Finely mince all vegetables separately to ensure proper cooking. Have wine and milk measured and ready at room temperature.
2. Start the Soffritto (8-10 minutes): Heat 1⁄4 cup oil and 1⁄4 cup butter in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion first, stirring continuously until fats clarify and onion aroma sweetens. Add celery, wait 1 minute, then add carrot.
3. Build the Base (5 minutes): Add pancetta and sauté for 1 minute until fat begins to render. The base should be fragrant but not browned.
4. Cook the Beef (10-12 minutes): Increase heat to high. Add ground beef in three stages, breaking each portion into small pieces. Keep pan partially uncovered to prevent steaming. Look for slight browning before adding next portion.
5. Wine Addition (5-7 minutes): Pour wine around edges of pan in 3 stages, allowing each addition to fully evaporate. You’ll know it’s ready when wine aroma disappears completely.
6. Milk Integration (10 minutes): Add milk in 2-3 portions, allowing each to be absorbed before adding more. Watch for a light film forming on top.
7. Final Simmer (2 hours): Add tomatoes and broth. Maintain gentle simmer at 185°F (85°C). Stir every 15-20 minutes. Sauce should coat spoon when done.

Smart Swaps

• Use ground turkey (93% lean) to reduce fat while maintaining texture
• Replace wine with 1/2 cup low-sodium beef broth plus 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use 1 cup puréed cauliflower to replace half the meat (reduces carbs by 65%)
• Serve over zucchini noodles instead of pasta (reduces carbs from 42g to 8g per serving)
• Add 2 tablespoons chia seeds for fiber and blood sugar regulation

Pro Tips

• Let meat come to room temperature before cooking for better browning
• Use a wooden spoon to feel bottom of pan – graininess means fond is forming correctly
• Final sauce should be thick enough to coat pasta but still flow – not dry or pasty