This is, for me, the ultimate Italian sauce. It’s perfect for noodles, for lasagna, for parties. Yes, it takes a long time to make this sauce from scratch, but you can freeze it so it’s ready for quick meals at any time. I love to make this sauce on a Sunday afternoon. The scent permeates house, making everyone hungry, and, truth be told, I’m getting hungry just writing about it!
Modify this recipe to suit your own personal taste, but don’t omit the vegetables. They give depth and body to this sauce.
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Basic Bolognese Sauce
By Published: April 24, 2013
Make extra sauce to freeze so you have extra for weeknight pasta dishes!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup carrots chopped small
- 1/2 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/4 cup bacon smoky is good!
- 2 - 3 cloves garlic minced
- 8 ounces ground beef lean
- 8 ounces spicy Italian sausage or ground pork substitute mild sausage if you prefer
- 1/4 cup dry white wine optional, see Notes
- 1 28-ounce can whole plum tomatoes drained (reserve a bit of the juice if you're not using wine)
- 1/4 cup chicken stock heated
- Salt and pepper to taste
- red pepper flakes to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream optional
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in large saucepan or Dutch oven. When the oil is hot, add the onion, carrot, celery, and bacon. Saute until the vegetables are tender, approximately 10 minutes. Add the garlic during the last minute of cooking.
- Add the ground beef and sausage (or ground pork), cook over medium-high eat until no more pink shows. Add the wine or tomato juice and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated.
- Add the tomatoes and crush with your spoon, mixing into the meat mixture. Add the stock, and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn the heat down, and simmer your sauce, partially covered, for an hour. Stir occasionally, continuing to crush the tomatoes.
- Taste your sauce. Add the salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes if using — let your tastebuds be your guide. If you're making this recipe to use in lasagna or another cheesy recipe, don't add a lot of salt because the cheese will have plenty of salt.
- Let cook for another hour. You will have a greatly reduced and thick sauce — very little liquid should remain. If you are making the sauce ahead of time, refrigerate or freeze it at this point. Reheat before beginning the next step.
- Add the cream if using and cook for 15 minutes. Adjust your seasonings again; make it yummy.
- Cuisine: Italian
- Course: Sauces and Condiments
- Skill Level: Moderate
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