Authentic Bolognese Sauce

This Authentic Bolognese Sauce uses my father’s secret ingredient and long, slow cooking to bring out all the wonderful flavors of the meats, vegetables, and seasonings.

You’ll love this big-batch Bolognese sauce recipe. There’s plenty to enjoy with pasta and lots left over to freeze for later!

Every Italian family has their own version of traditional Bolognese sauce. Usually, the sauce is begun early on a Sunday morning and simmers away until lunchtime, tempting everyone in the house.

My dad was from a small town in Emilia-Romagna, not far from Bologna, and learnt to cook by his mother’s side. My nonna Marcella was a chef, so he learnt a thing or two about good Italian cooking! He passed those skills and family recipes on to me, including this authentic Bolognese sauce.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Make ahead: Authentic Bolognese sauce is a family staple in our house. Because it is a big batch recipe, there’s always a container or three in the freezer ready for a quick meal. It makes over 20 cups of sauce, which easily feeds 25 people. It’s a great crowd pleaser as well.
• Perfect with Pasta: Italian ragu is delicious served with homemade pasta. I have several you can choose from, such as tagliatelle, garganelli, cavatelli, tonnarelli, or busiate.
• Versatile: If you have Bolognese sauce in the freezer, you can also use it to make a batch of Italian rice balls. Simply use it in place of the meat sauce in that recipe.

If you’re looking for a smaller quantity of sauce, my tagliatelle bolognese is ideal. It’s another version of this Italian classic but no less delicious.

For complete ingredient quantities and full instructions, please scroll to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Ingredients

I very rarely make this authentic Bolognese Sauce in small batches because it needs to simmer for hours whether you make a small batch or a large one. Long, slow cooking together with quality ingredients is key to this recipe. The ingredient list may look long, but everything you need is readily available at grocery stores.

Let’s talk about some of the main ingredients.

1. Ground beef and pork (mince): I like to buy beef and pork neck and grind it myself because I have a nifty attachment for my stand mixer. However, high-quality ground beef and pork will work. Alternatively, you can finely chop the beef and pork by hand.
2. Sausages: Choose good-quality Italian pork sausages for this recipe. Look for sausages made with pork, fat, and seasonings rather than inexpensive sausages containing fillers such as breadcrumbs. Your local butcher is a good place to start. You can also find excellent Italian sausages at grocery stores. If you can’t find suitable sausages, it’s better to leave them out.
3. Pork ribs and other cuts: Bones add wonderful flavour to Bolognese sauce during the long, slow cooking process. I like to use pork ribs, but other bone-in cuts, such as pork chops, work well too. You can also add pork belly strips (also known as pork rashers in some countries) for extra richness and flavour.
4. Parmigiano Reggiano cheese rind – I use this frequently in my cooking. Whenever I buy a block of Parmigiano Reggiano, I save the rind to add to sauces and soups. If you don’t have any, ask at the cheese counter of your local grocery store or at a specialty cheese shop. They may have some rinds available. The rind adds a wonderful depth of flavor as the sauce cooks.
5. Potato: This is the secret ingredient. It’s not a typical ingredient in an authentic Bolognese sauce. However, just a small potato makes all the difference, and everyone notices if I don’t put it in. My Dad would say that it reduced the acidity and smoothed out the flavor. He always added a potato (“just one, you don’t need a lot”) and crushed it through the sauce at the end of the cooking time. I don’t know what the science is behind it, but it works to improve the sauce every time.

Herbs are optional and not always used. This is a personal preference. You leave them out. The other ingredients are self-explanatory, but don’t hesitate to contact me if you have a question.

Variations

• Pork ribs can be replaced with any bone-in pork, just as pork chops.
• Italian sausages can be replaced with any good sausage you enjoy. 
• Beef stock can be homemade or store-bought.
• Sugar is added to taste. You may need to add a bit more once you taste it after two hours.

Instructions

1. Gently cook the finely chopped vegetables in olive oil and butter.
2. Begin adding meat slowly and browning it.
3. Once all the meat is browned, add wine and simmer for a few minutes.
4. Add remaining ingredients.
5. Simmer long and slow for 4 to 5 hours.

Tips for success

Over the years, I learnt many tips to make this authentic Bolognese sauce in the quickest way possible.

• Firstly, gather all the ingredients so that when you start, you’ll move through the recipe quickly.
• Use a food processor to chop vegetables quickly. Cut into large chunks, then use a food processor to pulse and finely chop. Also use the same method for the bacon. If you are using whole tomatoes, whiz them too!
• Be sure to taste, taste, and taste again. Season this authentic Bolognese sauce with salt properly. By this I mean that salt brings out the flavors of food. If there’s not enough salt, everything will taste bland.
• Rather than spooning Bolognese sauce over cooked pasta, toss them together in the warm saucepan. Cover for a minute or two, then toss again before serving. You’ll notice how much better the sauce clings to the pasta.

FAQ

Serving suggestions

This is my go-to authentic Bolognese sauce. I use it for all types of pasta, but it is particularly good with pappardelle as in “pappardelle al ragu”.

You can make your own pasta following my recipe. I have several step-by-step pasta recipes on my site if you have never made pasta before. It’s also amazing with the homemade gnocchi in my pesto gnocchi recipe.

Authentic Bolognese Sauce Recipe

This authentic Bolognese sauce uses my father's secret ingredient that makes all the difference. Plus long, slow cooking to draw out all the flavors of the different meats, vegetables and seasonings. And the bonus is this is a BIG batch traditional Bolognese sauce so you've got lots to freeze for later!

5 from 38 votes

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Prep Time: 1 hour hour

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 5 hours hours

Servings:20 servings

Author: Marcellina

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup olive oil
• ▢ 4 tablespoons (60 grams) salted butter
• ▢ 2 onions
• ▢ 2 carrots
• ▢ 2 sticks celery
• ▢ 8 garlic cloves
• ▢ 8 ounces (250 grams) bacon or pancetta
• ▢ 2 pounds (1 kilogram) ground beef
• ▢ 1 pound (450 grams) ground pork
• ▢ 12 ounces (350 grams) pork ribs see notes
• ▢ 2 Italian sausages see notes
• ▢ 1 cup dry red wine
• ▢ 1 Parmesan rind optional
• ▢ 5 cups tomato puree (passata)
• ▢ 14 ounces (800 grams) canned whole tomatoes see notes
• ▢ 4 tablespoon tomato paste
• ▢ 2 cups beef stock see notes
• ▢ 1 potato peeled and cut in half
• ▢ 1 teaspoon allspice optional
• ▢ 5 stalks fresh rosemary (or 3 teaspoons dried rosemary) optional
• ▢ 1 teaspoon dried oregano optional
• ▢ 3 bayleaves optional
• ▢ freshly ground pepper
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ 1 tablespoon sugar see notes

Instructions

• Finely chop the onions and garlic, peel and finely chop the carrots and finely chop the celery. For fast chopping, chop coarsely then use a food processor to pulse and finely chop. Set aside.
  2 onions

  2 carrots

  2 sticks celery

  8 garlic cloves
• Cut the bacon or pancetta.
  8 ounces (250 grams) bacon or pancetta
• Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. It will need to hold over 1 ⅓ gallons which is about 5 litres.
• Add the oil and butter.
  ½ cup olive oil

  4 tablespoons (60 grams) salted butter
• When the oil is heated, add the onion, carrot, and celery.
• Turn the heat down a tad so they don’t burn.
• Fry until starting to become golden and catch a little on the bottom of the saucepan.
• When the onion, carrot and celery are golden add the bacon and garlic and stir well. Continue to cook for a few more minutes.
• Now start adding the ground beef a bit at a time. Stirring well and allow the meat to colour.
  2 pounds (1 kilogram) ground beef
• Then add in the ground pork a bit at a time. Repeat the same as the ground beef.
  1 pound (450 grams) ground pork
• Once the ground meat is well cooked, add the pork ribs and sausages. You can add other meats as I have mentioned in the Notes below.
  12 ounces (350 grams) pork ribs

  2 Italian sausages
• Pour in the wine and allow to boil and simmer for a few minutes.
  1 cup dry red wine
• Now you can add the remainder of the ingredients – Parmesan rind (if using), tomato puree (passata), canned tomatoes which have been crushed with a fork, tomato paste, stock, potato, herbs (if using) and seasonings.
  1 Parmesan rind

  5 cups tomato puree (passata)

  14 ounces (800 grams) canned whole tomatoes

  4 tablespoon tomato paste

  2 cups beef stock

  1 potato

  1 teaspoon allspice

  5 stalks fresh rosemary (or 3 teaspoons dried rosemary)

  1 teaspoon dried oregano

  3 bayleaves

  salt to taste

  freshly ground pepper
• Add half of the sugar and you can taste later if the sauce needs more.
  1 tablespoon sugar
• Bring to the boil then lower the heat to a gentle simmer.
• Cover the saucepan and check and stir regularly, You may need to adjust the heat to achieve that sweet spot of a gentle simmer. This is going to be cooking for a long time so a very gentle simmer is what we are looking for here.
• Once you have achieved that perfect simmer, allow to cook for about 4 to 5 hours.
• Check regularly that the sauce is not drying out. If so, add a little boiling water.
• After about two hours of simmering. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You will be surprised at how much salt you need to add and you may need a bit more sugar. Recheck the seasoning towards the end of the cooking time.
• When the sauce is done. Remove the sausage and the ribs. Cut up the sausage finely, shred the meat from the pork ribs and add the sausage and meat back to the sauce. Find the potato pieces and crush against the side of the saucepan with a wooden spoon. Stir thoroughly.
• Allow to cool a little, then transfer to freezer containers for storage in the freezer.
• Don’t put the sauce in the freezer when it’s hot. Instead refrigerate until cold then freeze.
• If properly stored in the freezer, this sauce will keep for 4 to 6 months.

Notes

Tips for Success

Use a food processor to make quick work of chopping vegetables, bacon and whole canned tomatoes.

• Pork ribs can be replaced with any bone-in pork, just as pork chops.
• Italian sausages can be replaced with any good sausage you enjoy. 
• If using whole tomatoes, crush them with your fingers or use a food processor.
• Beef stock can be homemade or store-bought.
• Sugar is added to taste. You may need to add a bit more once you taste it after two hours.
• Be sure to taste, taste, and taste again. Season with salt properly. Salt brings out the natural flavor of food. Not enough salt and everything will taste bland.
• Combine the sauce thoroughly with the pasta.

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Nutritional Estimate Per Serving

Serving: 0g | Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 392mg | Potassium: 846mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1555IU | Vitamin C: 14.3mg | Calcium: 60mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. For accurate results, it is recommended that the nutritional information be calculated based on the ingredients and brands you use.