Delish Classic Pasta Bolognese

This is my hug-in-a-bowl pasta Bolognese: rich, slow-simmered meat sauce that clings to noodles and makes the whole kitchen smell like a cozy little trattoria. It’s the kind of sauce that loves a long simmer and a glass of wine (for the pot and for me). Nothing fancy—just real-deal flavor from onions, carrots, celery, beef, a splash of milk, and enough tomato to blush everything the perfect brick-red.

My husband calls this “Sunday pasta,” even when I make it on a chaotic Tuesday when someone forgot to pack lunches and the dog stole half a baguette. The first time I made this, I overcooked the pasta, cried a little, then tossed in butter and Parmesan and suddenly—magic. Now it’s the sauce that sits on the stove while we play a board game and pretend the laundry isn’t terrifying. The kid picks out carrot bits and then sneaks them back in because, surprise, they taste sweet once they melt into the sauce.

How to Make It

Start with the holy trio: onion, carrot, and celery. Chop them small—like confetti—and let them hang out in olive oil with a pinch of salt until they go glossy and sweet. Don’t rush this; this is the flavor base. Now scoot them to the edges and get your ground beef (and a little pork if you’ve got it) in the middle. Break it up. Let it brown. If there’s a little fond stuck to the pot, you’re doing great.

Tomato paste goes in next—let it sizzle for a minute to lose that tinny vibe. Splash in dry red or white wine, scrape the brown bits, and breathe in that “oh hey, real dinner” smell. Then tomatoes (crushed or passata), a cup of stock if it looks thick, a bay leaf, a whisper of nutmeg, and a splash of milk. Simmer low and slow for 90 minutes to 2 hours, lid tilted, stirring when you remember. It should look relaxed, not angry-bubbling.

When you’re like, okay, it’s luscious—salt and pepper check. Boil your pasta in salty water (salty like the sea—yes, you’ve heard it, but it’s true). Reserve a mug of pasta water, toss pasta right into the sauce with a pat of butter and a shower of Parmesan, loosen with that magic starchy water, and boom. Silky, clinging goodness. Serves 6-ish, unless you “taste test” as much as we do.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Onion, carrot, celery: The backbone. If you rush this step, the sauce tastes flat. Cook them slow till soft and sweet.
– Ground beef + pork: Beef brings depth, pork brings a little fat and richness. All beef works too—just don’t go super lean.
– Tomato paste: Brown it a bit. That’s where the deep tomato flavor lives. If it smells sharp, give it 30 more seconds.
– Crushed tomatoes or passata: Either is fine. Whole peeled you can crush with your hands (therapeutic, slightly messy).
– Milk: Softens the acidity and gives that velvet finish. Don’t skip. Cream is fine if you’re feeling extra.
– Wine: Red or white, dry. If skipping alcohol, use extra stock plus 1 teaspoon balsamic for brightness.
– Nutmeg: Sounds weird, tastes right. Just a pinch—you shouldn’t recognize it; it just rounds things out.
– Tagliatelle or spaghetti: Tagliatelle is classic, but use any long pasta you love. Cook it shy of al dente; it finishes in the sauce.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot; sauté 1 diced onion, 1 diced carrot, and 1 diced celery stalk with a pinch of salt until soft, 8–10 minutes.
2. Add 1 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound ground pork; break up and brown until no longer pink.
3. Stir in 2 tablespoons tomato paste; cook 1–2 minutes until brick red and fragrant.
4. Deglaze with 1/2 cup dry wine, scraping up browned bits; reduce by half.
5. Add 1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes, 1 cup beef stock, 1/2 cup milk, 1 bay leaf, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper; simmer gently 90–120 minutes, lid ajar.
6. Boil 1 pound pasta in salted water; transfer to sauce with 1/2 cup pasta water, 2 tablespoons butter, and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan; toss until glossy and clingy.

What to Serve It With

– Garlicky bread you tear with your hands.
– A crunchy green salad with a tangy vinaigrette.
– Roasted broccoli or asparagus (something green so you feel balanced).
– A glass of Chianti or any red you used in the pot.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Brown the meat properly; gray meat = sad sauce.
– Don’t crank the heat. Low and slow melts everything together.
– Salt in layers. A little with the veg, a little with the meat, and final to taste.
– Save that pasta water. It’s like edible glue for a silky finish.
– If it tastes sharp, add a splash more milk or let it simmer 10 minutes longer.

✔Storage Tips

Fridge: Cool, then stash the sauce (separate from pasta if you can) up to 4 days. Reheat gently with a splash of water or stock.
Freezer: Portion into freezer bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, then reheat low and slow.
Cold leftovers from the fridge? Weirdly delicious on buttered toast. Breakfast pasta is a personality, not a problem.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– No pork? All beef is fine; add a tablespoon of olive oil for richness.
– No wine night? Use extra stock plus 1 teaspoon balsamic or red wine vinegar.
– Dairy-free? Swap milk for unsweetened oat milk or a spoon of olive oil; skip butter, finish with more pasta water.
– Tomato light? Do half tomatoes, half stock for a meatier vibe.
– Herbs: Thyme or rosemary are nice. Go easy—this isn’t a bouquet parade.
– Short on time? Simmer 45 minutes and call it “weeknight bolognese.” Still great, just less deep.
– Pasta swaps: Pappardelle, rigatoni, even shells if that’s what’s in the pantry.
– Sweetness tweak: A tiny pinch of sugar if your tomatoes are super acidic, or let the onions go a little longer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Delish Classic Pasta Bolognese

A rich, slow-simmered Italian Bolognese with beef and pork, silky milk and wine, and a tomato base—tossed with al dente pasta and finished with Parmesan.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Total Time: 2 hours hours 40 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 1.5 cups yellow onion, finely chopped
• ▢ 0.75 cups carrot, finely chopped
• ▢ 0.75 cups celery, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• ▢ 1 pounds ground beef, 85% lean
• ▢ 0.5 pounds ground pork
• ▢ 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoons black pepper, freshly ground
• ▢ 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoons dried oregano
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoons ground nutmeg
• ▢ 1 cups dry red wine
• ▢ 1 cups whole milk
• ▢ 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
• ▢ 1 cups beef broth, low-sodium
• ▢ 2 leaves bay leaves
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoons granulated sugar optional, to balance acidity
• ▢ 1 pound spaghetti or tagliatelle
• ▢ 1 tablespoons kosher salt for pasta water
• ▢ 0.5 cups Parmesan cheese, freshly grated for serving
• ▢ 0.25 cups fresh parsley or basil, chopped for garnish

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and sweet but not browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
• Add ground beef and ground pork. Cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink and most liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
• Stir in tomato paste, oregano, and nutmeg; cook until the paste darkens slightly and coats the meat, about 2 minutes.
• Pour in red wine and simmer, scraping up browned bits, until nearly evaporated, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add milk and simmer gently until it looks creamy and mostly absorbed, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir in crushed tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, and sugar if using. Bring to a bare simmer, then reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 90 to 120 minutes until thick and glossy. Add a splash of water if it gets too thick. Remove bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Near the end of the sauce time, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add pasta, and cook until al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
• Toss pasta with enough Bolognese to coat, loosening with reserved pasta water as needed. Serve topped with Parmesan and herbs.

Notes

For the most tender sauce, keep the simmer very gentle. Bolognese improves after a rest—make ahead and reheat gently. Tagliatelle or pappardelle are traditional, but spaghetti works well too.