Bolognese Pasta
A cozy classic that will hit the spot is this easy Bolognese Pasta. Toss it with any pasta shape and enjoy the ultimate comfort food.
We take ground beef and simmmer it with San Marzano tomatoes, fresh veggies, spices, and a dash of milk into an incredibly rich, meaty sauce.
There are some dishes where everyone will ask you for the recipe – this is one of them.
Bolognese Pasta Recipe Highlights
- Rich, Meaty Flavor
- Made with Simple Ingredients
- Make-Ahead Friendly
- Crowd-Pleasing Comfort Food
- Restaurant Quality
Ingredient Notes
Please check the recipe card below for a detailed, printable ingredient list.
OLIVE OIL & BUTTER – We start by sautéing the aromatics in a olive oil and butter. The olive oil’s high heat tolerance is ideal for browning, while the butter adds a rich, flavor.
ONION, CARROT & CELERY – This mirepoix of finely chopped veggies forms the base. The onions provide sweetness, carrots lend earthiness, and celery brings brightness. To save time, you can use pre-shredded carrots.
BEEF – I used just ground beef in this recipe but you can opt for ground turkey, chicken, pork or a blend for a different flavor profile.
MILK – I highly recommend using whole milk. The cream in the whole milk really makes this recipe. I’ve also used half and half and that worked well also.
SEASONING – A hint of nutmeg lends warmth and complexity to round out the flavors. Fresh thyme leaves add an amazing aroma. If you don’t have fresh, dried thyme works too. Just use a bit less than the fresh. Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.
BROTH – Beef broth allows the sauce to gently simmer, melding all the flavors as it reduces down.
TOMATOES – San Marzano tomatoes will give you the best flavor, but you can use regular canned tomatoes as well.
PASTA – I prefer to serve this on top of a pappardelle pasta. But any variety of long pasta such as tagliatelle would work well.
PARMESAN – You can’t have Bolognese without a shower of freshly grated parmesan to finish it off!
How To Make Bolognese
Please check the printable recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
- Sauté onions, carrots, and celery in olive oil and butter until softened. Add ground beef, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; brown the beef.
- Pour in milk and simmer until absorbed.
- Stir in tomatoes, broth, nutmeg, and thyme. Simmer gently for 1-4 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Toss with cooked pappardelle and garnish with parmesan.
Leftovers
STORE – Once cooled, transfer the Bolognese to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
FREEZE – This sauce freezes beautifully! Again, fully cook and cool the sauce after simmering. Portion it into freezer-safe containers or bags, removing as much air as possible. Properly stored, it will keep in the freezer for 3-4 months.
REHEAT – To reheat refrigerated Bolognese, transfer to a saucepan over medium-low heat until warmed through, stirring frequently. You may need to add a splash of broth or water to loosen the sauce if it’s thickened too much.
To reheat frozen sauce, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Then reheat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a little liquid as needed to rehydrate if it’s very thick.
Recipe Success Tips
BROWNING THE MEAT – Don’t rush the browning of the meat. Cook it until it’s nicely caramelized. This will give you the best flavor.
WHOLE MILK – While you can use other milk options, whole milk’s richness makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor of the sauce.
ALLOW MILK TO FULLY ABSORB – Let the milk fully absorb into the meat for the creamy richness that sets this Bolognese apart.
LOW AND SLOW – For the richest flavor, simmer the sauce for 3-4 hours. But even after 1 hour it will still taste delicious!
BREAKING IT DOWN – Stir occasionally while simmering, crushing the tomatoes into smaller pieces.
TASTE AND ADJUST – As the sauce simmers, taste it and add more salt, pepper, or red pepper flakes as needed.
PREVENT SCORCHING – To prevent scorching keep the heat at the lowest possible simmer. Be sure to stir occasionally which also helps prevent sticking.
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Serving Suggestions
PASTA – Tossing the Bolognese with long ribbon pasta like pappardelle, tagliatelle, or fettuccine is classic. Or if you like something try our classic Spaetzle which allows this sauce to really cling on.
ZUCCHINI NOODLES – For a low-carb option, try swapping zucchini noodles or other veggie noodles in place of traditional pasta. The sauce coats them beautifully.
GARLIC BREAD – No pasta night is complete without crusty garlic bread for sopping up any extra sauce left in your bowl.
SALAD – A fresh green salad helps balance out the richness of the meaty Bolognese.
SPAGHETTI SQUASH – Bolognese is delicious when tossed with tender spaghetti squash strands for another veggie pasta swap.
GNOCCHI – Those little potato dumplings make the perfect base to soak up every last bit of rich Bolognese sauce.
ROASTED VEGGIES – This savory sauce complements roasted veggies like carrots, zucchini, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts perfectly.
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Bolognese Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- ½ cup onion finely chopped
- ½ cup celery finely chopped
- ½ cup carrot finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup beef broth
- 2 28-ounce San Marzano tomatoes cut up, with juice from one can
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon thyme fresh, chopped
- 16 ounces pasta
Instructions
- Heat oil and butter in a large dutch oven or stovetop pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté over medium heat until softened.
- Add ground beef and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Brown until no longer pink, stirring well.
- Once beef is browned, stir in milk. Simmer until milk is absorbed by beef.
- Stir in the broth, tomatoes, nutmeg and thyme. Bring to lowest simmer. As it simmers, stir occasionally, breaking up tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
- Simmer sauce for 1-4 hours, keeping an eye on it and stirring occasionally. The flavors do develop the longer it sits, but have had great success even at the one hour mark.
- Serve bolognese warm over long pasta like pappardelle. Top with freshly grated parmesan.
Nutritional Information
Nutritional Disclaimer
Cheerful Cook team members are not trained nutritionists or medical professionals. Calorie information and nutritional values are estimates. If you have nutritional concerns, we recommend using a nutritional calculator.
Maike Corbett is the founder and food blogger of Cheerful Cook, a popular recipe website featuring comfort food recipes from the US and Germany. She has been featured in numerous media outlets, including the AP Wire and MSN.
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