Spaghetti Bolognese
Traditional spaghetti Bolognese is easy to make has a perfect balance of flavors. You'll love this classic Italian meat sauce!
Servings: 5
Calories: 575kcal
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 celery rib diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ pound ground beef 80% lean
- Salt/Pepper
- ½ pound ground Italian sausage sweet, mild, or hot
- 1 cup red wine see note 1
- 18 oz crushed tomatoes see note 2
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary or 1/4 tsp dry
- 1 teaspoon fresh sage or 1/4 tsp dry
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 12 oz. spaghetti (3/4 of a 1 lb. box.)
- Fresh parsley to garnish
- Parmesan cheese to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook until softened. About 5 minutes.
- Season the ground beef with salt (1/4 to 1/2 tsp) and add it to the skillet along with the sausage. Cook and crumble until browned and cooked through, about 7-10 minutes. Drain grease, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Deglaze the pan with the wine and use a silicone spatula to "clean" the bottom of the pot.
- Add the tomatoes and seasonings. Let simmer for one hour, partially covered.
- Taste it and season with salt and pepper if desired.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain well. Use kitchen tongs to toss the spaghetti into the saucepan with the pasta sauce.
- Garnish with fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese and serve!
Notes
Pro Tips:
- Wine: Chianti, Pinot Pior, and Merlot are the best wines for Bolognese sauce. (I’ve also used Cabernet Sauvignon.)
- Red Wine Alternatives:
- Alcoholic Options include white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio or Orvieto.
- Non-Alcoholic Options:
- Non-alcoholic wine
- 1/2 cup Red Wine Vinegar combined with 1/2 cup water.
- 2 Tbsp. tomato paste + 1 cup beef broth.
- See here for additional options.
- Crushed Tomatoes: I use a full 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes when I make this recipe, you can adjust this based on your preference. Authentic Bolognese has less tomato sauce than this.
- A bay leaf and a pinch of red pepper flakes may also be added during simmering if desired.
- For a little more savory flavor add 1/2 or 1 whole beef bouillon cube when the crushed tomatoes are added.
- For a cream to offset the acidity of the tomatoes, add 1-2 tablespoons of softened cream cheese to the sauce mixture.
- This is great with Garlic Bread with Cheese!
- Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. This freezes really well.
Nutrition
Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 791mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2258IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 4mg