My take on the classic Italian meat sauce!

There are few things my daughter loves more than good old fashioned Bolognese sauce! Years ago I had a goal to create a Bolognese recipe that tastes like fine dining from home. Bolognese is a classic Italian meat sauce that’s commonly served on a bed of tagliatelle pasta… a meal that should have a place in every recipe box! After trial and error I finally created my all time favorite Bolognese sauce recipe. In this recipe I use a combination of beef and pork, which adds a wonderful depth of flavor. Although this is not a “quick” recipe, it’s easy to prep and leave to simmer to perfection… the secret is in the simmer!

This versatile recipe has become a staple in not only my home, but many of my friends and families as well! Serve on your favorite pasta (I LOVE this gluten free alternative), with veggie noodles, polenta, or incorporate into a comforting lasagna. This recipe is hearty, packed with protein and flavor. 

To shop the kitchen essentials used to make this Bolognese sauce, scroll to the “Shop the Post” section at the bottom of this blog. As always, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter for more recipes!

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Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce from the comfort of your home!

Servings 8

Author Chef Tiffany Blackmon

Ingredients

• 4 oz diced pancetta
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 large carrot diced
• 1 large stalk celery diced
• 5 garlic cloves minced
• 1 ½ lbs lean ground beef
• 1 ½ lbs Italian pork sausage
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 5 oz can tomato paste
• parmesan cheese rind
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 springs thyme bundled with  cooking twine
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 cup milk
• kosher salt & ground black paper for taste

Instructions

• Heat your dutch oven over medium heat until hot. Add pancetta and cook, stirring occasionally until crisp. 
• Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic, saute until tender. 
• Add ground beef, pork, salt, and pepper. Break up meat with the back of a spoon until cooked through (no longer pink).
• Add wine, tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste and stir, bringing to a boil. 
• Reduce heat to a simmer. Add the cheese rind, bay leaves, thyme, and parsley. Cover and simmer for 4 hours.
• Last 30 minutes of cooking time stir in milk, cover and continue to cook. 
• Remove and discard the cheese rind, bay leaves and thyme. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
• Serve over your favorite pasta, polenta or spiral noodles with Parmesan cheese. 

Notes

Tiffy’s Tips

• Serve alone or with your favorite pasta (or a gluten free alternative), veggie noodles, or polenta. I also love to incorporate into lasagna. 
• When it comes to cooking pasta, I swear by this pot… the strainer insert is a total game changer. 
• This recipe freezes beautifully.
• I also love simmering this recipe in my crock pot all day long as the secret is in the simmer. 
• Parmesan cheese rind is the protective layer on the outside of the cheese wheel that develops during aging. This rind is packed with flavor and is used to enrich sauces, soups and stews. 
• A frequently asked question is how to remove red sauce stains from clothing… My go-to is this effective and clean stain remover!

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