Beef Bolognese is the ultimate weeknight dinner recipe. This hearty dish is made start to finish in just 30 minutes! Ragu Bolognese is a rich, meaty sauce tossed with pasta, parmesan and topped with fresh basil for a picture perfect plate.
Beef Bolognese is our family’s most requested dinner recipe. It’s so easy that our girls often make it. We especially enjoy this delicious comfort dish in winter – it’s the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night.
Since I published this Ragu Bolognese recipe in 2011, I have added easy variations, substitutions and tips to perfect this dish derived from my years of catering and recipe development. It is so easy to adjust for dietary needs and picky eaters! The girls and I enjoy it on a bed of Homemade Pasta while Chris’ is tossed with gluten free pasta.
Bolognese Ragu Ingredients
- Bacon – Bacon adds unexpected depth. I like to use a high fat bacon to enhance flavor and moisture.
- Olive Oil – I like to use a high quality extra virgin olive oil to add complexity and enhance the overall taste.
- Onion – Yellow or white onion is sautéed in bacon grease and oil until translucent, soaking up flavor and trapping moisture.
- Ground Beef – Beef is the foundation of beef bolognese. 80/20 ground beef is juicy and yields the best flavor and tender texture, however, I often use 93/7 lean ground beef to lighten it up and it still tastes amazing. Grass-fed beef is slightly leaner and has an earthy tone.
- Milk – A hint of milk or heavy cream adds to the complexity of ragu. Use your favorite milk or substitute with more red wine if you prefer.
- Red Wine – Full-bodied red wine enriches the sauce and tenderizes the meat as it reduces. The best red wine for ragu is Barbera, Barolo, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Zinfandel. Inexpensive full-bodied red wine works well.
- Tomato Paste – Tomato paste adds classic tomato flavor.
- Parmesan – Fresh grate parmesan from a wedge or a block for the best texture and flavor. Store-bought grated parmesan has additives that can fall flat and clump.
I like to serve toss this sauce with spaghetti, fettuccine or pappardelle. We love serving it with Homemade Pasta, which is deceivingly easy!
Pair Bolognese Ragu with an Italian Salad or Pear Salad with a crusty loaf of bread and my viral Olive Oil Bread Dip!
Beef Bolognese Ragu Recipe
Ingredients
Pasta
- 1 pound pasta approximately 2½ cups prepared
Sauce
- 3 slices bacon sliced in 1/4" strips
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- ½ pound ground beef
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup red wine
- ⅓ cup parmesan grated
- 1 6 ounces tomato paste
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil sliced
- ½ cup parmesan grated
Instructions
For the Pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare noodles al dente. Strain, reserving ½ cup pasta water.1 pound pasta
For the Sauce
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan over medium heat, add bacon and fry until almost crisp.Add olive oil and chopped onion, stir frequently until tender.3 slices bacon, 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, ½ yellow onion
- Add ground beef. Using a spatula, break it up and stir frequently until browned.½ pound ground beef
- Stir in milk, wine, and tomato paste. Reduce over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until sauce reaches desired consistency.½ cup milk, ½ cup red wine, 1 6 ounces tomato paste
To Serve
- Using tongs, add noodles to saucepan and toss with a large spoonful of reserved pasta water and fresh grated parmesan cheese. Use more pasta water to thin, if needed.⅓ cup parmesan
- Garnish with fresh grated parmesan and basil to serve.½ cup parmesan, 2 tablespoons fresh basil
Julie’s Tips
Video
Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.
This sounds delicious. Unfortunately I cannot consume two of the ingredients, bacon and wine. Can you recommend any substitutions?
You could eliminate, but honestly, I think the wine gives it a lot of great flavor. Keep in mind that the alcohol evaporates if that’s your concern. Enjoy!
My go-to Bolognese is Martha Stewart’s, always the best. I make a big batch and freeze it. This looks good if one is in a hurry.
That one is great, too, but I know you’ll love this! Enjoy!
Wow your blog is just wonderful! Interesting you only use tomato paste? Doesn’t it end up slightly to sweet? I usually use only a little tomato paste and lots of fresh tomatoes. A great trick to thicken and combine all ingredients well without cooking it for several hours is to cover your pot with an Aluminium foil once all ingredients are combined and put it into the oven for 30 minutes. You will end up with a fantastic thick and flavorful sauce. ๐
Thank you, Claudia! I have done that with several sauces, including this one, but nothing beats the flavor of tomato paste with this particular recipe. I love doing that with my tomato & basil sauce though – thanks for sharing!
I’ve been wanting to try this and hadn’t gotten around to searching out a recipe…and then I saw your link on Rebecca’s You Are Talking Too Much Link Party!!! Isn’t life awesome like that!!
This looks pretty easy and so delicious!! I’m definitely Pinning and Trying!!! ๐ Thank you!!!
I am so going to make this! I love every ingredient! Thank you for sharing at Meet Me Monday! Love, Me http://www.youaretalkingtoomuch.com