Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Ground Beef Recipes Bolognese Sauce 3.3 (235) 15 Reviews This traditional take on the classic pasta sauce uses ground beef and ground pork and is less tomato-heavy than American versions. By Martha Stewart Martha Stewart Martha Stewart is a bestselling author, entrepreneur, and lifestyle expert who has taught millions of people through generations the joy of entertaining, cooking, gardening, collecting, crafting, and home renovating via her eponymous magazine, Martha Stewart Living, Emmy-winning television shows, and 99 books (and counting). Based in Katonah, N.Y., where she helms her 156-acre Bedford Farm, Martha is America's first self-made female billionaire. Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 18, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Yield: 8 Cups Martha's slow-simmered Bolognese sauce is a traditional take on the classic pasta sauce. It starts with a soffritto, an aromatic base of sautéed onion, carrot, and celery, that's the foundation of many Italian recipes. The soffritto for our Bolognese includes the Italian cured pork pancetta for extra rich flavor. The sauce is made with a mix of ground beef and pork; the meats are cooked in wine, then braised with milk, and then the tomatoes are added along with chicken stock. Tomatoes are not as prominent in Bolognese as in meat sauce and other pasta sauces. The resulting sauce is rich and nuanced, a perfect partner for spaghetti, fettuccine, or just about any pasta. 16 Classic Italian Pasta Recipes Everyone Should Know How to Make David M. Russell Ingredients For soffritto 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 3 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼-inch pieces (⅔ cup) ⅔ cup minced yellow onion (½ medium) ⅔ cup minced carrot (2 medium) ⅔ cup minced celery (1 rib) For sauce 1 pound ground beef, such as chuck or sirloin 1 pound ground pork 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 cup dry white wine 1 ¼ cups whole milk 5 sprigs thyme, tied into a bundle with kitchen twine 1 to 2 fresh bay leaves 1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled tomatoes, pureed (with juice) in a blender (or through a food mill) 6 to 7 cups Basic Chicken Stock Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper Directions Make soffritto: Heat butter and oil in a large pot over medium-high heat until butter starts to sizzle, then reduce heat to medium. Add pancetta, and cook until golden and fat has rendered, about 2 1/2 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to brown around edges, about 10 minutes (adjust heat if mixture is browning too quickly). Add meats: Add beef and pork and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently and separating meat with the back of a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes. Once meat is completely browned, pour off any excess fat. Add tomato paste and cook 1 minute, stirring to intensify sweetness. Add wine, milk, herbs, tomatoes, and stock: Pour in wine and cook, stirring to scrape up browned bits from bottom of pot, until liquid has evaporated, 6 to 7 minutes. Add 1 cup milk and cook until reduced by half, about 3 minutes (don't worry if it appears slightly curdled, it will smooth out again). Add thyme bundle and bay leaves, and then pour in tomatoes and 6 cups stock. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Simmer sauce: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer and cook, partially covered, 3 to 3 1/2 hours, skimming the fat from the surface with a ladle periodically. If at any time the sauce appears too dry, add up to 1 cup more stock as necessary. The finished sauce should have the consistency of a loose chili. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup milk and season with salt and pepper, as desired. David M. Russell What Makes Bolognese Different Than Pasta Sauce or Sunday Gravy? Storing If not serving immediately, let the Bolognese sauce cool completely before transferring it to airtight containers. Refrigerate up to three days or freeze up to three months; defrost in the refrigerator before using. Other Bolognese Sauce Recipes to Try: Easy Bolognese Chicken Bolognese with Tagliatelle Grandma's Bolognese Turkey-and-Mushroom Bolognese Perfect Bolognese Rate It PRINT