Best Pasta Bolognese Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 1/4 cup celery, small diced
- 1 1/4 cup carrots, peeled, small diced
- 6 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- 1 lb ground beef (15- 20% fat) or use ground elk or lamb, or plant-based ground meat.
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano or Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons salt, more to taste
- 1 ½ teaspoons fresh black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 14-ounce can (1 ½ cups) of San Marzano tomatoes, chopped, with all the juices.
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1 lb pasta (papparadelle or tagliatelle) cooked to al dente, drained ( save some hot salted pasta water)
- ½ cup finely grated pecorino or Parmesan, divided (and a Parmesan rind- see notes)
- Granish: Fresh basil or Italian parsley
Instructions
- 1
Cook the veggies
- 2
. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until translucent and fragrant. Add the garlic, celery, and carrots and cook until softened. Scoop this aside.
- 3
Brown the meat
- 4
Break the ground meat apart with a fork, then add it to the pan. Sprinkle in the salt and pepper, oregano, chili flakes, and nutmeg, searing until the meat browns- this will create umami. Once browned, add the veggies back in.
- 5
Cook off the milk
- 6
Add a cup of milk and stir, let the milk bubble all away. Cook off the wine. Add the tomato paste and white wine, and cook until mostly evaporated.
- 7
Long slow simmer
- 8
Add the tomatoes, chicken broth, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to medium-low and simmer very gently (tiny bubbles) uncovered, for 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes, adding more chicken broth if needed to loosen the mixture.
30 min - 9
Season. Stir in 1/4 cup pecorino cheese. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, and chili flakes. Ultimately, it should be a thick, rich, flavorful sauce.
- 10
Combine
- 11
Toss with the cooked, drained pasta, reserving a little pasta water to loosen if necessary. Stir in the remaining grated pecorino cheese and top with fresh herbs.
Nutrition
Per serving (based on 6 servings)
