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ragu bolognese on a piece of bread
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Traditional Ragù Alla Bolognese

Make authentic Ragu Alla Bolognese just like Italians make. You'll have the creamiest and the most delicious sauce you've tried!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time3 hours
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Sauces
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 6
Calories: 354kcal
Author: Svi

Ingredients

  • 1 lb ground beef , about 450-500 grams
  • 5 oz pancetta (pork belly) , cut in small cubes (about 150 grams)
  • 1 onion , finely chopped
  • 1 carrot , finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks , finely chopped
  • 1 cup tomato passata (strained tomatoes)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • ⅔ cup dry white or red wine
  • 1 cup meat broth
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon salt , more to taste
  • Pepper
  • Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Quick Prep

  • Remove the rind from pork belly and then cut it into ¼ inch (0.5 cm) strips and again into ¼ inch x ¼ inch cubes.
  • Wash and peel the vegetables. With a sharp knife finely chop onion, carrot and celery. You can also chop them roughly and pulse in a food processor until finely chopped.

Cook Soffritto

  • In a casserole add pork belly cubes and let brown on medium-high heat.
  • Reduce the heat and add finely chopped vegetables.
  • Let cook of medium-low heat until vegetables have softened and onion has changed color from white to almost translucent. This will take about 10 minutes. It’s best to keep the lid on and stir frequently.

Roast the Meat

  • In a separate large pan add a splash of extra virgin olive oil and ground beef.
  • Set the heat to high and stir continuously with a wooden spoon breaking the meat into small pieces.
  • After a few minutes of cooking the meat will release the juice. Do NOT stop cooking. If you stop at this time you’ll have the taste of boiled meat in your ragu!
  • Continue on high heat stirring until the meat has browned. Once meat changed color and all juice has evaporated, add wine. Cook for a few more minutes until wine has slightly evaporated.
    This will take 10-12 minutes.

Assemble and Cook Ragu

  • Transfer roasted meat to the casserole with soffritto.
  • Add tomato passata (sieved tomatoes) and tomato paste and stir.
  • Add broth and bring everything to a boil.
    Set heat on very low and cover the pot with the lid leaving a small opening.
    Simmer on low heat for 2.5-3 hours.
  • Half through the cooking time add milk or skip the milk if you prefer.
    Make sure to check and stir your ragu occasionally and check.
    If ragu dries out too much add a little more broth or water.
  • At the end of cooking adjust for salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

Storage & Reheating

Freshly made ragu should be cooled to room temperature before placing it for storage.
  • Fridge - can be stored for 3 days in an airtight container.
  • Freezer - store ragu in the freezer in a zip-lock bag or an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before use.
It's best to divide ragu into smaller portions so that you can thaw only the amount you're going to use. Ragu should NOT be frozen twice.
Reheat ragu in the pan or a small pot with a little water. Make sure it's no low heat.

Nutrition

Calories: 354kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 541mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2066IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 48mg | Iron: 2mg