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Classic Slow-Simmered Bolognese Sauce

This hearty, slow-simmered Bolognese sauce is rich with deep, savory flavor. Ground beef cooks low and slow with aromatics, milk, white wine, and tomatoes until the flavors meld into something truly special. Spoon it over pappardelle or your favorite pasta shape for a comforting meal that beats anything you'd order at a restaurant.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Sauces & Dressings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small yellow onion finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1 small carrot peeled and finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
  • 1 small stalk celery finely diced (about 1/4 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 pound lean ground beef
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more as needed
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Large Pot
  • Wooden spoon

Method
 

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat until shimmering. Stir in 1 finely diced small yellow onion, 1 peeled and finely diced small carrot, 1 finely diced small celery stalk, and 3 minced garlic cloves. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Add 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg. Cook, breaking up the beef into smaller pieces, until cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in 1 cup whole milk and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in 1 cup dry white wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated, 10 to 12 minutes.
  4. Stir in 1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes and their juices, breaking up the tomatoes with your hands into bite-size pieces as you add them to the pot, and 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a very gentle simmer. Simmer, stirring occasionally and breaking up any large pieces of tomato with a wooden spoon, until the sauce is thickened and the flavors meld, about 1 1/2 hours.

Notes

Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Tomato swap: Crushed or diced tomatoes (and the juices) can be used as a substitute for the can of whole peeled tomatoes. If you use diced tomatoes, you may want to consider pureeing the tomatoes first.
Broth swap: Low-sodium vegetable or beef broth can be used as a substitute for chicken broth.
Meat swap: While not traditional, other types of ground meat (or a combination) can be used in place of ground beef.
Milk swap: While whole milk is definitely preferred, 2% milk will get the job done in a pinch. Do not use 1% or skim milk in this recipe.
Shortcut: If you'd rather skip the chopping, coarsely chop the vegetables and pulse them a few times in a food processor until blitzed into small pieces.