Description
Rich, hearty bolognese sauce simmers with depth, bringing Italian culinary tradition to your kitchen. Slow-cooked beef and aromatic herbs create a comforting embrace you’ll savor with each delicious bite.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb/450 g ground beef
- ½ lb/225 g ground pork
- 1 can/28 oz/800 g crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup/120 ml dry red wine
- 1 cup/240 ml whole milk
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 2 tbsps tomato paste
- 1 medium onion (finely diced)
- 2 carrots (finely diced)
- 2 celery stalks (finely diced)
- 4 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Aromatic Base: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, warm olive oil over medium heat and sauté finely chopped onion, carrots, and celery until they soften and release their delicate flavors, approximately 5-7 minutes.
- Flavor Enhancement: Introduce minced garlic to the vegetable medley, stirring continuously to prevent burning and allow the aromatic essence to permeate the mixture, cooking for roughly 1 minute.
- Meat Integration: Add ground beef, breaking it into fine crumbles and cooking until the meat loses its raw appearance and develops a rich, caramelized exterior, ensuring even browning throughout.
- Liquid Infusion: Pour in red wine, allowing it to simmer and reduce, which will concentrate the flavors and tenderize the meat while deglazing the pot’s bottom to capture all the concentrated savory bits.
- Tomato Transformation: Incorporate tomato paste and crushed tomatoes, stirring thoroughly to create a harmonious sauce base that will develop deep, complex flavors during slow simmering.
- Slow Simmering: Reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let the Bolognese sauce gently simmer, occasionally stirring to prevent scorching and allowing the ingredients to meld into a rich, velvety texture.
- Final Seasoning: Adjust salt, pepper, and herbs to taste, ensuring a perfectly balanced sauce that will complement your chosen pasta.
Notes
- Chop onions, carrots, and celery into uniform, small pieces to ensure even cooking and smooth texture in the sauce.
- Use medium heat and stir frequently to prevent burning, allowing vegetables to soften and release natural sugars without browning too quickly.
- Add garlic last to prevent burning and release its aromatic oils without becoming bitter or acrid.
- Select a heavy-bottomed pot to distribute heat evenly and prevent hot spots that could cause uneven cooking or scorching.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg