ItalyHere's a fun fact: spaghetti bolognese doesn't exist in Bologna. There, it's ragù alla bolognese, served with tagliatelle, never spaghetti. But I love this 'inauthentic' version anyway because it's become its own beautiful thing worldwide. The real trick is patience — a proper meat sauce needs at least two hours of slow simmering for the flavors to deepen and the meat to become silky. I always add a splash of milk, which sounds strange but tenderizes the meat and adds richness.
Brown your meat in small batches without moving it — overcrowding the pan steams the meat instead of creating the deep, caramelized flavor you want.
Spaghetti Bolognese
By Sergei Martynov
A slow-cooked meat ragù of ground beef, pancetta, tomatoes, and a splash of milk that simmers for hours until thick and deeply savory. The pasta is just a vehicle — the sauce is where all the patience pays off.
Key Ingredients
What you'll need
Ingredients
- 500 g
See recipes with spaghettispaghetti
i - 500 g
See recipes with ground beefground beef
i - 1
See recipes with oniononion, finely chopped
i - 2 cloves
See recipes with garlicgarlic, chopped
i - 2 stalks
See recipes with celerycelery, finely chopped
i - 1
See recipes with carrotcarrot, grated
i - 400 g
See recipes with canned chopped tomatoescanned chopped tomatoes
i - 2 tbspSee recipes with tomato paste
tomato paste
i - 1 cup
See recipes with dry red winedry red wine
i - 1 tsp
See recipes with dried oreganodried oregano
i - 2
See recipes with bay leavesbay leaves
i - to taste
See recipes with salt and black peppersalt and black pepper
i - for frying
See recipes with olive oilolive oil
i - for serving
See recipes with grated parmesangrated parmesan
i
How to make it
Instructions
- 1
In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- 2
Add the ground beef and cook, breaking up lumps, until the meat is browned, about 8-10 minutes.
- 3
Pour in the red wine and cook until almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce, stirring occasionally, for about 1-1.5 hours until it thickens.
- 5
10-15 minutes before the sauce is ready, boil the spaghetti in salted water until al dente. Drain, leaving some pasta water. Add the spaghetti to the skillet with the sauce and mix well. Serve with grated parmesan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make bolognese without wine?
Yes — replace the wine with beef stock or simply skip it. The sauce will still taste great. But wine genuinely deepens the flavour: the acid tenderises the meat and the alcohol cooks off completely. If cooking alcohol-free, add a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar instead.
Ground beef or pork — which is better for bolognese?
The classic Bologna recipe uses a 50/50 mix of beef and pork — beef gives flavour and texture, pork adds fat and tenderness. Pure beef works too but the sauce will be slightly drier. Avoid very lean mince — the fat is essential for flavour.
Does authentic bolognese have cream?
The classic Bolognese recipe does not include cream. A small amount of milk or cream is sometimes added at the end to soften the tomato acidity and make the sauce silkier — but it is optional, not required.
What pasta shape goes best with bolognese?
In Bologna, tagliatelle is traditional — the wide flat surface holds the sauce perfectly. Spaghetti is the most popular worldwide, though Italians debate it. Penne and rigatoni also work well: the tubular shapes trap the meat inside.
Why does my bolognese turn out watery?
Two common reasons: too much liquid added at once, or not enough time to reduce. The sauce should simmer uncovered on low heat — the liquid gradually evaporates and concentrates the flavour. If it is already watery, just keep simmering and stirring until it thickens.
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