Beef Bolognese Pasta Dish (Printable Version)
Slow-cooked beef in rich tomato sauce paired with perfectly cooked pasta for a comforting meal.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.1 lb ground beef (80/20)
→ Vegetables & Aromatics
02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 celery stalks, finely diced
04 - 1 medium carrot, finely diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids & Canned
06 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
07 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
08 - ½ cup dry red wine
09 - 1 cup beef broth
→ Dairy
10 - ¼ cup whole milk
→ Seasonings
11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - 1½ tsp dried oregano
13 - 1 tsp dried basil
14 - 1 bay leaf
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
16 - Pinch of sugar (optional)
→ Pasta
17 - 12 oz dried tagliatelle or spaghetti
→ Garnish
18 - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
19 - Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrot. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes until vegetables soften and become translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook 6 to 8 minutes until browned and no longer pink. Drain excess fat if necessary.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add red wine, simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up browned bits from the pot.
05 - Add crushed tomatoes, beef broth, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and optional sugar. Season with salt and pepper.
06 - Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally until sauce is thickened and flavors meld.
07 - Stir in whole milk and simmer an additional 5 minutes to enrich the sauce. Adjust seasoning as needed.
08 - Meanwhile, cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup of pasta water.
09 - Toss pasta with Bolognese sauce, adding reserved pasta water as needed to achieve desired consistency.
10 - Plate the pasta topped with grated Parmesan and chopped parsley as desired. Serve immediately.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The sauce tastes even better the next day, making this a gift to your future self.
- Once you nail the base vegetables, you'll have a technique that works for so many other dishes.
- It's the kind of meal that fills your home with warmth and makes everyone at the table feel looked after.
02 -
- Don't skip the step of cooking the tomato paste in the meat—it concentrates and deepens the flavor in a way that nothing else can replicate.
- The milk at the end isn't a fancy addition; it's a game-changer that smooths everything out and tastes far better than any cream would.
- Resist the urge to cook this on high heat to save time—low and slow is the only way the flavors actually develop into something that tastes homemade and real.
03 -
- Always reserve pasta water before draining—this starchy liquid is liquid gold for adjusting sauce consistency and helping everything cling together beautifully.
- Taste the sauce multiple times as it simmers; you'll notice the flavors evolving and deepening, which teaches you how to cook intuitively.
- Fresh Parmesan grated from a block right over the top isn't a luxury—it's the difference between good and unforgettable, and it takes thirty seconds to do.