Is Bolognese Sauce Healthy?

Bolognese can absolutely be part of a healthy meal, and how healthy it is comes down to the ingredients and proportions you use. A traditional Bolognese is built on beef, a little pork, soffritto (onion, carrot, celery), tomato, wine, and a touch of milk, so it delivers protein and vegetables, but richer versions also include butter and a good amount of olive oil and pancetta. To make a healthier Bolognese, use leaner beef, less pancetta, skip the butter, and cut back on the olive oil and milk. That's exactly what the Healthy Bolognese Sauce variation in this post does: it keeps the authentic flavor and method but lightens the fat. Serving it with a sensible portion of pasta (about 80 to 90g of dried pasta per person, the Italian way) and plenty of the sauce's vegetables keeps the whole plate balanced.

Why do you put milk in Bolognese sauce?

Milk is a traditional ingredient in authentic Bolognese, and it does two things: it tenderizes the meat and rounds out the sauce, softening the acidity of the tomato and wine so the ragù tastes mellow and balanced rather than sharp. It's added near the end and simmered until absorbed, which leaves the sauce silky rather than milky. The official Bolognese recipe registered in Bologna includes whole milk, so it isn't optional in a truly traditional ragù.

What kind of meat do you use for Bolognese sauce?

Authentic Bolognese uses beef plus a little pork. For the beef, well-marbled cuts like neck, skirt, or chuck give the best flavor, and grinding it twice makes the texture finer. The pork is usually pancetta, though pork belly or ground pork also work, and it adds richness and depth you can't get from beef alone. If you leave the pork out, traditional cooks add a little pork fat or lard so the ragù keeps its character.

Why does Bolognese take so long to cook?

The long simmer is what turns a meat sauce into a true ragù. Bolognese needs a minimum of 2 1/2 hours, and 4 to 5 hours is even better, because the slow, gentle cooking breaks down the meat, concentrates the flavors, and lets the milk, wine, and tomato meld into something far deeper than a quick sauce. There's no real shortcut: a 30-minute version may taste good, but it won't have the texture or richness of a properly simmered ragù.

How long does Bolognese sauce last, and can you freeze it?

Bolognese keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container, and it actually tastes even better the day after it's made. It also freezes very well for up to 6 months. See the storage section above for full portioning, freezing, and reheating details.

Authentic Bolognese Sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese)

Name: Authentic Bolognese Sauce (Ragù alla Bolognese)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 15 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (75g); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (100g); 1 medium onion (7 ounces) (200g); 1 medium carrot (3 1/2 ounces) (100g); 1 rib of celery (1/4 cup) (85g); 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (700g) (well-marbled cuts like the neck, skirt, chuck, or sirloin); 11 ounces pancetta, finely minced or chopped in a food processor (300g) (sub pork belly); 1 1/2 cups dry red wine such as Sangiovese di Romagna (330g) (sub cabernet, merlot, pinot nero, or other dry red wine); 1 cup chicken broth (plus more as needed up to 2 full cups total) (225g); 1 cup whole milk (240g); 17 1/2 ounces tomato passata (500g); 2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste (30g) (sub regular tomato paste); 2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more or less to taste (8 g); black pepper to taste

Description

A rich, slow-simmered Bolognese sauce from the heart of Bologna and the greater Emilia-Romagna region. This is the version we gravitate toward on our trips to Bologna, with a smooth, balanced, savory ragù built on beef, pancetta, soffritto, wine, tomato, and milk. Use it to make authentic lasagne alla Bolognese, or toss it with fresh egg pasta like homemade pappardelle, tagliatelle, or gnocchi Bolognese.

Ingredients

Units

This is our favorite authentic Bolognese sauce!

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (75g)
1/2 cup unsalted butter (100g)
1 medium onion (7 ounces) (200g)
1 medium carrot (3 1/2 ounces) (100g)
1 rib of celery (1/4 cup) (85g)
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (700g) (well-marbled cuts like the neck, skirt, chuck, or sirloin)
11 ounces pancetta, finely minced or chopped in a food processor (300g) (sub pork belly)
1 1/2 cups dry red wine such as Sangiovese di Romagna (330g) (sub cabernet, merlot, pinot nero, or other dry red wine)
1 cup chicken broth (plus more as needed up to 2 full cups total) (225g)
1 cup whole milk (240g)
17 1/2 ounces tomato passata (500g)
2 tablespoons double concentrated tomato paste (30g) (sub regular tomato paste)
2 to 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more or less to taste (8 g)
black pepper to taste

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Instructions

Cook the soffritto. In a large dutch oven set over medium-low heat, add the butter, olive oil, and onions, season with salt, and sauté until translucent but not browned and most of the moisture has evaporated (about 10 minutes). Turn up the heat to medium, add the carrots, and cook for 5 minutes. Next, add the celery and cook for 5 minutes more.
Cook the pancetta. Add the ground (or finely diced) pancetta to the pot and sauté until cooked through and most of the fat has been rendered (about 10 minutes).
Cook the beef. Add 1/2 of the beef to the pot, breaking it up into small pieces with the back of a spoon, season with salt, and cook until no longer pink and some of the moisture has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the rest of the beef, season with salt, and cook until the moisture has evaporated (about 10 minutes).
Deglaze the pot with wine. Add the wine while scraping the browned bits (the fond) from the bottom of the pot. Let the mixture cook for at least 20 minutes and up to 25 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
Add the milk, tomato, and broth, and finish the ragù. Add the tomato passata to the pot. Stir the tomato paste into the chicken stock and milk, and add it to the pot. Season with a little salt and black pepper, reduce the heat to low, and gently simmer covered, stirring occasionally for approximately 2 1/2 hours. You may add chicken stock, a 1/4 cup at a time, to thin it out only as needed. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasonings, and serve right away. Enjoy! *See recipe notes for how to season so you don't end up with an overly salty Bolognese after it has reduced.

Notes

Substitute beef broth with low-sodium chicken stock, or vice versa.

Make the ragù ahead. It can be made up to 3 days in advance. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover in an airtight container and keep refrigerated until ready to use. Reheat and use as needed.

Freeze Bolognese in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before you need to use it in a recipe.

If you don't have tomato paste, substitute with 1/2 cup (120g) of finely chopped tomatoes, whole peeled tomatoes, or tomato passata.

Do not oversalt the sauce. Season the vegetables, beef, and sauce as the ingredients are added so each layer of this ragù is properly seasoned. Be careful not to salt it as you would a 30-minute spaghetti sauce, because as the ragù cooks the liquid reduces and the flavors concentrate, which intensifies the salt. You can always add salt but can never take it away.

Slow cooker Bolognese: transfer the sauce to a slow cooker after you've added the milk, tomatoes, and broth, and cook on low for 6 hours.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Sauces + Spreads + Dips
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 4 ounces
Calories: 369
Sugar: 3.5g
Sodium: 488mg
Fat: 30g
Saturated Fat: 12g
Unsaturated Fat: 18g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 6g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 13g
Cholesterol: 58mg