Creamy Bolognese 🍝
If someone asked me what I wanted to eat for my last meal it would be this Creamy Bolognese over fettuccine! I have perfected this recipe over the years of cooking every type of Italian sauce you could imagine. This one with the perfect ratio of ground beef to pork, sauteed alongside mirepoix, garlic, and spices, and simmered in a tomato based sauce is truly the perfect Italian family meal! Now, there’s two ways you can make this sauce, you can stop before adding the heavy cream or you can follow the recipe exactly as written and add the heavy cream to add a touch of milky creamy goodness to this savory sauce. I have made both ways and enjoyed them both, but that little creamy, slightly sweetened touch of luxury takes your bolognese sauce to a whole other level! So, I have a feeling once you make this it will likely replace your go to sunday sauce! Are you ready? Let’s make it!
This Amazon Basics Heavy-Duty Cast Iron Dutch Oven Pot is a staple to have in your kitchen. This heavy-duty cast iron retains heat well and distributes it evenly. It is also ideal for roasting, baking, sautéing, cooking, and is oven safe up to 500 degrees F.
Whenever you are cooking with wine make sure you are using a wine that you actually like to drink!
Make sure you layer the salt and pepper as you go!!!!! I use these Le Creuset Salt Mill & Le Creuset Pepper Mill everyday for my recipes, the color is beautiful!
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🗒 More Delicious Italian Recipes
👝 How to Store Leftovers
Store in an air-tight container for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
🤔 Common Questions
Passata is 100% pureed, strained uncooked tomatoes and it is usually found in a glass jar at your local grocery store.
You must season with salt and pepper in layers and taste as you go! Every time you add a group of ingredients stop and add salt and pepper. Layering your salt and pepper is the key to getting the best tasting sauce!
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Creamy Bolognese
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp olive oil divided
- 2 large carrots peeled & diced
- 2 stalks of celery diced
- 1 medium onion diced
- Salt & cracked black pepper to taste
- Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1.5 lbs ground beef
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 cup cabernet
- 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes
- 1 cup water divided
- 24 oz jar passata
- Pinch of sugar
- 2 oz hunk of pecorino romano
- 1 lb pappardelle or fettuccine nest or any pasta you want
- ¾ cup heavy cream optional
- 15 fresh basil leaves ripped up
- Grated pecorino romano for garnish
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or pot, heat up about 4 tbsp of olive oil. Once it's hot, add in carrots, celery, onion, salt & cracked black pepper (start with 2 – 3 tsp of each and then add it to taste after that), and crushed red pepper flakes (to taste, add more or less depending on how much spice you prefer). Saute that on a medium heat for about 15 minutes or until translucent and slightly golden. Then, add in the garlic and saute that for just a few more minutes.
- Next, add in the tomato paste and saute it for about 3 – 5 minutes. Now, add in the ground beef and ground pork and break it up with a wooden spoon. Shake in more salt & cracked black pepper (layer the salt and cracked black pepper as you go after adding more ingredients). Also, drizzle in about 2 more tbsp of olive oil if needed when sautéing the meat (I ended up using 6 tbsp of olive oil total). Sauté the meat on a medium heat about 15 minutes or until cooked through and stir every 5 minutes.
- Once the meat is browned, pour in the cabernet, and bring the pot to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and let that simmer for about 5 minutes. Next, pour in the can of whole peeled tomatoes and fill the empty can with a ½ cup of water, swish it around to get all the excess tomato out, and add that into the pot as well. Mash the whole peeled tomatoes up using a wooden spoon or a potato masher, add more salt & cracked black pepper, and give that a stir. Then, pour in the passata, fill the empty jar with a ½ cup of water, put the lid on, shake it up to get all the excess passata out, and add that to the pot as well. Now, add in a pinch of sugar, a hunk of pecorino romano, and more salt, cracked black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if needed (to taste).
- Give everything a stir and bring the pot to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, lower it to a simmer, and place the lid on the pot leaving it slightly ajar. Let that simmer for at least an hour, but you can leave it simmering for as long as you want (if you notice your sauce getting too thick as it’s simmering, just add in more water).
- Once that’s almost been simmering for an hour, bring a pot of water to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, salt the water, and add in your pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente.
- Once the sauce has been simmering for at least an hour, stir in the heavy cream and rip in the fresh basil. Stir that all together and let that simmer for about 5 – 10 minutes. Then it's done!!
- Serve the bolognese over the cooked pasta, toss it well, and garnish with some grated pecorino romano. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- It’s very important to layer the salt and pepper as you add each group of ingredients!!!
Nutrition
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Would it matter if I used chicken or vegetable broth instead of wine?
You can! Or simply omit wine! 🍷 will still be delicious 😋
Wow,
Didn’t change a thing! Girlfriend loves this!
Happy you both enjoyed 🤩
this was delish! when i normally do mine, instead of the cream, i add a good tbls of whole milk ricotta,