Dinner
Spaghetti Bolognese (Easy Homemade Meat Sauce)
Spaghetti bolognese with a slow-simmered meat sauce of beef, soffritto, milk, wine and tomatoes. 15 minutes of prep, 1½ hours of cooking, ready in 1 hour 45.
By the Forkful editorial team · Published
Quick answer
Cook 1 chopped onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery rib in 2 tbsp olive oil for 10 minutes, then brown 1 lb ground beef. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste, ½ cup whole milk and ½ cup dry white wine, letting each cook down, then add a 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes and simmer gently for about 1 hour, stirring now and then. Toss with 12 oz cooked spaghetti and serve with grated Parmesan.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Makes
- 4 servings
Spaghetti bolognese is one of the dishes people look up most often when they want a family dinner that feels like a project but is really mostly waiting. This is a home-style version, not the traditional ragù served with tagliatelle in Bologna, and it works well with the spaghetti most of us have in the pantry.
The flavour comes from a few unhurried steps. Cooking the vegetables slowly gives the sauce a sweet base, browning the beef properly adds depth, and reducing the milk and the wine before the tomatoes go in keeps the sauce rich and rounded rather than sharp. Traditional recipes simmer for two hours or more; one hour is enough for a very good weeknight sauce.
Ingredients
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- For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lb ground beef (or half beef, half pork)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
- To serve
- 12 oz dried spaghetti
- Grated Parmesan and fresh basil or parsley
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery with a pinch of salt and cook 10 minutes, stirring, until very soft but not browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef and break it up with a spoon. Cook 8–10 minutes, until no pink remains and the meat has started to brown.
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add the milk and simmer until it has almost completely evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer 3–4 minutes, until reduced by about half.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, 1 tsp salt and the pepper. Bring to a bubble, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until thick and glossy. Add a splash of hot water if it gets too thick.
- About 15 minutes before the sauce is done, cook the spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water until al dente, following the package time. Save a mug of the cooking water, then drain.
- Taste the sauce and adjust the salt. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding a little pasta water if needed, and serve with Parmesan and herbs.
Tips for the best result
- 1Do not skip browning the beef. Let it sit untouched for a minute between stirs so it colours instead of steaming.
- 2Simmer longer if you have time. 2 hours gives a deeper sauce, so add a little water whenever it gets too thick.
- 3Mixing the sauce into the pasta in the pot, with a splash of cooking water, helps it cling to the spaghetti.
- 4Use whole milk if you can, and let it reduce fully before adding the wine and tomatoes.
Storage
Refrigerate within 2 hours for up to 4 days, or freeze the sauce for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot (165°F / 74°C).
Frequently asked questions
Why add milk to bolognese sauce?
Milk is a traditional ingredient. It softens the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce a rounder, silkier texture.
Is spaghetti bolognese authentic Italian?
Not exactly. In Bologna the ragù is usually served with tagliatelle, so spaghetti bolognese is an international adaptation. It is still delicious.
Can I make bolognese in advance?
Yes. The sauce tastes even better the next day. Cool it and keep it in the fridge, then reheat gently and cook fresh pasta.
