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Easy Weeknight Bolognese Sauce: A Classic Italian Meat Sauce

A fork lifts a generous portion of pasta coated in rich bolognese sauce from a white plate.
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You can make this rich, hearty Bolognese sauce even on a busy weeknight. This recipe balances authentic flavor development with practical cooking time, resulting in a comforting, crowd-pleasing Italian meat sauce perfect for pasta or lasagna.

Ingredients

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  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine (optional, substitute with beef broth)
  • 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 pound pasta of your choice (e.g., spaghetti or tagliatelle)

Instructions

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain off any excess fat.
  2. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery to the pot. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  3. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. If using, pour in the red wine and let it simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the liquid is mostly reduced, about 3 minutes.
  5. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. Season generously with salt and pepper.
  6. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot partially, and let the Bolognese sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. For deeper flavor, simmer for up to 1.5 hours.
  7. Remove the bay leaf before serving. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
  8. While the sauce simmers, cook your pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta.
  9. Toss the cooked pasta with a generous amount of the rich, hearty Bolognese sauce. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • For an even richer flavor, substitute half the ground beef with ground pork or Italian sausage.
  • This sauce freezes well; make a large batch for future quick weeknight dinners.
  • If you skip the wine, add an extra 1/2 cup of beef broth to maintain liquid volume.

Nutrition

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