Classic Ragu alla Bolognese is the foundation of a lot of great dishes, including Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, Lasagna Bolognese and more. This ragu has marvelous full flavor, depth and opulence without long hours of simmering.
House Favorite Ragu: Easy and Tasty
This ragu alla Bolognese recipe comes from years of evolution. After living in Bologna and enjoying lots and lots of ragu alla Bolognese from nonnas, mammas, trattorias and country restaurants throughout Emilia Romagna’s countryside, we started making it ourselves. And we’ve made lots and lots of ragus ourselves through the years, some very long and entailed, with lots of ingredients, steps and time. In fact for years I faithfully made laborious multi-hour versions of ragu alla bolognese — until I didn’t.
I found myself putting off cooking ragu more and more, because it just took too much time and effort and ingredients to make, despite the lure of freezing it in portions for easy future pasta meals. One year, after an entire winter season without our special lasagna Bolognese nights (in which ragu alla Bolognese is a main ingredient), I started to think about making what I thought would be compromises. You know, easier — but with sacrifices in taste and satisfaction.
But that didn’t happen. The ragu alla bolognese I make now takes a lot less time and less ingredients, but surprisingly without any compromise in deliciousness. In fact, it has delightfully ended up better all around! After taking away ingredients, a lot of work, time and extra pans to clean, something funny happened: we found the flavors are even better and love it even more. Truly a happy discovery.
We’ve more than managed to keep it rich and full flavored, while not being heavy. And you know, this version, after all the years of whittling, is very close (everyone has their version) to how some make ragu these days around Bologna. (We’re not the only ones to like less labor for flavor!) However, we do love to add some traditional variations as well.
Bolognese Bianca
Ever had ragù bianco — white ragu? One of the best lasagnas I ever had was made with a ragu bianco. A ragù bianco is a creamy Bolognese sauce with either no tomato, or just an invisible pinch. Give me the choice, and I’ll take a ragu alla Bolognese bianco — or almost bianco, like in this recipe, where the tomato is present as a welcome touch of savory depth, yet doesn’t overpower all the other flavors in the sauce. (Read why ragù bianco is closer to historical ragus.)
Ingredients
A note on ingredient measurements: you can pretty much put the word “about” before all ingredient quantities in a ragu recipe — as is the case with many Italian recipes. As long as you keep fairly close, you’ll be fine. If the meat counter gives you a little more ground beef than you asked for, throw it in.
Tool Tip: If you have one, use a food processor to make it so much easier on yourself. The vegetables and prosciutto are minced so much faster and easier with a food processor than by hand. I also use it for the optional chicken livers.
Soffritto
The soffritto, usually the trinity of onion, carrot, and celery, minced into a battuto and browned until golden, is ubiquitous in Italian cooking, as well as in other parts of the Mediterranean (think mirepoix in France). Although I generally tend to chop the vegetables on the rustic side, for ragu I make sure it’s minced, because we just want their sweet taste and nourishing contribution. Too big of pieces of carrot or celery just aren’t ideal in ragu dishes like pasta al ragu, lasagna al ragu, etc…
A food processor is a huge help here — a quick few pulses does the trick. If you do use the food processor, make sure not to purée the onions into mush, or they won’t brown. To prevent onion mush, just pulse small batches of onion pieces by themselves, a little at a time.
Ragu Meats
- Ground Beef – Organic, grass-fed is preferred, of course. Skirt steak or hanger steak are great for flavor. Otherwise, ground chuck is an excellent choice.
- Prosciutto – We switch out fatback or bacon for prosciutto because it adds excellent flavor and is easier than mincing bacon. A dry-cured ham such as Italian prosciutto di Parma, San Daniele, or Spanish jamón serrano are all great choices. (I sometimes switch out cubed pancetta when in Italy, which is closer to the “official” recipe of Bologna, but I usually go with prosciutto in both Italy and the U.S.) A food processor makes the easiest and safest work of chopping the prosciutto.
- Chicken Liver – Instead of chopping the liver, I purée them in the food processor after mincing everything else. (That way I don’t have to clean it twice.)
A Special Note about Chicken Liver – Chicken liver is an excellent addition I surprisingly crave in ragu alla Bolognese, even though I may not be a huge fan of the taste of liver in all cases. I like to add chicken liver to the ragu for a few reasons. First, because it has a lot of vitamin B12, which we can run short on at times at our house. Second, because it gives a special character to the ragu, with very nice depth and body, while being indistinguishable at low quantities. If you are thinking of leaving the chicken liver out, I know where you are coming from, but if no one told you, it’s quite possible you wouldn’t recognize it. We use it sparingly here, but wouldn’t go without it.
Dairy
Milk, or the calcium’s enyzyme-activating abilities, is thought to help tenderize the meat in ragu. In any case, the sugar, protein and fat in milk contributes subtle sweetness and body as the ragu cooks.
Cream adds texture and depth, enriching the flavor during cooking. It can also be good for thickening the sauce before you toss with thicker pastas.
Milk : Cream Ratio
The general ratio we like is: mostly milk with a little cream. We’ve made it with all milk and no cream, and found that too watery. And we’ve made it with too much cream, and found it too rich. Use the measurements in the recipe as a point of reference to find your own favorite ratio.
Wine
The acidity of wine adds balance, and the alcohol brings out more flavor profiles in the sauce. Choose a dry white wine. You can also use red wine, however, it can muddy up the sauce to a grayish color. So I usually stick with white.
Cognac: Forgot to get wine? In a pinch, you can use a splash of Cognac (about a tablespoon, two if doubling the recipe…) or another brandy. Although I havn’t tried it in ragu, vodka can amplify flavor too.
Tomato
Go easy here! At any urge to add more tomato, step away! A little tomato savoriness has an intense compounding effect on flavor. More can overpower the balance.
Pro Tip: You can use canned tomatoes. However, since we need just a little bit, I like to use double concentrated tomato paste from the tube — because it can be kept in the refrigerator and used multiple times.
Aromatics
Although not found in the official recipe, we like to add the following aromatics:
- Bay Leaves (laurel) are often added. We always add a few.
- Nutmeg adds a cozy warmth.
Other Ideas
- For a touch of herbal earthiness, add a sprig of rosemary.
- For even more warmth, and a taste of historical ragus, you can try throwing in a cinnamon stick while simmering.
Notes on Making Ragu alla Bolognese
Saute. Reduce. Simmer. That’s it. Despite what many say, achieving depth and opulence doesn’t necessarily call for a long cooking time. For marvelous full flavor, it is not necessary to cook for more than an hour.
However, when it comes to adding all the liquids, it’s worth adding them in different stages, which creates more layers of flavors from the different stages of cooking, and thus a ragu with more depth.
Storing Ragu alla Bolognese Sauce
Ragu stores well in the refrigerator for a few days.
Yes, ragu freezes well. And the quickest way to enjoy ragu alla Bolognese is to make and have it ready ahead of time!
Portions of around 3/4 cup per person (5oz/140g) are great to warm up and toss with fresh pasta.
What to Serve with Ragu alla Bolognese
Bolognese ragu sauce is the start of a lot of great recipes. Serve Bolognese sauce with pasta, in Lasagna alla Bolognese, in cannelloni, in or over ravioli, with potato gnocchi, in panadas (or empanadas), on polenta…
You can eat ragu alla Bolognese all year long. We especially start craving it as soon as the leaves start turning for the coming winter.
Serving Ragu alla Bolognese Over Pasta
Ragu alla Bolognese loves fresh pasta. It’s all about the texture. The texture of fresh pasta really elevates your eating experience here. If I don’t have fresh pasta, my preference is to wait until I have it.
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese is traditional around Bologna. You don’t have to take your pick though. You can freeze portions of ragu, and then choose a different pasta to suit each occasion. Another favorite is Pappardelle alla Bolognese. And don’t forget the iconic Lasagna al forno alla Bolognese.
You can cook pasta and throw it in with the ragu, or you can take it to the next level. To expertly serve pasta with your ragu, like any self-respecting nonna Bolognese (granny from Bologna), check out tips for preparing an excellent Tagliatelle alla Bolognese.
Ragu alla Bolognese in Lasagna
Lasagna alla Bolognese takes ragu alla Bolognese. Once you’ve made the ragu, you then just need to make a besciamella sauce (white sauce), gather up your ingredients and assemble. Here is our house favorite recipe for Lasagna al Forno alla Bolognese.
Traditional Ragù alla Bolognese
There are many recipes for ragu. This one is influenced by our time spent living in the hills of Bologna, gallivanting about, eating and cooking many ragus in Bologna, the area, and the region of Emilia Romagna in which it resides. Is it the classic version, the traditional version, the authentic version?
Emotions run high in opinions of ragu. Everyone has a different idea of the authentic version or the best version. This is natural. We all have different preferences. We take recipes and make them our own. Not even the official recipe for ragù alla Bolognese has everyone in concordance, because every family has their recipe, and everyone has their own interpretation.
So, despite there being an official version of ragù alla Bolognese — which is great as a benchmark — there is not “one” authentic version of ragù alla Bolognese. People do things in different ways, and so it is with ragù alla Bolognese.
Artusi Bolognese Recipe
Pellegrino Artusi has a recipe for Maccheroni alla Bolognese in his 19th century cookbook,The Art of Eating Well. The ingredients in the Artusi ragù recipe — which, by the way, has not a mention of the word ragù — include lean veal filet, carnesecca (cured pork belly), butter, onion, carrot, celery, a pinch of flour, a small pan of brodo (broth), salt and pepper, and nutmeg for whoever likes it. He instructs us to use parmigiano as a condiment, and offers variations of dried mushrooms, truffles or liver, and cream “to make it even more delicate.” (Notice a missing an ingredient?)
He also advises that the maccheroni should always arrive at the table with the ragù mixed in, and not asciutti arrabbiati, or in English: angry-dry. (You’ve got me! Okay, we are not to serve the sauce on top of dry pasta, but the angry part is not only lost in translation, but seems to be lost in history.)
How to pronounce ragu alla bolognese: rah-GOO AHL-lah boh-loh-NYAY-zeh
Ingredients included in official Ragù alla Bolognese recipe since 1982: coarsely ground beef, pork belly (pancetta), carrot, celery, onion, tomato passata or peeled tomatoes, dry white wine, whole milk, cream, broth, olive oil or butter, salt and pepper.
My own experience of making Ragù alla Bolognese through the years has evolved as my tastes have. And I’ve made the recipe easier as I’ve honed in the most worthwhile ingredients and practices.
Making Ahead
You know what’s even better than homemade Bolognese sauce is having it on hand. I highly recommend making extra portions to freeze and have ready to heat up and toss with pasta on some cozy night or weekend. You can relax, or enjoy company, and barely lift a finger to put a delicious pasta meal on the table — like tagliatelle alla Bolognese.
Recipe for Ragu alla Bolognese
Did you know that the name ragu is related to the word tasty?
Tools
- food processor Highly recommended. It is a big helper with several of the ingredients, making everything a lot easier and faster.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp butter or olive oil (or ½ and ½)
- 2 onions, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, minced or finely diced (or pulsed in food processor)
- 2 large celery stalks, minced or finely diced (or pulsed in food processor)
- 4 lb ground beef (skirt steak or chuck)
- 9 oz sliced prosciutto crudo (dry-cured ham such as San Daniele, Prosciutto di Parma or Serrano)
- 10 oz chicken livers (optional – adds depth to the sauce without being identifiable)
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 2½ cups whole milk
- ½ cup cream (heavy whipping cream is fine)
- 3 Tbsp concentrated tomato paste, from tube or can (or 4 peeled fresh plum tomatoes, or strained canned tomatoes, each chopped roughly into 8 or 10 pieces)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 whole nutmeg, ground (or 2 tsp powdered nutmeg)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make a soffritto: Warm at least an 8 quart/liter stewpot or dutch oven for half a minute on medium heat. Add butter and/or olive oil. When pot sizzles at a drop of water, stir in the onion, carrot, and celery, turn up the heat to medium-high, and sauté until turning golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the ground beef in thirds, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, and letting some of the moisture from the meat evaporate before adding more. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and cook and stir until browned evenly, about 10 minutes. (At this point, if there is excess fat, you can optionally strain any out.)
- Pulse the prosciutto in a food processor until shredded, or finely dice, and stir into the pot.
- Purée the chicken livers in a food processor, or finely dice, and stir into the pot.
- Pour about half of the wine down the inside walls of the pan. Cook to let it evaporate a little, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Then pour in the other half and let evaporate.
- Add half the milk and cream, stir a few moments, add the rest and cook over medium heat to let evaporate, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato paste, then the bay leaves, nutmeg and pepper.
- Cover with lid slightly askew, and simmer over a low flame for 30 to 40 minutes.
- Taste and salt to your preference (it may not need it). At this point, it should be almost, but not quite, thick enough to enjoy on pasta or layer into lasagna. It will continue to thicken a little as it cools, at which point it should still have a little liquid.
