Marcella Hazan, in her inimitable fashion, offers the home cook an authentic Bolognese sauce recipe, the traditional kind an Italian grandmother would approve of, thank you very much.
This is my version of her recipe, found in her cookbook, Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking, with very subtle tweaks. It takes a while to make, although most of the time the Bolognese is spent simmering, unattended, on the back burner except for occasionally making lazy eights with a wooden spoon.
☞ Read the Article: In Defense of Grandmother Cooking
Bolognese Sauce FAQs
In essence, Bolognese sauce is spaghetti sauce. Though it’s no ordinary meat sauce. It’s a long, slowly simmered sauce that’s richer and creamier than your everyday marinara due to the inclusion of milk. It also is less predominated by tomatoes than your typical marinara. It’s named for its city of origin, Bologna.
Believe it or not, traditional Bolognese contains none of the aromatic herbs or spices that many consider necessary in all Italian dishes. You may be tempted to add them, but do your best to resist. The nutmeg is a must – don’t leave that out.
Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1 1/3 cups chopped celery
- 1 1/3 cups chopped carrot
- 1 pound ground chuck, (I used 1/2 pound chuck and 1/2 pound veal)
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or a pinch of ground nutmeg
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 3 cups canned imported San Marzano tomatoes, (Italian plum tomatoes) with their juice
- As much pasta as you wish (Marcella prefers tagliatelle), cooked and drained
- Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, at the table
Instructions
- In a heavy 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the oil and 6 tablespoons butter until the butter melts and stops foaming. Toss in the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and translucent, about ⏲ 5 minutes.
- Toss in the celery and carrot and cook, stirring to coat them with the oil and butter, for ⏲ 2 minutes.
- Add the chuck and pork, a very healthy pinch of salt, and a goodly amount of pepper. Crumble the meat with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meats have just lost their raw-red color.
- Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the milk and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the liquid has completely evaporated, ⏲ about 1 hour.
- Stir in the nutmeg. Pour in the wine and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until it's evaporated, about ⏲ 1 1/4 hours more.
- Add the crushed tomatoes and stir well. When the sauce begins to bubble, turn down the heat so that the sauce cooks at the laziest of simmers with just an intermittent bubble breaking the surface.
- Cook, uncovered, for ⏲ 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. While the sauce is burbling away, there's a chance that it'll start drying out. To keep the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot and scorching, add 1/2 cup water if necessary, just know that it's crucial that by the time the sauce has finished simmering, the water should be completely evaporated, and the fat should separate from the sauce.
- Taste a spoonful—or two—of sauce and season with salt and some good grindings of pepper to taste. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the hot pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano on the side.
Notes
What You Need To Know About Making The Most Classic Italian Bolognese
Following are some techniques and tricks to ensure the most classic Italian Bolognese:- The more marbled the meat, the sweeter the ragu. (The most desirable cut of meat is the neck portion of the chuck. You may have to special order it from your butcher.)
- It’s important to salt the meat as soon as it hits the pan. This draws out the juices and imparts flavor to the Bolognese.
- Use a heavy pot that will retain heat. I use my Le Creuset 5-quart Dutch oven. Avoid using cast-iron, as the acid can interact with the metal and turn the sauce a blech color.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
This is the perfect recipe to make if you’re stuck in the house doing chores and can’t leave. A little prep work and a little stir every now and then gives you a wonderful smell throughout your house and a nice, thick sauce for your pasta. I love that there isn’t a strong tomato taste to this sauce, unlike most commercial jar sauces. This is pure, hearty, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.
All you need is some warm bread and you have a meal. The next time I make it I’ll probably omit the oil, as I felt there was a little too much oil floating on top when it was ready to serve.
I have made this recipe AT LEAST two dozen times! It is *perfect*! Of course I’ve made just a couple changes to the recipe but it’s still quite true to the original…
– I only use ground beef because that’s what I have on hand and I generously season with salt when it goes in the pot.
– I cut down the butter just to a tablespoon or two.
– I omit the wine reduction step for two reasons… one, to save time. Two, we actually prefer the flavor without it.
– I use heavy whipping cream instead of milk because the extra flavor is fantastic.
This sauce freezes perfectly and only gets better as the flavors have time to sit. Amazing sauce to make days ahead of time. For Christmas this year, I made multiple batches and then combined for a homey comforting Christmas Eve dinner for 20 people. First time all day there was no talking because everyone was shoving their faces 🙂
Thank you, Alia! We are delighted you enjoy this so much.
Made the sauce today, 3/17/2022. A lot of fat leftover. Do you skim the fat from the sauce after it cools in the fridge? I am serving it tomorrow. I have her cook book and she makes no mention of that. So I assume I leave the fat in????
The fat gives the sauce a lot of flavor, Pam, so we’d recommend leaving it in.
Here’s a GREAT. Article regarding the fat. https://ilikefood518.com/2016/02/17/marcella-hazans-bolognese-a-study-in-fat/amp/
Fantastic. Thank you, Jim.
I am planning on making this for Christmas Eve. My question is, how long in advance could this be prepared?
Kim, you can make this a couple of days ahead of time, if you like, or you can make it now and freeze it.
I am doubling the recipe. How will this effect the simmering times?
It’s hard to say exactly, MJP. It will take longer, but probably not twice the amount of time.
My experience is yes about twice as long.
Thanks, Jim.
If you are doubling the recipe but using the same pot, cooking away the water will take about twice as long — it only escapes from the top. But if you double the recipe and use a pot with a bigger surface area, it will not take twice the time.
Excellent point, Bill. I second you and Angie here.
I have made this recipe a few times. But after even 5-6 hours of cooking,
I still dont get the oil separating from the sauce. Where did it go wrong?
Evelyn, are you using very lean beef?
Hi David,
Thanks for replying. I used 50% pork and 50% beef. This last time I was more careful to measure out the oil and butter accurately at the start of cooking. Has it to do with the type of milk? I used full cream UHT milk. It’s nevertheless delish 🙂
Evelyn, the only thing I can think of is where you’re located. I believe you’re in Singapore. The water/fat content may be different from U.S. milk? But, to be honest, I’m stumped!!
Hahaha!!! I’m stumped too! No matter, I’ll keep trying…One day, maybe those oils will appear! I’ll let you know…
Deal, Evelyn!