Bolognese Sauce

Medium

1h

Bolognese Sauce

Bolognese sauce is a traditional Italian meat-based sauce typically used to dress tagliatelle or lasagne. The bolognese sauce recipe is both delicious and easy to prepare, making it a popular dish in many households.

Ingredients

10 people

  • 700 g Mutti passata
  • 2 tablespoons Mutti Double Concentrate Tomato Paste
  • 650 g beef mince
  • 350 g pork mince
  • 3 large brown onions finely chopped
  • 1 small carrot
  • 1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 125 ml Monini Classico olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic finely chopped
  • 125 ml red wine
  • leaf fresh bay
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Did you know?

Bolognese sauce serves 10 with pasta or gnocchi.

We also recommend our tagliatelle bolognese recipe

Made with

Method

  • 1

    Place the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot with a lid. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook on medium-low heat for 20 minutes until soft, stirring regularly.

  • 2

    Add the garlic and cook for another 5 minutes.

  • 3

    Increase the heat to medium and add the meat, stirring frequently, allowing it to brown all over for about 5 minutes.

  • 4

    Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the wine. Allow that to evaporate then add the Passata, tomato paste, bay leaf and nutmeg. When it starts to simmer, reduce the heat to low and cover.

  • 5

    Simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally, adding salt and pepper to taste.

  • 6

    Serve bolognese sauce on top of your favourite pasta, with grated parmesan cheese. Store the sauce in a ceramic container in the fridge for up to a week.

Bolognese sauce and its traditional recipe

Bolognese sauce is a traditional Italian recipe, known as ragu alla bolognese, originating from the Italian city of Bologna. It is a slowly cooked meat-based sauce commonly consisting of onion, celery, carrot, beef and pork, mixed with tomato, whine wine and milk. To create its staple thick sauce, the dish is simmered gently for a while. In Bolognese cuisine, the authentic version of bolognese sauce is served with tagliatelle, a traditional type of pasta made from eggs and wheat flour.

There are many variations of the bolognese sauce recipe, which differ amongst the meats used, the form of tomatoes applied, the utilized cooking liquids, and so on. Bolognese sauce can also be paired with other forms of pasta instead of tagliatelle, such as pappardelle, fettuccine, rigatoni and penne. The bolognese sauce recipe has also been further broadened outside of Italy, which is nowadays better known as Spaghetti Bolognese in many parts of the world.

The importance of the tomato in bolognese sauce

Traditional bolognese sauce has evolved since its founding in the 18th century. At the time, the sauce mainly consisted of veal mixed with pancetta, butter, onion, and carrot. Tomato was added to the line of common ingredients later on, which can either be in the form of puree and/or concentrated paste.

To give the bolognese sauce the exquisite sweet flavour it is know for today, it is crucial to use high-quality tomato products. Which is why Mutti’s Passata Tomato Puree and Mutti Double Concentrated Tomato Paste are the perfect fit for a perfect bolognese sauce. Both product are made of sun-ripened 100% Italian tomatoes, giving the bolognese sauce a velvety texture and intense flavour of ripe tomato.

How to make a rich and flavourful Bolognese Sauce

  • Cook the soffritto slowly to develop sweetness and create an aromatic base.
  • Brown the meat well before adding the wine and tomato.
  • Allow the wine to reduce so its flavour becomes part of the sauce.
  • Combine Passata and tomato paste for a balance of smooth texture and intense tomato flavour.
  • Simmer gently and patiently to allow the sauce to thicken and the flavours to develop.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning towards the end once the sauce has reduced.
  • Serve with pasta that can hold the sauce well, such as tagliatelle, pappardelle or lasagne.

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