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This recipe for traditional spaghetti Bolognese is a tasty and economical way to feed your family! Ground beef slowly braised in aromatic tomato sauce with onions, garlic, carrots and celery is what you want to serve with your pasta!
If you are a fan of white pasta sauce, try my 10 minute Alfredo Sauce!
When I’m on the hunt for a convenient dinner to serve the family on a busy weeknight, it’s rare for me to not break out a pasta dish. Often it’s a creamy sauce like Spaghetti Carbonara, but I will always have a soft spot for a hearty meat and tomato pasta.
It always feels like comfort food and can easily be made good for you as well. What could I make to satisfy and please both adults and some little picky eaters?
Spaghetti Bolognese of course! Who doesn’t love pasta drenched in a meaty tomato sauce?
Savoury meat, sweet tomatoes and fragrant herbs cooked together are always going to be a winner. Better yet, it’s easy and most of the cooking time is hands off.
Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
Spaghetti Bolognese is a classic everywhere in the world except for Italy, where it doesn’t exist. Don’t get me wrong, the Bolognese sauce is as traditional as they get. And as the name suggestions, it comes from the city of Bologna.
However, it is served with thicker pasta like tagliatelle or pappardelle. Italians claim that flat and wide pasta is able to carry off this rich and meaty sauce far better than spaghetti.
So if you want to experience this delicious sauce in a true Italian way, don’t forget this little tip and your dish will look like the one below!
And if you want take your Italian dinner to another level of sublime, I can teach you how to make your own pasta. Here is my step-by step guide. I actually took a pasta making a class in Salerno a few years ago and am sharing all my tips with you.
Whatever pasta you choose in the end, Bolognese sauce is where the flavour is at. My homemade version is truly incredible. It’s made from scratch, with no preservatives so you can feel good about feeding it to your family.
The main ingredients are inexpensive This is an affiliate link.canned tomatoes, loads of healthy veggies, herbs and a pound of lean ground beef. Or you can use a combination of ground beef and pork.
(Vegetarians and vegans don’t need to be left out! Replace the meat with mushrooms to make Mushroom Bolognese. Tasty!)
It doesn’t take a chef to master this delicious recipe. The technique is very simple. All you need is time. The best Bolognese sauce is simmered over low heat for 2.5-3 hours. That’s how long it takes for the flavours to blend.
Secret to Best Bolognese Sauce
The recipe uses 1 tablespoons of olive oil, canned diced tomatoes and tomato passata along with 450g/1lbs of lean beef. Very wholesome ingredients.
The base for this sauce is made from a combination of diced onion, carrot and celery cooked in olive oil. Italians call it ‘soffritto” and use it as a foundation for many sauces, soups and stews.
I’ve been making traditional Bolognese sauce for many years and I’ve also changed it multiple times in pursuit of that perfect taste. The version I am sharing today is definitely my best one and final.
After years of travel to Italy and a cooking lesson that I took on the most recent trip I’ve picked up the necessary knowledge to recreate this authentic recipe at home. By the way, if you are looking for an authentic Italian white pasta sauce, take a look at my pasta cream sauce recipe.
Making this traditional sauce is very easy and requires no special skills only time and patience. The end result is stunning and miles aways from store bought.
But if you want it quick and meatless, check out my tomato and basil pasta sauce, which is done in 20 minutes!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- It’s easy to make Bolognese in a This is an affiliate link.slow cooker. This sauce is actually absolutely perfect for your crock pot since it needs longer time to be delicious, giving the chance for flavours to develop and meld together. I have developed a slow cooker beef bolognese sauce recipe specifically for you.
- Using a This is an affiliate link.food processor for chopping up all vegetables saves a lot of time! Processing your vegetables this way also makes for a smoother sauce. When I have some time to spare or I just want to zone out in the kitchen without anyone bugging me I dice all vegetables by hand. But the rest of the time I let my food processor do the work. Same flavour, less effort plus if you have picky eaters they will have no idea how many vitamins are hidden in that spaghetti sauce.
- We often grab for This is an affiliate link.spaghetti when we make Bolognese sauce, but lots of pasta shapes will work. Long pasta like tagliatelle, fettuccine or pappardelle are ideal for this hearty sauce as well as more traditional.
- Although the recipe calls for using ground beef, I also love to use a mixture of beef and pork. Pork is more affordable than beef, and using the two together brings extra flavour and a better texture.
- This recipe scales very easily. If you like batch cooking this is one you want to have on rotation. Use what you need and freeze the rest.
- Once you master the Bolognese recipe, there are countless ways to use it in other dishes such as Stuffed Spaghetti Squash, Gnocchi Bake or Lasagna.
Serving Suggestions
Italians don’t serve the pasta and sauce separately. They mix the two together and serve as one.
There is a good reason for taking this approach. Mixing the two together early gives time for the pasta to absorb flavour and makes the whole dish tastier! The sauce is also more evenly distributed.
Serve it with a favourite chopped salad or an easy Caprese Salad and either a sourdough fococcia or quick no knead crusty bread, which could be dipped in extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
And never forget grated This is an affiliate link.parmesan cheese! The cheese adds a bit more flavour and saltiness. Fresh parmesan cheese will always taste better than pre-grated, so I usually serve pasta with a triangle of cheese and a This is an affiliate link.grater!
Storage and leftovers
Bolognese sauce stores brilliantly, both in the fridge and freezer. It’ll keep for 3-4 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer. Either way, preparing a bit extra is a great way to make future meal prep a breeze.
The sauce can be reheated in a microwave, but I prefer to do it on my stovetop in a large saucepan. Use medium heat and add a bit of water if it looks like it needs to be loosened.
More meaty pasta dishes
- Layered Italian Baked Mac and Cheese
- Pasta al Forno
- Slow Cooker Italian Beef Ragu
- Tomato Cream Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Pancetta
Spaghetti Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp This is an affiliate link.Olive oil
- 1 Onion, diced
- 2 Carrots, diced
- 2 Celery stalks, diced
- 2-3 cloves Garlic
- 5-6 leaves Fresh Basil or 2 tsp dried basil
- 400g/14oz Canned Diced Tomatoes
- 500g/17oz This is an affiliate link.Tomato Passata/Crushed Tomatoes
- 250ml/1 cup water
- 2 tsp Dried Oregano
- 450g/1 lbs Ground Beef, extra lean
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 450g/1 lbs This is an affiliate link.Spaghetti
Instructions
- In a large and deep frying pan or a Dutch Oven heat 1 tbsp of olive oil, then add diced onions, carrots, celery, minced garlic and cook on low heat for 10 minutes without colouring the vegetables. Then add ground beef and brown it until the beef is no longer pink inside while stirring the whole time and making sure to break up the beef. Pour in both types of canned tomatoes and water with a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle in some dried oregano and torn basil leaves (reserve a few small ones), bring everything to a boil. Then turn the heat down and let it simmer with a lid ajar for for 2.5-3 hours stirring it once in a while.
- When your Bolognese is nearly done boil a large pot of water and cook spaghetti according to package directions. (I usually cook 2 min less than the package recommends, your pasta continues cooking when you combine it with sauce and you really don’t want it overcooked!)
- Drain your spaghetti and add your pasta to the sauce, stir gently and take off the heat. Top with reserved basil leaves. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Video
Notes
- Using a This is an affiliate link.food processor for chopping up all vegetables saves a lot of time! Processing your vegetables this way also makes for a smoother sauce. Same flavour, less effort plus if you have picky eaters they will have no idea how many vitamins are hidden in that spaghetti sauce.
- Spaghetti is often chosen when we make Bolognese sauce, but lots of pasta shapes will work. Long pasta like tagliatelle, fettuccine or pappardelle are ideal for this hearty sauce as well as more traditional.
- Although the recipe calls for using ground beef, I also love to use a mixture of beef and pork. Pork is more affordable than beef, and using the two together brings extra flavour and a better texture.
- This recipe scales very easily. If you like batch cooking this is one you want to have on rotation. Use what you need and freeze the rest.
- Bolognese can also be made in a slow cooker. It actually works very well because using a crock pot gives more time for the flavours to develop and meld together. If this is for you, try my slow cooker beef bolognese sauce.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Easy and delicious! Thank you.
I did make this sauce. And it is by far, the most amazing Bolognese recipe that I have ever made. This comes as close to a Calabrian tomato sauce in flavour, that my father always makes, and he is from Calabria.
Thank you so much for giving me a great opportunity to make something very special for my own family Julia.
So happy to hear it!
Hi Julia, I am going to try your recipe because it has all of the right ingredients and method for cooking within it, suggesting a very authentic Italian sauce.
The Large Dutch oven will be my preferred choice. And a Molisana Tagliatelle (Egg if possible) as a pasta choice. I might try a Pecorino cheese as the alternative to Parmigiano Reggiano.
I am drooling already.
Thank you kindly for your wonderful recipe. And any opinions from you would be most welcomed.
Steven.
nice explanation thank you.
Very easy to make and tastes great. The only question I have is after you sweat out the vegetables and add the ground beef what should the temperature be set at? I turned it up to medium since the vegetables would be stirred in and wouldn’t burn but wasn’t sure. I also doubled the recipe – now that’s a lot of Bolognese. 🙂
Hi Barbara, I simmer it on low, so it wouldn’t burn but it really depends on your stove. I almost always double this recipe and freeze half of it for another day! 🙂
I have been following your fab recipe’s for many years now Julia and it’s high time I expressed my thanks and support! As with all your recipe’s this one is just like all the others, simply fantastic!
Well done, and thank you!😉
Thank you so much for your lovely comment and for following along for years, Denis!! I appreciate the support.
Hello, thank you for this beautiful recipe. I was wondering since I dont have any oregano or basil, can I just add one teaspoon of herb de provence, do you think that is okay or will it drastically change the taste?
It’s really worth it to get the correct herbs for this recipe since it’s Italian and herbs de provence are French. Yes, the taste will be different.
I loved making it almost as much as eating it. A big hit with the family. Thank you.
So glad you loved it, John! It’s our favourite as well!
Hi there!
Hope you are doing well. Merry Christmas! I’m looking forward to making this and I stay in south India, and don’t think celery stalk is available around here, not that I’ve seen. May I please know if this can be opted out or do you suggest any alternatives to celery stalk and how much quantity would it be? Many thanks!
You can definitely omit the celery, Tina.
“Do you ever feel overwhelmed at the realisation you’ve got a large party coming over for dinner and you are completely unprepared?…What could I make to feed 10 people that will satisfy and please both adults and some little picky eaters?”
What if any of these 10 people are vegetatian or vegan? There is a good chance nowadays that at least one will be.
Hi John, if anyone in your dinner party is vegetarian or vegan, you have two options. You can make a vegetarian/vegan bolognese sauce using green lentils instead of beef just for them or design the entire dinner menu, which caters to both vegetarians and meat eaters. Feel free to explore the vegetarian category on our website for inspiration.
Hi, I was really excited to try this recipe as I can never get Bolognese to taste like a restaurant. However I feel I followed the recipe to a tee but after 30 minutes of simmering the sauce became very thick (it was plenty runny after adding the last ingedients), starting to stick to the bottom of the pan. I added 90ml more water to try and loosen if up which workd for a few minutes but wituin another 10 it was burning and sticking to the bottom again.
I ended up taking it off the heat only 1 hour into simmering time, cooked the pasta and tried to eat it but the dish was so dry even my husband (who will literally eat anything) couldnt eat it.
Have I misunderstood anything, is it supposed to be this dry? I have looked through comments but seem to be the only person who is mentioning it.
Any additional tips would be great.
FYI – I diced the veggies in a processor, and used a Dutch oven (my big stew pot) to cook it in.
Amy
Hi Amy, the only thing that needed to be done was to lower the heat to very low, which is how simmering is done, and maybe stir once in while. Burning happens for one reason only-the heat is on too high, which was also the reason why your sauce was too thick; all liquid evaporated.
Hi, can you confirm the recipe for the older version? I have written down 2 x 14 Oz diced tomatoes and equal water…is that correct? I love the older recipe and have all the ingredients for it already.
Hi Kristy, yes that is the right amount for the old version. You should really try the new one though! 🙂
Magnificent! This is amazing!
Thank you so much, Deb!
I’m a bot bit confused. Have you know changed the recipe to browm the meat? I’m sure before ir was stayed to put the meat in raw. Also, it says 250mls of water but I’m sure before it was equal paers water to tomatoe. Have I got this wrong?
Hi Angela, yes I have changed the recipe and wrote all about it in the post. You can still use the old recipe if you prefer ( I do sometimes as well) but the most recent version is what I believe is the best one. Apart from browning the meat, I also got rid of pancetta and that is why I recommend browning the beef as it adds more flavour that pancetta used to do. I also introduced the tomato passata for a richer sauce.
Thanks so much for your reply. I must have missed your post when you changed the recipe. Will absolutely try the new one although all my family (including my taste conscious French/Italian husband love the old one. Sorry for all the typos in my last post, that’s what happens when you try and type without your reading glasses!! Many thanks for your gorgeous recipes.
No problem, Angela! I can read your comment perfectly well. 🙂 I hope you love the new version as much as the old one. I figured it never hurts to have more than one recipe for the bolognese!
Unfortunately, I always pull up the recipe to make this so I cannot make it from the last incarnation. Quite nervous about fixing something that wasn’t broken…we shall see 😶
You might be pleasantly surprised how much you like this version, Letitia. I wouldn’t have changed the recipe if I didn’t think it was an improvement.
Update, made it today, excellent!
I am so happy to hear that, Letitia. Thank you for letting me know!
I’m making this for my family today along with your lovely bread recipie! The dough is resting… it seems very wet (as others have commented) but I’m going to go with it. I can’t wait!
Enjoy your lovely dinner, Donna! Don’t worry about the wet bread dough. It’s supposed to be like that. It will still turn out great!
Hi I’m thinking of making this As it looks delicious and has fab reviews but wouldn’t need so much, if I use 500g of beef should I just half all the other ingredients?
Yes, you can definitely half the recipe, Lisa.
No 500 grams of mince is 50g more than 1 lb (pound) so do not halve the other ingredients for that amount of mince!
The recipe calls for 1 pound of beef which is almost 500 g of beef so you don’t need to half the recipe
AMAZING just delicious, it reminds me of a fantastic dish I had in Australia years ago. Definitely going to be a favourite!!
Thank you for such a wonderful review, Leanne!!
I am 64 and am considered a decent cook. I rarely follow recipes and always tweak to taste. Since this sauce is so new and unusual for me, I followed the recipe. Have always browned the meat and never added equal parts water to tomatoes. Was bland to start so I doctored gently. Simmered per recipe without tasting along the way as I went out and left my husband to stir every 10 to 15 minutes. Came home to find an amazing sauce, very foreign to me but great! Thinking it would have great great without tweaking it! Thank you for introducing me to this new experience!
Tried out recipe last night and followed the it exactly….was delicious!….have made Bolognese sauce so many different ways but this is by far the best!…am going to try out your Shrimp creamy pasta next…..thank you Julia!
Excellent! Thank you for sharing with me, Maz!
I made this was a great dish I just added a little cream it makes it a little richer.
So great to hear, Kevin!
Great recipe beautiful design love it served my mother recently
Truly authentic Spag Bol doesn’t need ANY herbs adding at all – in fact, as one famous Italian Chef said, “foreigners have bastardised this beautiful authentic dish by adding herbs”.
I lived in Italy for10 years, all the chefs added basil. I am a chef and I worked with many Italian chefs when I was there, I also spent many happy hours my dining with friends, ate bolognese cooked from recipes handed down for generations. As one be y old lady told me, a bolognese sauce can be added to or taken away from, it is all personal choice.
I couldn’t agree more, Margaret. We go to Italy several times a year and have many Italian friends, who are outstanding in the kitchen. There are as many recipes as there are cooks. I’ve made bolognese without any herbs according to one old lady’s recipe and expected magic. It was okay, quite plain actually.
Omg thank you so much, think I have died and gone to heaven. So yummy and Moorish, I added bit more garlic and wow never had a spaghetti Bolognese this good not even when eating out. Thanks again.
It’s definitely a win when food tastes better at home than in a restaurant. So happy to hear that, Tracey!
Amazing recipe! Dinner went down a treat with the kids and husband,everyone enjoyed and my youngest asked for a second helping which is very rare!Highly reccomend this recipe would work for everyone, thanks!
Isn’t it lovely when everyone in the family enjoys the meal, especially children!
Thanks! Made this last night so quick, easy and tasty!
I love this recipe! The best I’ve ever made. I would recommend that you add a few sprigs of fresh Basil if you have – just takes it to another level!
Beautiful spaghetti! This is one of my faves and this one is just so amazing!
Thank you so much, Olga! It’s such a comfort food dish!
This was a great recipe I made for my mother when I paid her a visit recently. Instead of salt, I used Mrs. Dash and a teaspoon of Cayenne pepper.
Thank you for your review, John
thank you for this yummy looking recipe. this maybe a silly question but do you fry/cook the ground beef before adding to the sauce?
thank you.x.
Hi Chris, it’s not a silly question at all as in most recipes you would fry the beef first but not in this one. This way the mince is evenly dispersed in the sauce instead of it being a tomato sauce with beef chunks in it.
Great traditional recipe and was a big hit with visitors. I’ve cooked it a few times now.
I also tried adding a small tin of anchovies plus a bit of the oil from the anchovies instead of adding salt .. and also added a small glass of white wine. Delicious.
Thanks for the recipe!
Excellent stuff, Phil. Thanks so much for sharing with me! This recipe is on regular rotation in our house. It also works really well in Instant Pot if you’ve got one.
Amazing and authentic. Thank you very much x
So happy to hear that!
Thank you Julia for the recipe. It is just like the meal I had in Bologna Italy.
Oh I love hearing that, Colin! Thank you for your review.
Hello! I’ve been looking for recipes to replicate the spaghetti I once had in Italy and this one feels like the one! I do need a little help however.
Is it alright to substitute bacon with turkey? And if so then would the quantity remain the same?
How many leaves does a bunch of basil have?
Also, can I use fresh tomatoes instead of the canned ones and in what quantity?
I know my questions are stupid but I have absolutely no experience with cooking and I don’t want to mess it up!
Hi Mahjabeen, I wouldn’t recommend using fresh tomatoes for this sauce since there won’t be any difference in taste and you would end up with tomato skins unless you blanch the tomatoes first. 8-10 leaves of basil would do the trick and you can skip the bacon since adding turkey to the sauce won’t deliver the same taste. I hope this helps!
How do I prevent the sauce from being too watery? I followed directions and its very watery. I used petite diced tomatoes. Should I only use one can of water?
Luanna, the simplest answer is to cook it longer, even if it means much longer than the recipe states. There are many variables when making the Bolognese sauce, but ultimately its success rests in the quality of the tomatoes. If they were not ripe when they were canned, they will not fall apart and form the sauce. It happened to me once when I was making this sauce while visiting my in-laws in Canada. I had to dump in tomato paste and tomato juice in and double the cooking time. If you live in the States or Canada, I would recommend buying the best quality tomatoes you can afford or using crushed tomatoes instead of diced. You can reduce the water but it’s not the main reason since water always evaporates, it’s the tomatoes. Also, the sauce thickens significantly on the following day. I hope this helps.
I actually made this and It was great! I ran out of the German Knorr bolognese packs so Tjis was my alternative. ….so the outcome was actually awesome but I do highly recommend 1 to 2 strips bacon not more. Thanks! Was awesome
Hello — I was in search of an authentic bolognese sauce that wasn’t swimming in tomato sauce, and somehow came across your site.. or I found the recipe on Pinterest, not sure.. Anyhow — this is EXACTLY what I was looking for! Mine came out looking just your pics, and its probably the best I’ve made. I have it pinned now and will use this exclusively from now on.. I think its important for people to realize this is a meat sauce – not a marinara sauce with meat.. Big distinction.
Thanks so much.. I should check out your other recipes, , you’ve got great taste..
I am so pleased you found the recipe helpful, Steve, thank you for stopping by and your lovely comment!
Can you put this in the slow cooker? If so how long? Will it hurt to cook the meat first even though you cook it for that long!! This looks amazing!!
Thank you,
Misty
I haven’t tried the slow cooker method but it will probably be fine. I have another meat sauce recipe that is for slow cooker. You might want to try this one instead, Misty. https://vikalinka.com/2014/02/25/crock-pot-rustic-italian-beef-ragu/
Question: I’m making this as I write this comment. I diced the bacon and fried it up. Did not remove the grease from the pan. Added the veggies and cooked for the 5-7 minutes. No extra oil as the bacon was fatty enough. Added 800grams of canned tomatoes and the beef and water filling the 800gram can. Covered slightly and let cook on low for 1 1/2 hours stirring once in awhile. Now, I’ve noticed it is extremely greasy and watery. Did I go wrong not cleaning off the grease after cooking the bacon or did I use to much water (the exact tin of tomatoes)? I have two coffee cups filled with the “water/greasy stuff” right now beside the frying pan. The sauce doesn’t look a red enough colour to me. (Sorry I am knew to cooking so I don’t have much to compare to other than the picture and what I am served by others!) Suggestions or ideas of where I have gone wrong? Also my carrots are still very chunky (diced into small pieces) so it looks more like tomatoes, beef and carrots in a liquid.
Melissa, this reply will probably come a bit late but here it goes anyway. First of all, the greasiness of your sauce will depend on how fatty your bacon and beef were. I usually use pancetta which is mostly meat and extra-lean beef and I have no grease issue. The colour of your sauce will also depend on the quality of your tomatoes. I live in England and our canned tomatoes come from Italy, so the sauce is very red and tomatoes fall apart from long and slow cooking process and turn into thick paste. Maybe buy crushed tomatoes next time if what you used didn’t work. I am sorry you had such a dreadful experience as it should be a very easy recipe. Hope this doesn’t discourage you from cooking in the future.
this is my second time making this and both times I added a 15oz can of tomato sauce. I could tell it wasn’t going to have a very red color from the start. I just simmered the sauce about 15 minutes longer and it turned out perfect. I also used pancheta, so not sure about the grease factor.
Love these recipes.
Looks amazing!
One silly question, do you add the beef raw with the tomatoes? or is it pre cooked?
It’s raw, Nicole, and it’s not a silly question. Many people brown the beef first but if you add it raw into the sauce it sort of disintegrates into it without being chunky.
In glad someone asked that question because the directions don’t specify cooked or raw. Thank you for asking. 🙂
I’ve now made this twice, and it is so fantastic! I accidentally used Prosciutto instead of Pancetta, but still really delicious. I also added some tomato paste to make it a bit more tomato-y. This is my new go
-to recipe!
Your bolognese looks incredible, very similar to what I enjoyed in Bologna last year! 🙂
This is such an easy and quick dinner idea! I love to make it with lean turkey for a healthy-ish dinner))
I have to second what Natalya said above about the bread))
Mmm turkey sounds good! It also tastes amazing with duck.:-)
wow, you have the best presentation ever!!!! I felt like I tasted that piece of bread dipped in oil 🙂
Hahaha thank you Natasha! 🙂
Very good and simple instructions, everyone here likes this style the best. I do need to find a good gluten free noodle for this dish. Thanks !
My pleasure, David!