Fettuccine Bolognese is a hearty, decadent, and comforting Italian meal. Tender pasta is tossed in slow-cooked meat sauce with a complex, rich flavor that's worth the time and effort.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: A rich, slow-cooked meat sauce made with ground beef, ground pork, sofrito (mirepoix), tomatoes, broth, and milk.
Serves: 6 people
More pasta sauces: Homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Homemade Marinara Sauce
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Ground meats - This recipe can be made with a combination of ground beef and ground pork (as written), or all beef/pork/veal if desired.
- Pasta - Today I'm using fettuccine, but any long, wide noodles work great with a bolognese sauce. Other popular options include pappardelle and tagliatelle.
How to make fettuccine Bolognese
- Saute the onions, celery, and carrot until softened.
- Brown ground beef and ground pork, then add beef broth.
- Simmer until mostly evaporated.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for about 2 hours.
- Sauce will look meaty and tender.
- Remove lid and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until thickened to your liking.
Tips and tricks
Finely dice your veggies - Onions, celery, and carrots mix into the sauce seamlessly when finely diced.
Slow cooking is best - Don't try to rush this sauce. It's best cooked low and slow on the stovetop for a minimum of 2 hours. This allows time for flavors to build and meat to tenderize.
Fat separating while cooking? - This is normal. Bolognese is a fatty, rich, meaty sauce. Stir your sauce while it cooks and give it time, the fat will emulsify back into the sauce and won't separate on the plate.
Don't skip any ingredients - Every ingredient in this recipe serves a purpose. Worcestershire, tomato paste, butter, beef broth, whole milk, and the dry seasonings all add layers of savory flavor to the sauce.
Pasta water - Once your pasta is finished cooking, transfer directly from the water to the sauce. The starchy pasta water helps the sauce emulsify and turn out creamy, clinging to the pasta. If you'd prefer, set aside about ½ cup of pasta water before draining your pasta in a colander.
Frequently asked questions
No, Bolognese works best with fatty meats, like 80/20 ground beef and ground pork. The same goes for your dairy - whole milk is best for a rich flavor. Lean meats will result in a dry sauce.
Yes, Bolognese can be made a day or two ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated on the stovetop on the day of serving. You may need to add a splash of water to rehydrate your sauce (pasta water works great for this).
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Fettuccine Bolognese
Ingredients
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1 medium carrot, diced
- 1 lb (453 g) 80/20 ground beef
- ½ lb (226 g) ground pork
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 12 ounces (340 g) beef broth
- 8 ounces (226 g) whole milk
- 14 ounces (396 g) canned petite diced tomatoes
- ¼ cup (58 g) tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
Pasta
- 12 ounces (453 g) fettuccine, dry
- 2 ounces (56 g) parmesan cheese, fresh grated
Instructions
- In a large stock pot over medium heat, add olive oil and butter.
- When hot and melted, add onion, celery, and carrot and cook for 3-4 minutes, or until vegetables begin to soften. Move veggies to the edges of the pan.
- Crumble ground beef and pork into the pan and season with salt and pepper.
- Allow to cook, undisturbed, until browned and crisp on the bottom. Flip and continue to cook until no pink remains.
- Add beef broth to the pot and allow to cook for about 8-10 minutes, or until liquid is mostly evaporated.
- Add remaining sauce ingredients: whole milk, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, bay leaf, thyme, and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Sauce will look meaty and tender.
- Uncover and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until sauce is thickened to your liking. Do a taste test and add more salt as desired.
- Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook fettuccine according to package directions.
- Transfer cooked pasta from salted water to sauce and toss until coated and creamy. Alternatively, reserve about ½ cup of pasta water before draining pasta, then add to the sauce along with the cooked pasta and toss until creamy.
- Transfer to bowls and top with fresh grated parmesan before serving.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Leftovers will keep for 3-4 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight before reheating.
- To make without pork: Substitute the ground pork with additional ground beef.
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!