Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Prep vegetables

Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery so they total about 2 cups combined. Mince the garlic and chop the basil and parsley. This mise en place keeps the sauce flowing smoothly.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 1 tbs butter. When the butter melts and begins to foam, add the diced onion, carrot, and celery. Season with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant, taking care not to brown it.

Brown the meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef and ground pork to the pan, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Spread meat into an even layer and let it brown without stirring for 2 minutes, then stir and continue to cook until there is no pink and meat has some browned bits, 6–8 minutes. Use the spoon to break larger pieces into small crumbles.

Incorporate tomato paste

Push the meat and vegetables to the side of the pan or make a well in the center. Add 3 tbs tomato paste to the hot pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 1–2 minutes until it darkens slightly — this deepens the flavor.

Deglaze with wine

Pour in 120 ml dry red wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Allow the wine to reduce by about half, 2–3 minutes.

Add milk

Pour in 120 ml whole milk and simmer gently for 2–3 minutes. The milk tenderizes the meat and mellows acidity. Let it mostly absorb or reduce slightly.

Add tomatoes and simmer

Stir in the 800 g crushed tomatoes and 250 ml stock. Add 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 bay leaf, 1.5 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, and 1/2 tsp sugar if using. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce barely bubbles. Partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for at least 45 minutes and up to 2 hours for deeper flavor. If sauce becomes too thick, add small splashes of stock or water to reach desired consistency.

Finish sauce

About 5 minutes before serving, remove the bay leaf. Stir in chopped basil and parsley and taste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If sauce tastes flat, a teaspoon of more sugar can balance acidity. Keep sauce warm on the lowest heat while you cook the pasta.

Boil pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tbs coarse salt. Add 400 g dried spaghetti and cook according to package instructions until al dente — typically 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Reserve pasta water

Before draining, ladle or measure and reserve about 240 ml (1 cup) of the starchy pasta cooking water. Then drain the spaghetti well.

Combine spaghetti and sauce

Transfer the hot drained spaghetti to the pan with the Bolognese sauce (or add sauce to a large bowl and add pasta). Toss gently to coat. If the sauce is too thick or clingy, add reserved pasta water, 2–3 tbs at a time, until the sauce evenly coats the pasta and reaches a silky consistency (you may not need the full 240 ml). Cook together over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes so the pasta absorbs some sauce.

Finish and serve

Stir in 80 g grated Parmesan and 1 tsp olive oil to enrich and gloss the finished pasta. Taste and adjust salt/pepper. Serve portions topped with additional grated Parmesan and a small sprinkle of chopped parsley or basil if desired.