Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe

Prep

Dice onion, carrot and celery finely (small uniform dice). Mince garlic. Chop pancetta if using. Open tomatoes and crush by hand into a bowl so they’re ready.

Sweat aromatics

Heat a large heavy-bottomed sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Once butter melts and begins to foam, add pancetta and cook 2–3 minutes until it renders fat. Add diced onion, carrot and celery. Season lightly with a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Brown meat

Increase heat to medium-high. Add ground beef and ground pork in batches to avoid overcrowding. Break up with a wooden spoon and spread in an even layer. Let sit 1–2 minutes to brown, then continue to brown and stir until no pink remains, about 5–7 minutes. Use the spoon to scrape any browned bits from the pan. Season with black pepper.

Tomato paste and deglaze

Push the meat and vegetables to the side, add the tomato paste and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring, until the paste darkens slightly. Pour in the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 2–3 minutes.

Add tomatoes and simmer

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, stock, dried oregano, bay leaf, crushed red pepper flakes and the measured salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low so the sauce maintains a very gentle simmer (small bubbles). Partially cover and simmer for at least 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. For deeper flavor simmer 1.5–2 hours, adding a splash of water or stock if it becomes too thick.

Finish with milk and season

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the milk and torn basil (if using). Simmer gently for 5–10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaf.

Cook pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Add dried spaghetti and cook following package instructions until al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta.

Combine pasta and sauce

Add drained spaghetti directly to the sauce pan (or transfer sauce to the pot if easier). Toss to combine over low heat. Add reserved pasta water a few tablespoons at a time to loosen the sauce and help it cling to the pasta until you reach desired consistency (use about 60–120 ml). Stir in 3/4 cup grated Parmesan and toss until glossy and well coated. Adjust seasoning if needed.

Rest briefly

Turn off heat and let pasta sit for 1–2 minutes so flavors marry. If sauce thickens too much, add a splash of reserved pasta water.

Divide spaghetti Bolognese among bowls or plates. Sprinkle chopped parsley and extra Parmesan to taste. Serve immediately with additional black pepper or red pepper flakes if desired.