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Beef Bolognese Sauce
Authentic Italian Beef Bolognese Sauce on top of fresh pasta is a warm, weeknight dish made in less than 30 minutes.
This Beef Bolognese sauce is one of those staple recipes that everyone needs in their kitchen. It is the ultimate bowl of comfort food! This homemade bolognese can be whipped up in 30 minutes and tastes as if it has been simmering all day long. It is so versatile and can be paired with any type of pasta.
This authentic Bolognese can be served with spaghetti, penne, linguine, ziti, farfalle, rigatoni, and so many more. It has layers of flavor and perfectly paired with a big bowl of creamy pasta.
I love learning how to make authentic Italian dishes from true Italians. They know how to make killer sauces that truly put the jarred sauces to shame. They are truly passionate about good food, family, and how food can bring people together.
A few years ago, we took our oldest daughter, Sierra, and our oldest son, Mason, to New York City and Boston for Sierra’s 16th birthday. We began our trip in NYC and ended in Boston and spent most of our time in the North End of Boston, where Italian restaurants reign supreme. My kids declared that they loved Boston so much better than NYC because of the slower pace and of course, the incredible Italian food. We ate well! Of course, I had to try to dig for any secret tips the chefs would give me. I will share some of their best tips. If you are looking for a travel guide of the BEST PLACES TO EAT and SEE in BOSTON, click here.
How to make Authentic Beef Bolognese Sauce:
- Start by sauteeing olive oil and ground beef together in a large pot until the meat is partly browned. This is what develops the flavors in the meat and is a very important step.
- Add onion, garlic, and spices and saute until the meat is completely browned and the onions are almost translucent.
- Stir in tomato paste, finely diced tomatoes, and either beef broth or white wine (I always reach for beef broth since I don’t drink wine. If you use wine, add 1/2 teaspoon more salt). This is where the magic happens at the rich tomato paste simmers with the meat and creates a flavor-packed sauce.
- After the flavors have come together, stir in heavy cream or half-n-half to create a rich, velvety sauce.
- Serve over your favorite pasta, top with freshly grated parmesan cheese, and fresh basil.
If you are looking for more delicious pasta recipes, check out these popular pasta recipes on Modern Honey…
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Beef Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Olive Oil
- 1 lb. Ground Beef
- 1 small Onion (finely diced)
- 3-4 Garlic Cloves (finely diced)
- 1 Tablespoon Fresh Basil (chopped, plus more for garnish)
- 1-2 teaspoons Red Pepper Flakes (depending how much spice you want)
- (1) 6-ounce can Tomato Paste
- 1 cup Beef Broth or Dry White Wine (I use beef broth but if you use wine, add 1/2 teaspoon more salt)
- (1) 28-ounce can Diced Tomatoes (peeled)
- 1-2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream or Half-n-Half
- 1 lb. Pasta (of choice)
- 1/2 cup Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large, heavy skillet or pot. Add ground beef and cook on medium-high heat until it is partly browned. Break up the meat and stir often with a wooden spoon.
- Add onion, garlic, basil, and red pepper flakes. Cook until the meat is completely browned and the onions are translucent about 7-8 minutes.
- Add the tomato paste and beef broth. Cook for 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, salt, and pepper and lower heat to medium. Simmer sauce for 10-15 minutes.
- While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.
- After the sauce is simmered, stir in heavy cream.
- Serve with freshly cooked pasta and top with fresh parmesan cheese and basil.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Happy Cooking, my friends!
This sounds like a good quick meat sauce, however, it is NOT authentic Italian Bolognese sauce!! Bolognese requires a minimum of 2-3 hours of simmering. There is no way to make authentic Bolognese in less than 30 minutes!
My sister used this recipe to feed a crowd last week, and it was divine!
I notice that you recommmend using cream cheese in some of your soups, to cut down on the heavy cream. Would that possibly work in this recipe or for an Alfredo sauce recipe?
Your Creamy Sausage Tortellini Soup is fabulous! Thx for all you do to make cooking easier!
This looks lovely, I am going to try this recipe with freshly made pasta, I am sure it is going to be delicious.