Authentic Ragù Bolognese (Ragù alla Bolognese)

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As of next week, I will have lived in Bologna for nine years. Nine! It blows my mind. I can think of no better way to celebrate this milestone than to share my recipe for an authentic Ragù Bolognese with you. Besides Tortellini in Brodo (which I have also written about), there is no other dish that exemplifies Bolognese cuisine more. With this essential recipe, you will be able to prepare two iconic Bolognese preparations – Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese and Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. The recipe below yields a double batch so that you will have enough sauce to make one recipe, freeze the other half and make the other dish at another time. An authentic Ragù Bolognese is not difficult to make but does take a long time. There is no point in making a small amount. It’s so scrumptious, you won’t want less anyway!

Bologna ‘La Grassa‘ the home of Ragù Bolognese

This is not my first time writing about this ever-so-famous sauce. I have an entire post dedicated to Ragù Bolognese that I wrote a few years ago. I encourage you to read that post in addition to this one. In that article, I discuss what an authentic Ragù Bolognese sauce is and isn’t. Considering how misunderstood ragù often is outside of Bologna, I wanted to give some insight into how it’s actually made in its birthplace. After reading it, you will have a good idea about what a Bolognese sauce is all about.

Originally, that post was going to be my final word on the subject. With so many good recipes available, why was there a need for me to write one of my own? Well, it turns out, it was time for me to create my personal version. Even with links provided to good recipes in my first post, people continued to ask for my recipe.

On top of that, last year, I did a series of YouTube videos with Vincenzo’s Plate here in Bologna. We sampled street food, Ragù Bolognese, and lasagna. While researching locations before Vincenzo’s arrival in town, I really started to develop a preference for what flavor profile I liked best. Even though I adore them all, I ended up with a style of ragù that I wanted to make and serve at home for loved ones.

My dream ragù…

As I mention in my other article, there are as many ragus out there as there are cooks. Even authentic Ragù Bolognese sauces can taste very different from one another while still being prepared traditionally. It amazes me that they can be so varied yet still taste like Ragù Bolognese. Some are light and delicate, others more hearty. It turns out that I really seem to love a ragù that is both robust and somehow delicate at the same time. Upon eating all of those bowls of pasta, I found that I preferred sauces that were beef heavy with a hint of pork. After testing the recipe three times using different techniques and ratios of beef to pork, I have found my dream ragù. Yippee! I’m thrilled with how it came out.

Keep in mind that an authentic Ragù Bolognese is not a tomato sauce with meat. It is a meat sauce with a hint of tomato. (In my other post, I go over the ingredient additions that are no-nos. Please adhere to tradition on this one! You won’t be sorry.) The resulting sauce, after it cooks for many hours, is luscious, rich, balanced, satisfying, and completely heavenly. It’s like a culinary hug. (Not a punch in the face with bold flavors.)

Tips for Success

I am going to give very detailed instructions below but want to go over a few things to ensure that you have the best results.

First of all, you need to realize that a proper Ragù Bolognese takes time. From beginning to end you will need to set aside a minimum of 5 hours. Don’t prepare this recipe if you are in a rush! This is the kind of dish to make when you have a day to play in the kitchen. Believe me, it’s worth every minute. That’s why my recipe makes so much sauce. You don’t want to cook for that long and only have 4 servings! The recipe yield is about 1.4 liters (1 1/2 quarts) of sauce depending on how much it’s been reduced. The ragù tastes even better the next day which is fabulous for entertaining. Conveniently, it also freezes really well for up to 3 months.

Low and slow…

Ragù Bolognese is not a complicated or difficult sauce. There aren’t a ton of ingredients, none are tough to find, nor is there a lot to chop. Prepping and gathering what you need should take under 30 minutes. The initial stage, cooking the base before all of the liquids are added, will be the most labor-intensive part. That process should take about an hour, then the rest of the work will be simmering your ragù. You will want to simmer it a minimum of 2 hours but I prefer at least 3, if not 3 1/2. The magic of this sauce is the slow cooking, and using the best ingredients that you can find. (Also cooking with love of course!)

The soffritto

The base of your sauce will be a soffritto which is onion, carrot, and celery. Although you can mince them in a food processor, I advise against it. Please mince all of your vegetables very finely by hand. You will have better results. (The correct culinary term in French cooking would be brunoise.)

Layers of flavor…

Additionally, in my recipe, each of these vegetables is added one by one instead of all at once. Even though many cooks, if not most, cook them all together, you will have a far superior sauce if you cook them in the sequence I list below. The Simili Sisters, very famous Bolognese cooks prepare their sauce in this manner. The difference between the two techniques was quite startling to me while testing. Frankly, as I prepared two recipes side by side I was hoping that cooking the pancetta and soffritto together would taste just the same as cooking each ingredient in a sequence. However, even though they were both excellent, the layers of flavor achieved with the sequential method proved far superior.

What this allows you to do, besides creating a depth of flavor, is that it gives you the chance to cook all of the water out of each ingredient before adding the next. When it comes to the onion, if you don’t do this, the onion flavor overpowers the other two vegetables, even at the end of cooking. What I ended up with in the sauce that was cooked in stages was a ragù where I could taste each individual vegetable separately. I could taste the sweetness of the carrot, the hint of celery, and the gently cooked onion. It was amazing.

The meat

When buying your meat, you need to find a cut of beef that is not too lean. In Bologna, I ask for sottospalla, scanello, or cartella. Beef chuck is a good cut to use. Other options are beef neck, beef round, skirt steak, or brisket. The meat cooks a long time so you want a cheaper, fattier cut. A mix of cuts would even be more flavorful. Some butchers in Bologna grind the meat twice. If you have a butcher that will do that for you, great, if not, do your best!

My winning recipe has just ground beef and pancetta (cured pork belly called pancetta dolce or arrotolata, not raw pork belly). I use 300 grams (11 oz) of pancetta and 700 grams (25 oz) of ground beef. In the past, I always used mixed meat, either beef and pork or a trio of veal, beef, and pork. Now, the beef-heavy sauce wins for me. My preferred version won first place with all of my taste testers. The generous amount of pancetta adds the pork flavor and fat and the beef makes the sauce very hearty and satisfying.

However, if you do want some ground pork, our second-place winner had the same amount of pancetta as above with 600 grams (21 oz) of beef and 100 grams (3.5 oz) of pork. As with the beef, chose a fatty cut like butt or shoulder.

The liquids

The cooking liquids in the recipe are pomodori pelati (Italian peeled tomatoes), broth or water, tomato paste, red wine, and milk. As with the vegetables and meats, you will be adding these little by little to create more depth of flavor. Also, you don’t want to dump it in all at once and stop the cooking process.

Tomato

For the tomatoes, use good quality Italian peeled tomatoes. I use DOP San Marzano tomatoes. You don’t want overly acidic tomatoes to ruin the flavor of your sauce. I place them in a bowl and hand-crush them. Pre-crushed tomatoes generally aren’t as good.

Brothy goodness…

If you are interested in trying homemade Italian meat broth in your ragù, please take a look at my recipe. However, if you want to use store-bought, that is fine. Simply use the best you can get. This is supposed to be fun not an overwhelming project! You may also use water instead which will give the sauce a more pristine flavor. I add 200 ml (over 3/4 cups) with some tomato paste diluted in there. With that quantity, it takes about 3 hours or more to achieve the right ragù consistency. I usually don’t need to add extra liquid. If you want to cook your ragù for less time, try adding half the amount of broth or water and add extra liquid if needed. It’s easier the way I do it though.

Wine

For the wine, I use red although many prefer white. Who knows, maybe in the future I’ll create subsequent ragù recipes with different flavor profiles and use white wine next time! The white wine is lovely but doesn’t lead to a ragù as hearty as this. Locally, the red wine used is a Sangiovese di Romagna. If you cannot find it, use a dry red wine that you would drink. Preferably use an Italian wine rather than an overly fruity New World wine.

The important thing to remember is that you need to pay attention to the smell of the wine as you are cooking out the alcohol. At first, it will have a sharp and harsh smell. By the time the alcohol has evaporated it will smell sweet. Do not move on to the next step until it does smell sweet. Don’t look at the clock, focus on what’s happening in your pot.

Milk

Milk is added to many authentic Ragù Bolognese recipes and I like it. In my recipe, I add it at the end of cooking. It helps to balance the flavors and acidity.

The magic of terracotta

As I discussed in my Bagna Cauda post and my other ragù post, preparing food in an earthenware dish such as terracotta is magical. If you have a large terracotta pot, now is the time to break it out. Terracotta is the perfect vessel for slow cooking. Since you use a diffuser while cooking with a terracotta pot, the ragù will bubble and simmer nice and gently allowing all of that flavor to develop. Also, terracotta cookery seems to coax out sweetness in anything you put in there. I don’t understand why, but I can taste it! I have an extra large pot with a circumference of 33 cm (13 inches) that I bought just for ragù. The wide base really helps during the initial phase of cooking.

In order to use a terracotta pot for the first time you need to soak it in cold water for a minimum of 2 hours or overnight. You only need to do this once.

Terracotta pots can be very reasonable. In the US, you may be able to find super economical ones at TJ Maxx (believe it or not), or at a Mexican or Greek market. If you don’t want to invest in a cheap terracotta pot, the next best option is an enameled Dutch oven. Use the largest one that you have.

How to Serve Your Authentic Ragù Bolognese

Tagliatelle al Ragù

Now that you’ve worked so hard and have this glorious, authentic Ragù Bolognese, what are you going to make? Well, one of the simplest, most traditional, and beloved ways to enjoy your ragù is with fresh egg tagliatelle. Although I see many cooks in the US serving it on pappardelle, in Bologna, it’s all about the tagliatelle. If you make a wild boar ragù or a more Tuscan-style meat sauce, then use pappardelle.

Emilia-Romagna the Land of Fresh Egg Pasta…

The standard egg pasta dough recipe in these parts uses 100 g of 00 flour (you can use unbleached all-purpose flour) and 1 egg (medium in Italy, large in the US) per person for a very generous portion of pasta. For close to a pound of pasta use 300 grams of flour and 3 eggs and you will end up with approximately 450 grams (about 1 pound) of pasta.

For my household, a 100 gram (3.5 oz) portion of pasta per person is perfect. Also, 100 grams of sauce is a good amount. With this 1:1 ratio, the noodle has just enough sauce, with a little extra for those who want it but it shouldn’t be drowning in ragù.

I was taught to roll out my dough very thin with a rolling pin, thin enough to see through. The noodle ends up being delicate and delicious yet elastic due to the hand rolling and the care given while kneading. If you want a more rustic pasta, roll it out thicker. Of course, there is no shame in using a pasta machine. If you want, you can cut the noodles on your machine or cut them by hand. Once cooked they should be no wider than 8 mm. Since they expand during cooking, I cut mine about 6-7 mm wide and they end up just right!

Tagliatelle Ripassate in Padella

Tagliatelle Ripassate in Padella is what you make if you actually have any leftovers! Frankly, it’s so good, you might want to make extra just to get your hands on it. If you serve your tagliatelle family-style and have anything left in your serving bowl, place it in the fridge overnight which will dry it out a bit. The next day, place some butter in a skillet and saute the pasta until you brown it and create a bowl of delicious crispy bits. The resulting dish will not be fluid but dry, concentrated in flavor, and rather heavenly. You’re welcome.

Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese

The other iconic way to use a Ragù Bolognese is to prepare Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. Click here for my recipe and for all of my tips to create one of the best dishes in the world. Seriously.

Other serving ideas and last notes

Ragù Bolognese can also be served on potato gnocchi or dried pasta such as rigatoni or penne. Fresh stricchetti (the Bolognese name for farfalle pasta) works well too. Some even serve ragù on tortellini. (This is utterly blasphemous to many, though…) I won’t tell anyone if you try it!

Another kind of stuffed pasta that works well with ragù is pumpkin-filled pasta such as Cappellacci di Zucca or Tortelloni di Zucca. The contrast of the sweet pumpkin filling with the rich and savory ragù is absolutely delightful. If you cannot eat gluten, you can serve ragù on polenta. It’s wonderful.

Note, when I divide my recipe to store it in the freezer, I usually use about 500-600 ml (around 2 cups) of the sauce for tagliatelle. You would need 500-600 grams (21-24 oz) of tagliatelle. This would serve 5-7 people thereabouts. Then, I set aside a larger amount for the lasagna, about 750 ml (about 3 cups). More on that to come when my recipe is ready.

Please note, I have provided measurements in both grams and ounces. However, the recipe was written in the metric system which I find to be much easier. Do yourself a favor and get a scale that works in grams, kg, ounces, and pounds. You might end up preferring it as well because it’s much easier and more accurate. Simply use the metric measurements that I have given to make your life easier. There are no fractions involved! All American canned goods and measuring cups have both systems right there so it’s easy.

Recipe for Authentic Ragù Bolognese

Now, to the recipe! Enjoy and please let me know if you try it out! Why not try this out this weekend?

Authentic Ragù Bolognese (Ragù alla Bolognese)

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Serves: 12-14 people Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 4 1/2-5 hours 4 1/2-5 hours

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.5/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 100 g (3.5 oz/7 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 130-150 grams (5 oz/1 medium) yellow onion, finely minced
• 100 grams (3.5 oz/2 small) carrots, peeled and very finely minced
• 85 grams (3 oz/2 small stalks) celery, very finely minced
• 300 grams (11 oz) pancetta (cured pork belly), minced in a food processor or by hand
• 700 grams (25 oz) ground beef (see note)
• freshly ground nutmeg, to taste (optional)
• 400 ml (1 3/4 cups) red wine, such as a Sangiovese di Romagna, or other dry red wine
• 600 grams (21 oz) Italian peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 200 ml (generous 3/4 cup) Italian meat broth, beef broth, or water, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• salt, to taste
• freshly ground black pepper, as needed
• 50 ml (1/4 cup) milk, plus 2-3 tablespoons more if needed

Instructions

1. Set a large Dutch oven or terracotta pot (set over a diffuser) over low heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onion with a pinch of salt. Cook it slowly, stirring frequently. Not only are you looking for it to soften and become translucent, you want to gently cook it until its liquid is released and evaporates. By the time it’s ready for the next ingredient it will be sizzling gently in only the fat and will smell sweet. The sharp flavor of raw onion should be gone. This should take about 7-9 minutes.
2. Next, add the celery, also with a pinch of salt. Cook this for 2-3 minutes then add the carrot with another pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the pancetta, stirring to break it up. Raise the heat to medium-low to help cook the pancetta and render its fat. Cook the soffritto and pancetta together until they are completely tender, stirring often. Make sure that they don’t burn or brown. This should take 10-15 minutes. Before moving on to the next step, make sure that all of the vegetables are sizzling gently in the fat and that all of the liquid that they released has been reduced. One way to tell is that the liquid in the pot will be cloudy while there is still water and clearer when it is just fat.
4. Now it’s time for the ground beef.  Move all of the pancetta and vegetables to the outer edges of your pot, leaving the center free for the meat. Raise the heat to medium-high and add a third of the meat with a generous pinch of salt. Stir constantly to break up the meat completely and to stop it from releasing a pool of its liquid in the pot. Once it’s almost completely changed color, push the meat to the sides with the other mixture and add another third of the beef with another generous pinch of salt. Proceed in the same manner and add the rest of the meat, with salt and let it all change color. Mix the meat and vegetables together making sure that the heat is not too high. At this point you want to do the same as before, ensure that all of the water released from the meat is gone completely. It will be sizzling only in the fat in the pan. The whole process will take approximately 10 minutes.
5. If using, add a generous grating of freshly grated nutmeg. It adds a nice warmth. You can adjust the quantity later on if you desire.
6. Add half of the wine, slowly pouring it around the sides of the pot. Stir gently and let it come to a simmer. After a few minutes, add the other half in the same manner. Stir and simmer until it evaporates. The aroma will go from smelling sharp to sweet. This should take about 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally and adjust the heat as necessary to make sure that nothing sticks or burns.
7. Next, add the hand-crushed tomatoes with a generous pinch of salt. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat to low, cover with a lid and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
8. Meanwhile, heat the broth or water and dissolve the 2 tablespoons of tomato paste. Set aside. Once the 30 minutes has passed, add the hot broth and tomato paste mixture. Bring to a simmer, set the heat to low, cover, very slightly ajar and simmer, stirring occasionally for at least 3 hours, or more if needed. You want a pretty dense meat sauce that will have a brown color with a hint of red. If you plan on serving the ragù only on tagliatelle, it can be a slightly looser sauce. For lasagna, it needs to be denser. You can cook it even longer adding extra broth or hot water as necessary if you want to develop more flavor.
9. Once you achieve the consistency you want, add the milk slowly around the sides of the pan. Simmer for 10-15 minutes to meld the flavors. At this point, you can add 1-2 tablespoons more milk to balance things out if needed. I usually do. Taste for seasoning and add salt and freshly cracked black pepper as needed. Turn off the heat and serve as desired.

Notes

If you want to add a hint of ground pork to the recipe, use 600 grams (21 oz) of beef and 100 grams (3.5) of pork.