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Spaghetti Bolognese, classic Italian pasta with tomato meat sauce
Classic Italian spaghetti with Bolognese sauce

Spaghetti Bolognese

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Although known worldwide as Spaghetti Bolognese, in Bologna this rich meat ragu (Ragù alla Bolognese) is eaten with tagliatelle so the pasta can hold the thick sauce. The secret is the 'soffritto' (slow frying of base vegetables) and patience: a good ragu simmers for hours so the meat's collagen melts into gelatine, making the sauce silky. This isn't tomato sauce with meat; it's a meat dish flavoured with tomatoes.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 3 hrs
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs 20 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 650 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Italian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed saucepan/pot: For long cooking without burning.
  • Wooden spoon: For stirring.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Cereals containing gluten
⚠️ Milk (cheese)
⚠️ Celery
⚠️ Sulphur dioxide (wine)

Instructions

1 ✓

Dice the onion, carrot, and celery very finely. Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the vegetables over medium heat for 10 minutes until soft and smelling sweet.

Tip: This is the 'soffritto', the soul of Italian cooking. Slow sweating caramelises the sugars in the vegetables, adding natural sweetness to the dish.
2 ✓

Add the minced meat and increase the heat. Fry until the meat loses its raw colour and even browns a little on the bottom of the pan.

Tip: The browned bits (Maillard reaction) give meaty depth. Don't boil it in its own juice; fry it!
3 ✓

Stir in the tomato purée, fry for 1 minute, then deglaze with the wine. Scrape up the brown bits stuck to the bottom with the wooden spoon. Cook until the sharp smell of alcohol goes.

Tip: The acidity of the wine helps dissolve the browned bits (deglazing) and enriches the sauce.
4 ✓

Add the tomatoes (if whole, crush them), salt, and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer slowly for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally, adding a little water if needed.

Tip: During long cooking, meat fibres soften and tomato acidity mellows.
5 ✓

When the ragu is ready, cook the pasta in plenty of salted water until 'al dente'. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water.

Tip: Salted water is your only chance to season the pasta from the inside.
6 ✓

Drain the pasta and toss into the ragu. If too thick, add a little of the reserved starchy water and simmer together for 1 minute.

Tip: The starchy water and fat form an emulsion, coating the pasta strands creamily so the sauce doesn't slide off.
7 ✓

Serve with fresh basil and grated Parmesan.

Tip: Never cook basil in the sauce as it loses aroma and turns black. Always add at the end.

Recipe FAQ

Why add milk (sometimes)?
Many traditional recipes include milk: it softens the acidity of the tomatoes and wine, and makes the meat creamier.
Should I put oil in the pasta water?
Never! Oil coats the pasta, and the sauce slides right off. You just need plenty of salted water and stirring.

Ingredients

  • 400 g Spaghetti (or Tagliatelle)
  • 500 g Minced beef (fattier cut, e.g., chuck)
  • 1 whole Onion
  • 1 whole Carrot
  • 2 sticks Celery
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 800 g Tinned tomatoes (plum or chopped)
  • 2 tbsp Tomato purée
  • 150 ml Dry red wine
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 bunch Fresh basil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 0.5 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
  • 50 g Parmesan cheese (for serving)