Marcella Hazan's Bolognese Sauce: The Velvety-Smooth Recipe

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Turkey is lower in fat, while pork is often less expensive.

red wine

💰Cheaper: beef broth

Broth can add flavor without alcohol.

Warm the vegetable oil and 6 tablespoons of the butter in a heavy 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat until the butter melts and stops foaming.

Toss in the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.

Toss in the chopped celery and chopped carrot and cook, stirring to coat them with the oil and butter, for 2 minutes.

Add the ground chuck and ground pork, a pinch of kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Crumble the meat with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meats have just lost their raw-red color.

Reduce the heat to low. Pour in the whole milk and simmer gently, stirring frequently, until the liquid has completely evaporated, about 1 hour.

Stir in the freshly grated nutmeg. Pour in the dry white wine and gently simmer, stirring frequently, until it evaporates, about 1 1/4 hours more.

Add the canned San Marzano tomatoes and stir well. When the sauce begins to bubble, turn down the heat so that the sauce cooks at a lazy simmer, with bubbles breaking the surface every few seconds.

Cook, uncovered, for 3 hours or more, stirring from time to time. If the sauce starts drying out, add 1/2 cup water if necessary, ensuring it evaporates by the end of cooking.

Taste the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the cooked, hot pasta and toss with the sauce. Serve with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on the side.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary