How to Make Ragù Bolognese

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground chicken

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground chicken is often less expensive.

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic red wine

💰Cheaper: grape juice

Non-alcoholic options maintain flavor without alcohol.

Parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated Pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and adds umami.

canned tomatoes

🥗Healthier: fresh tomatoes

💰Cheaper: crushed tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes can be healthier, while crushed tomatoes are often cheaper.

Heat 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over high heat until shimmering.

Add 1 lb each of ground beef, ground lamb, and ground pork; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the meat loses most of its raw color, using a pastry blender or potato masher to break it up.

Once the meat is cooked, add 1/2 lb of pureed chicken livers and stir them in.

In a separate large skillet, heat 4 tbsp of butter and 8 oz of diced pancetta over medium-high heat, stirring until the pancetta is translucent but not brown.

Add 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, a few stalks of diced celery, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1/4 cup of minced sage, and 1/4 cup of minced parsley. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are softened but not brown, about 8 minutes.

Stir in a couple cups of dry wine and let it simmer down until mostly evaporated, watching for fats to float on top.

Return the Dutch oven to the stovetop, add the sautéed vegetables, and stir in 1 quart of chicken stock that has been mixed with 1.5 oz of powdered gelatin.

Stir in 1 cup of heavy cream, another 1/4 cup of parsley, 3 oz of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, and a couple tablespoons of Asian fish sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

Let the sauce come to a boil to emulsify and then serve over hearty pasta shapes.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens