Ragù Bolognese Sauce

The secret to this authentic Ragù Bolognese sauce recipe is cooking the meat in milk first before adding white wine and tomato paste. The texture will melt in your mouth! Serve with fresh homemade pasta or gnocchi, and good sourdough bread.

The Bolognese sauce I grew up with was far from “authentic.” Made with lean ground beef, red wine and canned tomatoes (lots), it was undeniably delicious, authentic to our Italian family and served as an easy pasta dinner any night of the week. I didn’t think anything of it.

But then… I fell down a rabbit hole researching authentic Italian recipes from northern Italy, specifically Bologna (birthplace of Ragù Bolognese), tasting and testing recipes from two of the greatest Italian chefs and food writers of all time: Marcella Hazan and Anna Del Conte. GAME CHANGER.

Nestled between broad and flat ribbons of pappardelle pasta, this new-to-me traditional Bolognese sauce was so soft and so tender it practically melted in my mouth! The tomato component was not dominant at all. It was an accent rather, a flavorful one, and when combined with milk and white wine I couldn’t help but wonder: was it really meat sauce at all?

Ragù vs Bolognese: What’s The Difference?

In order to understand what “real meat sauce” even is, it’s important to differentiate between Ragù and Bolognese. They’re not the same. In Italian, “Ragù” is a hearty meat sauce made of ground meat, vegetables, wine and some tomatoes. “Bolognese” is also a meat sauce, but it’s a regional variation prepared in the style of Bologna hence the name: Ragù Bolognese.

OK, So Tell Us More. What is Ragù Bolognese?

Ragù Bolognese is a beautiful, slow-cooked sauce made from ground beef and/or pork, chopped carrots, onion, celery, milk, wine, tomato paste and stock. No garlic.

Of course, there are slight variations as one would expect: cubed pancetta, chicken livers (we add this to our Bolognese sauce at Sfoglia), silky tomato passata (strained tomato puree), cream, and perhaps a bay leaf or two. 

But to me, the biggest difference when compared to the tomato-heavy meat sauce I grew up with, is that Ragù Bolognese uses milk, white wine and notably less tomatoes. The milk tenderizes the meat and mellows out any tart, acidic notes. The flavor is soft, light and slightly sweet! That’s the selling point. And it’s brilliant.

Ingredients You Will Need

• Butter
• Olive oil
• Pancetta
• Onion
• Carrot
• Celery
• Ground Beef
• Ground Pork
• Whole Milk
• Nutmeg (the flavor is warm, not strong)
• Bay leaves (this is a must)
• White wine
• Tomato Paste
• Quality chicken stock (I use organic bone broth from Trader Joe’s)

A Few Tips:

• Use a food processor. The veggies should be finely chopped. No large chunks in the sauce.
• Don’t skip the milk. Cooking the meat in milk first, before adding the wine and tomatoes tenderizes the texture. Some Ragù Bolognese sauce recipes call for adding the milk at the end of cooking (bit by bit). But I add it earlier on- I like the texture and flavor better.
• Don’t brown the meat. Cook it gently to keep it soft and not rubbery.
• Try white wine (instead of red). It lightens and brightens the sauce.
• Double it. Make the most of your time and cook extra to freeze. You’re at the stove anyway!

What About The Pasta?

Traditionally, Ragù Bolognese is served with fresh tagliatelle, pappardelle pasta or fresh spinach pasta, which you can find in Italian specialty shops and some grocery stores. But why not make it yourself? Make fresh homemade pasta dough using my Beginner’s Guide, and then pop over to this post to make perfect pappardelle pasta. This sauce is excellent with fresh homemade gnocchi too. Buon Appetito!

*This post contains affiliate links. Photo credit & styling: Melina Hammer.

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