Homemade Classic Bolognese Sauce: Step by Step Pictorial

As I already stepped into Italian cuisine I’m in need of their many sauces and other core ingredients repeatedly. I tried to look into the local markets and got negative response (as if I get all my required things from there, how foolish I am!!!). And then without any other options I had to prepare few of their classic core ingredients at home each time like my yesterday’s Spaghetti Lasagna. This is when the idea stuck into me: why not make a post of it?? There are many people like who love to try their hands on international cuisine but lack of appropriate ingredients they are resisting.

Today I’m sharing the Classic Italian Bolognese Sauce which is known as Ragu in Italy. This meat based sauce is also known as pasta sauce. It is a fact that Bolognese sauce most popular pasta sauce. But it has a versatile usage of it. It is a perfect and essential ingredient for many pasta like rigatoni, lasagna, fettuccine or cannelloni etc. Mostly flat based pasta is used to go with this sauce but some small shaped pasta also work just fine with it.

As I mentioned before it is a meat based sauce the core ingredients is beef. Sometimes pork is also combined with it. And those who have trouble with red meat can enjoy it with white meat like turkey or chicken. Along with the meat dry red wine and tomato are the essential ingredients. This sauce is thick and well concentrated. So be careful about the storage while cooking it, if you don’t need it in one go.

Here is the recipe of homemade classic Bolognese sauce with step by step picture.

Preparation Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 45 mins

Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients:

Minced beef or Chicken : 350g (See Tips)

Garlic : 10-12, finely chopped/ minced

Red onion (medium) : 2, finely chopped

Carrot (medium) : 2, shredded

Tomato (large) : 2, finely chopped

Concentrated tomatto or Tomato puree: 1 cup

Extra virgin olive oil : 4 tbsp

Red pepper flakes : 2 tsp

Black pepper powder : 1 tsp

Dried oregano, parsley : 1 tsp of each

Salt to taste
Dry red wine or Chicken stock: 1½ cup (See Tips)

Preparation:

Take a large deep bottomed pan. Heat oil in it. the oil should be moderate heated; not smoked. (Don’t go to the yellow hue, it’s my stupid camera!!)

Add garlic and onion and sauté for 5 mins on medium flame.

Onion and garlic should be golden in color but not browned. Don’t burn.

Add shredded carrot and continue frying on medium flame.

It will take no longer than 5 mins and carrot will be soft.

Add meat and mix well with the rest. Sauté for 5 more mins.

By the time meat will be nearly done and pale pink.

Add herbs, salt, pepper powder and mix well. Meat will be fully cooked by this time.

Now pour the concentrated tomato or tomato puree and keep mixing.

Once oil floats on the top add chopped tomato, mix well and cover.

Allow to simmer for 5 mins.

After tomatoes are soft and mushy pour the red wine according to your need, mix and allow to simmer for 10 mins more.

Once everything is smashed and blended with the sauce switch off the flame and transfer to another bowl immediately.

Use according to your requirement. Store the excess sauce in an air-tight container and refrigerate up to 5 days.
I made some Healthy Spaghetti Lasagna with this sauce with the help of Cottage cheese instead of real cheese.

Tips:

1. The traditional bolognese sauce recipe requires minced lean beef. But many people are avoiding red meat these days so it’s okay to adopt the white meat for it. Though I personally prefer the beef over chicken but for daily life chicken is the best for me.

2. In some variations equal amount of pork and beef is used for the same recipe. You can try that too.

3. If you are not use about the usage of alcohol, feel free to use chicken stock.

4. If you are using beef then use either regular water or beef stock. Don’t use chicken stock with Beef. It will not produce an authentic taste. And also adjust the cooking time and amount of water accordingly.