Can I make Bolognese without pork?

Yes‚ the recipe indicates that ground beef can be used instead of pork products if you do not like pork․ The dish will be less flavorful than if you used ground pork and pancetta‚ but other ingredients and methods can be used as directed․ Do not add other types of meat not listed in the recipe․ Brown the ground beef in several batches for better browning results․

Can I omit the heavy cream?

Yes‚ heavy cream is a suggested but optional ingredient for this recipe․ Cheese and milk‚ along with vigorous stirring at the end of preparation‚ can help create an emulsified sauce in the absence of heavy cream․ Adding heavy cream may enhance the creaminess of the sauce‚ while omitting it may result in a dish that more closely resembles the flavor of the ragù sauce․ Taste the sauce with cheese added to see whether you want to add other seasonings․

Can I make Bolognese sauce ahead?

Yes‚ Bolognese sauce can be made a day in advance․ As mentioned in the article‚ the taste of Bolognese sauce improves if made a day in advance․ When reheating Bolognese sauce‚ you can reheat it in a saucepan and add pasta cooking water as needed․ You may want to skim off hardened fat before serving with mostly reheated sauce and cooked pasta․

Can I freeze Bolognese sauce?

Yes‚ freeze the sauce without Parmesan cheese and heavy cream․ Freezing the sauce without these ingredients will make it easy to add them later when reheating․ Consider freezing the sauce in a sealed container or freezer bag‚ as recommended in a tip in the article․ Add Parmesan cheese and heavy cream to the sauce when reheating․ Mix well․

Why is my Bolognese sauce thin?

A thinner sauce takes longer to prepare․ The recipe says to cook the sauce until most of the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens; this takes three or four hours․ If after three or four hours the sauce is not thick‚ turn up the heat and keep cooking‚ stirring frequently․ Watch the sauce carefully as it cooks during the final stage․ Be more vigilant when cooking the sauce than you were the thinner sauce․

Classic Bolognese Sauce with Beef, Pork, and San Marzano Tomatoes

By Ethan ParkerSep 27, 2026

Prep

30 min

Cook

240 min

Total

270 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

Add 20% ground beef and ground pork for classic Bolognese‌ sauce and diced pancetta to enhance flavor․ A traditional Italian Bolognese sauce is slow-cooked with hand-crushed San Marzano tomatoes‚ milk‚‌ nutmeg‚ and other ingredients to a thick consistency․

Classic Bolognese Sauce with Beef, Pork, and San Marzano Tomatoes

The finely chopped onion and carrots and celery‌ are called soffritto․ They‌ are sautéed slightly․ Cooked garlic‌ is added later․ Beef and‌ pork and pancetta are cooked to avoid steaming and enhance browning․ Dry white wine is used to deglaze the‌ pan‚ scraping up browned bits․ Milk and tomatoes seasoned with‌ nutmeg add a subtle tomato flavor and creamy texture․

As the sauce simmers‚ most of the liquid‌ cooks off‚ making the sauce suitable for pasta․ Fat in the sauce‌ will rise to the top and can be skimmed off before adding other ingredients․ Common mistakes include adding too much meat or stirring too frequently while browning meat‚ the meat can be added in smaller batches to avoid‌ these errors and still achieve browning without burning․

Ingredients for toppings include‌ Parmesan cheese and parsley‚ plus heavy cream‚ if using․ Serve with tagliatelle‌ or pappardelle pasta․ The sauce can be made 1 day‌ ahead․ When ready to serve the dish‚ add pasta cooking water to the sauce in a saucepan to‌ thin the sauce․

Why you'll love this recipe

Ground beef and‌ ground pork with 20% fat increase the amount of meat in the dish, Pancetta also adds flavor with little‌ need for additional seasoning․
Chopped onion and celery and carrot nearly cook away in the sauce‚ adding vegetable flavor to every bite without chunks of vegetables․
Hand-peeled and hand-squeezed San Marzano tomatoes provide less tomato flavor in the dish and allow other flavors‚ including those from the seared meats and milk and nutmeg‚ to shine․
Whole milk and optional heavy cream add a creamy texture to the sauce with ingredients typically found in the sauce‚ rather than adding tomatoes․
A long‚ slow cooking process helps flavors from the soffritto‚ wine‚ and meat combine to make a hearty sauce that will cling to thick‚ flat pasta․
Parmesan cheese and‌ parsley are added at the end of cooking so their salty and fresh flavors stay clear against the slow-cooked beef․

Instructions

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter melts.

Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes, until fragrant.

Season with salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the soffritto to a plate and reserve.

Add more olive oil if needed, then add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve.

Working in 2 to 3 batches, add the ground beef and pork. Season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon but stirring infrequently, until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Return the reserved soffritto and pancetta to the pot.

Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the crushed tomatoes, milk, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours or until the liquids reduce and the sauce is thick. If still too thin, raise the heat and boil while stirring frequently until reduced.

Skim off and discard the fat that separates and floats to the top.

Stir in the optional heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Stir vigorously to emulsify, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.

Serve tossed with a wide pasta, such as tagliatelle or pappardelle.

FAQ

Choose 20%‌ fat ground beef for this recipe․ Using 20% fat ground beef will give the sauce a brown color and other desirable‌ qualities․ Using ground beef with less fat will result in other flavors and colors in the sauce and less fat to drain out of‌ the sauce․ Ask for 20% fat ground beef and cook it in batches to keep from‌ overloading the pan․

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Dinner Pasta Sauces & Dips Beef Pork Italian One Pot

Classic Bolognese Sauce with Beef, Pork, and San Marzano Tomatoes

Name: Classic Bolognese Sauce with Beef, Pork, and San Marzano Tomatoes
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 270 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tablespoons butter; 1 large onion (finely chopped); 2 large carrots (finely chopped); 2 celery stalks (finely chopped); 3 cloves garlic (chopped); 4 ounces pancetta (diced); 1 pound ground beef (20% fat); 1 pound ground pork; salt (to taste); freshly ground pepper (to taste); 1 cup dry white wine; 1 can peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 ounces, hand crushed); 1 cup whole milk; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; 1 cup heavy cream (optional); 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano recommended); 1/2 cup parsley (chopped)

By Ethan ParkerSep 27, 2026

Prep

30 min

Cook

240 min

Total

270 min

Servings

Level

Medium

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Ground beef and‌ ground pork with 20% fat increase the amount of meat in the dish, Pancetta also adds flavor with little‌ need for additional seasoning․
Chopped onion and celery and carrot nearly cook away in the sauce‚ adding vegetable flavor to every bite without chunks of vegetables․
Hand-peeled and hand-squeezed San Marzano tomatoes provide less tomato flavor in the dish and allow other flavors‚ including those from the seared meats and milk and nutmeg‚ to shine․
Whole milk and optional heavy cream add a creamy texture to the sauce with ingredients typically found in the sauce‚ rather than adding tomatoes․
A long‚ slow cooking process helps flavors from the soffritto‚ wine‚ and meat combine to make a hearty sauce that will cling to thick‚ flat pasta․
Parmesan cheese and‌ parsley are added at the end of cooking so their salty and fresh flavors stay clear against the slow-cooked beef․

Ingredients

Servings8

•1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
•2 tablespoons butter
•1 large onion (finely chopped)
•2 large carrots (finely chopped)
•2 celery stalks (finely chopped)
•3 cloves garlic (chopped)
•4 ounces pancetta (diced)
•1 pound ground beef (20% fat)
•1 pound ground pork
•salt (to taste)
•freshly ground pepper (to taste)
•1 cup dry white wine
•1 can peeled San Marzano tomatoes (28 ounces, hand crushed)
•1 cup whole milk
•½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
•1 cup heavy cream (optional)
•1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (Parmigiano Reggiano recommended)
•½ cup parsley (chopped)

Instructions

1
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter melts.
2
Add the onion, carrots, and celery; sauté until softened and beginning to caramelize, 5 to 8 minutes.
3
Add the garlic and sauté for another couple of minutes, until fragrant.
4
Season with salt and pepper, then use a slotted spoon to transfer the soffritto to a plate and reserve.
5
Add more olive oil if needed, then add the pancetta and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove and reserve.
6
Working in 2 to 3 batches, add the ground beef and pork. Season with salt and pepper and cook, breaking up lumps with a wooden spoon but stirring infrequently, until browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
7
Return the reserved soffritto and pancetta to the pot.
8
Add the white wine and deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits. Cook until the wine is mostly evaporated, about 2 to 3 minutes.
9
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, milk, nutmeg, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer.
10
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 hours or until the liquids reduce and the sauce is thick. If still too thin, raise the heat and boil while stirring frequently until reduced.
11
Skim off and discard the fat that separates and floats to the top.
12
Stir in the optional heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. Stir vigorously to emulsify, then taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
13
Serve tossed with a wide pasta, such as tagliatelle or pappardelle.