Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce Recipe (2024)

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Cooking Notes

Kim

I cannot comment of the taste of the sauce. It was cooling and I ran a short errand. In the meantime, my 8 year old Labrador Retriever, Jake, (who had never, ever bothered anything in the kitchen) somehow got the pot off of the cooktop and ate all of the sauce. The worst part was that I had tripled the recipe, so Jake ate 3 pounds of Bolognese sauce! I am certain he would rate the sauce a 5. We had to go out for dinner, but I will make the recipe again and post relevant feedback!PS Jake is fine.

Rob Ron

At the end of the cooking process am I to remove the separated fat. I'm new to this.

Andrew from New York

This was a great and helpful guide. Added a few bits more here, reduced a few things there and ended up with a great bolognese.

I have to laugh at the people who are complaining about it not being good. You're saying that you had something on your stove top for 3 hours and not once did you taste it? This is cooking not baking. You taste everything at every step along the way and make adjustments. It is the lazy cook that blames the recipe

Mark

I've been making this sauce for 25 years. It comes out great every time. I can say that it works with ground beef or a mixture of beef, pork and/or veal. I can also say that this sauce is 97.32% as good after 1 hour as it is after 3 hours, so if you're impatient. Noting that it takes about 1 hour to get to step 4, so if you started cooking a bit late, when you get to step 4, you can eat it with minimal reduction in quality after one hour of cooking.

Maria

I have the 1979 version of the book. The proportions of ingredients in my cookbook are very different.

For 3/4 lb of beef, go with:
3 tbs each - olive oil and butter
2 tbs each chopped onion, celery and carrot
1/2 c milk
2 c canned Italian tomatoes, roughly chopped.

My recipe calls for adding the wine and cooking off, before adding the milk.

I always make a triple or quadruple recipe. I cut down on the amount of butter/oil I use - never more than 4-6 tbs of each. It freezes well.

Creggio

Marcella has never never let me down. No exception here. If you have had less than a satisfactory result, less thaN a religious experience, try this:1.Do what she says—EXACTLY.2.Tell Alexa to play Puccini or Verdi3.Use the heavy bottom pot.4.Do NOTHING to make any step happen more quickly.7.Don’t deviate from her instructions.You will have a different result. Tanti saluti.

Brian T Hunt

Authentic. Using a broad, flat noodle such as parpadelle is essential. Chop the vegetables pretty fine- they seem to disappear, but are actually part of the chunks in the ragu. The tip about using a little butter and a little starchy pasta water to toss the sauce with the pasta is also important. And spring for the real Parmesan-Reggiano- desecrating a five-hour ragu with stuff from the green can would not only be disastrously counter-productive and sad, but borderline immoral. :)

Linda

This the the best Bolognese recipe there is in my opinion. Btw... Ground chuck is 80/20 ground beef. That is also known as 80%. Any leaner beef and the sauce would not be correct. We do not find it too fatty in the least. You need the butter and whole milk for this sauce to be the way it is supposed to be. Using turkey and skim milk might give you a tasty end result, but it is not Marcella's sauce. As far as I am concerned this recipe is perfect as written . No changes necessary.

Lorraine

I am making this right now and it is going great. I really just wanted to say that I love the expression, "laziest of simmers".

Patricia Garcia

Marcella hailed from the Northern Adriatic coast, where seafood was the most commonly available. She only learned to cook after she was married, trying to please Victor, who was and is an oenophile. She was a gifted cook. I wonder how many of the complainers bothered with the nutmeg...it is the most defining flavor in a true Bolognese sauce, which this most definitely is

Charlie

I've been making this for over 30 years. I cook it exactly for 5 hours. The difference in the taste when you cook it for 3 hours (more bland) and 5 hours is incredible and well worth the time. It ends up being a thick, concentrated sauce that you don't pour on top of the pasta but that you toss into the pasta.

Max

Holy goodness. I'm amazed at the number of people who are absolutely sure that the version of Bolognese that they prefer is the one, true, authentic version. I imagine there are as many variations as there are kitchens in Bologna, folks.

If I could add anything to the conversation, it would be to throw a little starchy pasta water in with the sauce and pasta as they are being tossed together, and really bring it all together.

Amanda

No; it's just a signal that it's finished cooking ("ready to eat"). When sauce cooks long enough that the fat separates it 1) improves the taste of the ingredients, and 2) improves the appearance of the dish. Separated fat looks and tastes beautiful in a dish--it often takes on the deepest colors and flavors in the pot, and is one measure that separates an amateur's dish from a professional's. So, yes! The fat is meant to stay in the pot!

marcolius

I've made this sauce many times, and I like it for what it is. I love to doctor things, too, but sometimes a classic is a classic. That being said, I would add two observations:
-Fresh, blanched, peeled, and chopped tomatoes work well, too. Lean toward longer cooking time. Haven't needed to add water when using fresh.
-I finely mince the vegetables, particularly the carrot and celery. Otherwise, it has a "beef stew" appearance that my family finds less appealing.

m

Oh goodness no! Fear not the fat! Fear the pasta more.

Liz Friedman

I follow the recipe almost exactly as written, except I put in a 28oz can of tomatoes (I think the guy in the NYT video put that much in). This sauce is PHENOMENAL!!! As other commenters said, definitely cook for more than 3 hours, preferably 5.

Alex

This is fantastic!

reader

Cook as written. Garlic is not an ingredient in a bolognese sauce and not in everything Italian. Italian-American cooking, maybe, but not Italy. There are many regions and styles of cooking. Expand your horizons and open your mind. This is perfect.

reader

Cook as written. Garlic is not an ingredient in a bolognese sauce and not in everything Italian. Italian-American cooking, maybe, but not Italy. There are many regions and styles of cooking. Expand your horizons and open your mind. This is perfect.

Bruno Carnovale

My mother's parents were born Venice (north), my fathers were born in Calabria (south). I am not unfamiliar with Italian home cooking.. My mother had a high opinion of many of Hazan's recipes and once gave me a copy of one of Hazan's cookbooks. I tried this recipe with high hopes and a few doubts (no garlic? no oregano/sage/rosemary/thyme?). This recipe is BLAND, BLAND, BLAND.

Susbeez

I use porotbello mushrooms instead of meat....delicious

MannyA

This recipe is a no-brainer. Two tips:1) Double the nutmeg, especially if you’re not using fresh. It adds enough warmth to make it worthwhile, but without overpowering the recipe. 2) Follow the timeline and BE PATIENT. It takes TIME to boil down the liquid (milk, wine). Good luck!

steve

Add garlic early. Go for finally crumbled beef result, meaning, no vegetables at all.

Matt J

I adore this recipe and use it as my go-to. However, it can taste a bit bland to palates accustomed to typical Italian American food. To plus it up, I will add some garlic towards the end of the veggie saute, a pinch of Italian seasoning, and let simmer with a Parmesan rind.

Cleva Vilanueva

everytime I cook it, it tastes better/// a very good recepy////

JN

At step 4 could one put it in a low-heat slow cooker?

Vicci Jaffe

can this sauce be frozen? Will the taste suffer (much)?

KimGM

My husband and I always use this recipe and it’s perfection. It’s our favorite and has been since the 1990s.

Emma

Has anyone used a substitute for the milk? My husband has a dairy allergy but I'd very much like to try this recipe.

Elaine

Oat milk!

Angiabar

Also have 1979 version, received as a wedding shower gift in the mid-80s. I've been doubling and tripling this version since then. Freezes beautifully!A few notes:1. Follow instructions exactly2. Use heavy dutch oven 3. You must let this sauce cook very slowly on low heat for at least 4 hours. Meat gets more flavorful and creamier the longer you cook it4. Be sure to use a short, cut pasta to absorb the sauce5. I've substituted a red wine with excellent resultsBuon Appetito!

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Marcella Hazan’s Bolognese Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the ingredients for bolognese sauce? ›

Add 2 tins plum tomatoes, the finely chopped leaves from ¾ small pack basil, 1 tsp dried oregano, 2 bay leaves, 2 tbsp tomato purée, 1 beef stock cube, 1 deseeded and finely chopped red chilli (if using), 125ml red wine and 6 halved cherry tomatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon, breaking up the plum tomatoes.

Can you freeze Marcella Hazan's bolognese sauce? ›

Once done, you can refrigerate the sauce in a tightly sealed container for 3 days, or you can freeze it. Before tossing with pasta, reheat it, letting it simmer for 15 minutes and stirring it once or twice.

How to make bolognese sauce taste better? ›

During cooking, you can further improve your meat sauce by adding other flavourings to boost complexity; a splash of worcestershire or even some soy which are both especially good with beef mince. My favourite Calabrian nonna adds a piece of pig skin the size of a cheese slice (ask your butcher).

Do you cook bolognese sauce covered or uncovered? ›

Bring sauce to a simmer, then transfer to oven, uncovered. Cook, stirring and scraping down sides of pot occasionally, until liquid has almost completely reduced and sauce is rich and thick underneath a heavy layer of fat, 3 to 4 hours.

What are the ingredients in traditional Bolognese sauce? ›

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds ground beef.
  • 2 pounds ground pork.
  • 2 cups dry white wine.
  • 6 ounces bacon or pancetta.
  • 1/3 cup garlic cloves (about 6 fat cloves)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.
  • 2 medium onions, minced in a food processor or finely chopped.
  • 2 large celery stalks, minced in a food processor or finely chopped.

What is the difference between Bolognese sauce and spaghetti sauce? ›

Spaghetti sauce often uses canned tomatoes as opposed to fresh ones, so the taste isn't quite as bright and fresh as bolognese, which makes use of chopped up fresh vegetables rather than sauces from a jar or tin.

What pasta to use with Bolognese? ›

For Meat Sauces

Known as Bolognese in Italy, these classic slow-simmered sauces are often a Sunday treat at Nonna's house. If you want to best capture these hearty sauces, serve them with traditional tube-shaped pasta—like Rigatoni and Tortiglioni—or deep scoopable shapes like Shells and Orecchiette.

What is the best cut of beef for bolognese sauce? ›

If you want to cut the meat yourself, get cuts like chuck or flank steak, as per the Bolognese tradition, or even a skirt steak (the diaphragm, practically impossible to find at the butchers). The same goes for pork: choose pieces like the thigh which are fatty and tasty.

What is ragù vs Bolognese? ›

Even though both are considered meat sauces and are thusly chunky, ragù is more like a thick tomato sauce with recognizable bits of ground beef within it. Bolognese, though, is creamier and thicker because it is made with milk. It is not considered to be a tomato sauce.

Why is my bolognese tasteless? ›

Your spaghetti sauce may taste bland due to insufficient seasoning. Try adding more salt, herbs (like basil, oregano, or thyme), and other flavor enhancers like garlic, onion, or red pepper flakes.

Why add vinegar to bolognese? ›

And as an added bonus, both the plums and the vinegar have some great benefits for digestion, energy, and as an antibacterial boost. Umeboshi vinegar is a deep reddish purple. Perfect for adding both the depth of flavour and colour into our bolognese sauce!

Can you overcook Bolognese Sauce? ›

Can you overcook bolognese? Once the meat is browned and you've added in the tomatoes and water, it's nearly impossible to overcook your Bolognese Sauce. When you add liquids like water or milk, the simmering time reduces the liquids and packs extra flavor into your sauce.

Why add milk or cream to Bolognese Sauce? ›

According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”

What is the best way to serve Bolognese Sauce? ›

The Bolognese Sauce is rich, thick and has beautiful depth of flavour. It's perfect for a quick midweek meal but even better if you can simmer it for a couple of hours! Serve it over pasta, stuff into jacket potatoes, make an epic Lasagna or Baked Spaghetti Pie!

How is Italian bolognese made? ›

The sauce called for predominantly lean veal filet along with pancetta, butter, onion, and carrot. The meats and vegetables were to be finely minced, cooked with butter until the meats browned, then covered and cooked with broth.

What are the ingredients in Barilla Bolognese sauce? ›

Ingredients. Chopped tomatoes 40.9%, water, tomato concentrate 14%, onions 12.5%, sunflower oil, carrots 3.5%, salt, natural flavouring, sugar, basil 0.2%, garlic 0.02%.

What is the difference between ragù and bolognese? ›

Ragu sometimes includes vegetable chunks, properly prepared Bolognese does not. Ragu typically uses red wine, while Bolognese calls for white. Bolognese uses very little tomato, while ragu sauces often feature tomatoes for most of the sauce's bulk.

What makes bolognese taste like bolognese? ›

As far as its taste, it will have a meaty heartiness from the browned meats, a sweet tang from the rich tomatoes, as well as an herbal kick from the various Italian spices used. If you've ever enjoyed a pasta dish with meat and tomato-based sauce, it was likely a variation of a bolognese recipe.

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