Beef Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Hearty and meaty, this delicious Bolognese sauce recipe is a comforting and aromatic dish that’s packed with flavor, made with lean ground beef and veggies, and cooked to perfection.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 2 large carrots roughly chopped
- 2 stalks celery roughly chopped
- 1 large yellow onion roughly chopped
- 3-4 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or any other oil
- Kosher salt & ground black pepper to taste
- 1.5 pounds lean ground beef
- 6 ounces tomato paste one can
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes one can
- 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth beef or vegetable broth will work
- 3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary chopped
- 10-12 sprigs fresh thyme leaves picked
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 parmesan rind
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan
- 16 oz pasta of choice whole-grain, gluten-free if needed, or lentil pasta
Instructions
- Place the 2 large carrots (roughly chopped), 2 stalks celery of (chopped), 1 large yellow onion (diced), and 3-4 garlic cloves (minced) in a food processor and pulse to chop. If you don’t have a food processor with a chopping option, then you can finely dice them by hand.
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the chopped veggies and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until softens.
- Bring veggies to the sides of the pan and add in the middle add the 1.5 pounds lean ground beef. Season with Kosher salt & ground black pepper.
- Allow the meat to cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes, until it develops a golden crust.
- Using a wooden spatula start to stir into the meat, mincing it at the same time. Stir to combine the meat with the sautéed veggies, and continue to cook for 8-10 minutes.
- Add the 6 ounces tomato paste, 28 ounces crushed tomatoes, and 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Mix well to combine.
- Stir in the herbs (3-4 sprigs fresh rosemary, 10-12 sprigs fresh thyme, and 2 bay leaves), and the 1 parmesan rind.
- Reduce the heat to low and partially cover the pan. Simmer the bolognese sauce, stirring occasionally, for 60 minutes.
- Just before the sauce is ready, cook the 16 oz pasta of choice in salted water according to package instructions. Reserve 2/3 cup of the pasta water, then drain.
- Remove and discard the bay leaves from the sauce.
- While the sauce is still on the heat, add cooked pasta, starchy water, and the 1/2 cup grated parmesan. Toss well to combine and coat.
- Turn the heat off and divide the bolognese pasta to serving bowls.
- Garnish with extra parmesan if desired and ground black pepper and serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- Use the leanest ground beef available.
- Any oil will work
- Broth: we used chicken broth. but you may sub with beef or vegetable broth
- Pasta: any pasta will work, use your favorite. For a low-carb option, you may serve your beef bolognese with zoodles.
- Don’t be tempted to skip any of the vegetables. The three of them play off each other: the carrots add sweetness, the onions add sharpness, and the celery adds a savory component.
- Don’t skip the parmesan rind. While it’s too tough to eat, it adds a ton of flavor to the dish when simmered. Be sure to fish out the parmesan rind at the end.
- A good substitute for parmesan rind would be Pecorino Romano and Gruyère
- Don’t have fresh garlic? Use one tablespoon of garlic powder.
- Allow the amount of time to simmer down for the best flavors.
Nutrition
Calories: 448kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 33g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 487mg | Potassium: 1078mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 3658IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 161mg | Iron: 6mg