Ragù alla Bolognese with Bacon: Traditional Pasta from Bologna 🍝

Atsuko

October 14, 2024

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Atsuko

Founder of @Umami Sans Frontières

Ragù alla Bolognese is a traditional meat sauce from the city of Bologna, often known outside Italy as “Bolognese.” This pasta dish is slow-cooked with a blend of ground pork and beef, finely chopped vegetables, and smoky bacon in place of pancetta – bringing out rich, layered flavors in every bite😋. While the ingredients are simple, the result is deeply satisfying. Perfect for a weekend meal or a cozy family dinner, this classic recipe brings the warmth of Emilia-Romagna straight to your table 🇮🇹.

Expense

💵

Preparation

90 mins

Baking time

Rest Time

Ingredients

1 Portions

Metric Imperial

87.5 g

Pasta
125 g

Ground meat
7.5 g

Garlic
50 g

Onion
25 g

Carrot
25 g

Celery
25 g

Bacon
25 g

Mushrooms
Olive oil (as needed)
25 ml

Red wine
100 ml

Tomato pureé
7.5 ml

Tomato paste
Black pepper (as needed)
Parmesan cheese (as needed)
Parsley (as needed)
1

Bay leaves
Salt (as needed)

Cooking time: 90 minutes

Ingredients:

For 4 people

350g of pasta of your choice
500g of ground meat
2 cloves of garlic
1 onion
1 carrot (about 100g)
1 stalk of celery (about 100g)
100g of bacon
100g of mushrooms
Olive oil (as needed)
100ml of red wine
400ml of tomato purée or canned tomatoes
2 tablespoons of tomato paste (if available)
Black pepper (as needed)
Parmesan cheese or shredded cheese of your choice (as needed)
Parsley (if available)
1-2 bay leaves
Salt (as needed)

How to make it:

1/ Prepare the Ingredients: Finely chop the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, and garlic. Cut the bacon into small pieces.

2/ Sauté the Vegetables and Bacon: Heat olive oil and garlic in a deep frying pan or pot.
Add the bacon and chopped vegetables, and sauté over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until tender and aromatic.

3/ Add the Meat: Add the ground meat (pork and beef) and sauté over high heat until the moisture has evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4/ Deglaze and Simmer: Pour in the red wine and let it evaporate. Stir in the tomato paste, then add the tomato purée and bay leaves. Lower the heat and let the sauce simmer gently for 30 minutes to 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

5/ Prepare the Parmesan: Grate as much Parmesan cheese as you like, ready to sprinkle before serving.

6/ Cook the Pasta: While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt, then cook the pasta of your choice according to the package instructions.

7/ Combine and Serve: Once the pasta is cooked, drain it well in a colander. Toss it with the Bolognese sauce, making sure the pasta is well coated. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top.

🌟Tips for a Better Bolognese🌟

⭐️ Enhance Flavor with a Vegetable Base: To bring out the depth in your Bolognese sauce, it’s key to start with vegetables. Sauté onions, carrots, celery, and optionally mushrooms until golden and fragrant before adding the meat. This builds a complex, savory foundation.

⭐️ Let It Simmer Low and Slow: The longer the Bolognese simmers, the better it tastes. Ideally, after adding the tomato sauce, cover the pot and simmer gently for 1 to 2 hours. But even 30 minutes will give you a delicious result if you’re short on time.

⭐️ Pair with the Right Pasta: In this recipe, I used Rigatoni Napoletani, a hearty short pasta that’s perfect for catching the rich, meaty sauce in every bite.
Top with fresh parsley and plenty of Parmesan cheese to enjoy it at its best!

⭐️ Homemade Over Jarred, Always Worth It!: While store-bought Bolognese sauces are convenient, making it from scratch creates a depth and richness you simply can’t get from a jar.
Fresh ingredients and slow cooking truly make all the difference. 🍅🍝

⭐️ Try It in Lasagna Too
This rich Bolognese sauce also makes a fantastic filling for lasagna. Layer it with pasta sheets, béchamel, and cheese for a comforting twist on a classic favorite.
You can find my full recipe here:
👉 Bolognese Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce