Spaghetti Bolognese

This spaghetti Bolognese is rich, hearty, and packed with comforting flavors that always hit the spot. The slow-cooked Ragù with San Marzano tomatoes and a splash of red wine brings out incredible depth.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword Spaghetti Bolognese

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings

Calories 590kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tbsps. unsalted butter
2 tbsps. olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
3 celery stalks, finely diced
1 lb. ground beef (93%) (or a half and half mixture of beef and pork)
1-1/4 cups full-bodied red wine
28 oz. peeled, whole, San Marzano tomatoes
2 tbsps. tomato paste
2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in 3/4 cup boiling water
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of granulated sugar to taste (see notes)
1 lb. dry spaghetti noodles
fresh parsley, for garnish
fresh basil, for garnish
freshly grated Parmesan
serve with garlic bread

Instructions

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once sizzling, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Reduce the heat to low and sauté for 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are soft and caramelized.
2 tbsps. unsalted butter, 2 tbsps. olive oil, 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, 2 medium carrots, finely diced, 3 celery stalks, finely diced
Push the vegetables to the side of the pan and add the ground beef. Fry for 8 minutes, breaking up the beef with the back of a spoon while gradually mixing the vegetables back in.
1 lb. ground beef (93%)
Turn the heat to medium and add the wine, letting it simmer for two minutes.
1-1/4 cups full-bodied red wine
Next, add the peeled tomatoes, tomato paste, and dissolved beef bouillon. Mix well, then bring to a boil before lowering the heat to low.
28 oz. peeled, whole, San Marzano tomatoes, 2 tbsps. tomato paste, 2 beef bouillon cubes
Check the seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste, along with a pinch or two of sugar if needed.
salt and pepper to taste, pinch of granulated sugar
Simmer the Bolognese uncovered for two hours.
When the sauce is almost done, put the garlic bread in the oven (if you're making some) and cook according to the instructions. Add the spaghetti to a pot of boiling salted water and cook until al dente.
serve with garlic bread, 1 lb. dry spaghetti noodles
Divide the cooked spaghetti between serving plates or bowls, and top with a generous amount of Bolognese sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and basil, then grate some Parmesan over the top.
fresh parsley, for garnish, fresh basil, for garnish, freshly grated Parmesan

Notes

Sugar: Adding sugar doesn’t chemically neutralize the acids in tomatoes, but it can sweeten the sauce if the tomatoes used are slightly too acidic. If you can’t find San Marzano tomatoes (which are naturally sweet enough), adding a pinch of sugar to the sauce will help balance the flavors. I recommend doing a taste test at Step 5 of the recipe.

For optimal outcomes when preparing this spaghetti Bolognese, it's recommended to refer to the recipe details within the post. The recipe post commonly includes valuable notes, expert tips and frequently asked questions, that are not presented in the recipe card, often including how to make this recipe dairy-free, gluten free or vegan and ideas for healthy ingredient substitutions or variations.

The provided nutrition information is merely an approximation, as variations can arise depending on the specific ingredients/brands you select.

Nutrition