Weeknight Spaghetti Bolognese
A rich, meaty bolognese with a little milk and wine that tastes long-simmered but is ready in 45 minutes. Makes enough for six.
22% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 10 min
- Cooking
- 35 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 29 g
- Per serving
- $2.27
Why this recipe works
Traditional ragù simmers for three hours. This one borrows its best tricks and gets most of the way there by dinnertime. Make a double batch; it freezes beautifully.
- Finely chopped onion, carrot and celery melt into the sauce and give it body and sweetness.
- A splash of milk softens the acidity of the tomatoes and keeps the meat tender, a trick from the classic Bolognese method.
- Browning the tomato paste deepens the flavor in minutes instead of hours.
Ingredients
To serve
You will need
- Large heavy pot or Dutch oven
- Large pot for pasta
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Cook the vegetables
Heat the oil in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden.
Brown the beef
Add the garlic and beef. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, breaking up the meat, until no pink remains and it starts to brown. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 minute until it darkens.
Add wine, tomatoes and milk
Pour in the wine and simmer until mostly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, milk, oregano, bay leaf and salt.
Simmer
Bring to a bubble, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Cook the spaghetti in salted water during the last 10 minutes.
Toss and serve
Discard the bay leaf. Toss the drained spaghetti with about half the sauce and a splash of pasta water, then top each plate with more sauce and Parmesan.
Techniques in this recipe
- Fish and seafood145°F / 63°C
- Pork chops, tenderloin, whole cuts of beef145°F / 63°C
- Ground beef, pork and sausage160°F / 71°C
- Chicken and turkey (all cuts)165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Chop the vegetables very finely, or pulse them in a food processor, so they disappear into the sauce.
- Tossing the pasta with sauce in the pot coats it better than spooning sauce on top.
- The sauce freezes for 3 months. Freeze it without the pasta.
Nutrition per serving
520 calories
$2.27 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 22% of calories | 29 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 55% of calories | 72 g |
| Fat | 22% of calories | 13 g |
| Fiber | 6 g | |
| Sodium | 570 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why is there milk in bolognese?
Milk is part of the classic Bolognese method. It mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and wine and makes the meat taste softer and richer. You will not taste it as milk.
Can I skip the wine?
Yes. Use the same amount of beef broth, or simply leave it out and add the tomatoes straight after the tomato paste.
Can I make it in advance?
Yes. The sauce keeps 4 days in the fridge and tastes even better the next day.
