The Best Bolognese Sauce is the perfect recipe for feeding a family or stocking the freezer up. The recipe combines the traditional ingredients of a good Bolognese but is cooked over a longer time. This means the flavours all combine and mature into a sauce that is truly hard to beat. I have been cooking this recipe for 30+ years and never had a complaint.
This recipe will easily feed 6 hungry people but if you need more than use the servings slider to adjust the ingredients instantly. Serve as a main dish for several dishes. These include with spaghetti with a good sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan for the Italian hero of Spaghetti Bolognese. Between layers of pasta and white sauce for a gorgeous lasagne. Or you could always try Bolognese bake or Bolognese pies. I will add more recipes showing how to use this sauce.
The Best Bolognese Sauce is perfect for making in advance and freezing . When my son went to university, he had a freezer packed with this sauce. He used to love having it on top of baked potatoes with grated cheddar especially after a evening at the pub! Also, you can store it in an air tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Just either pop in a microwave or reheat on the stove.
The Best Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 rashers smoked back bacon slice
- 2 large onions finely chop
- 2 large carrots finely chop
- 2 stalks celery finely chop
- 4 cloves garlic peel/mince
- 250 g mushrooms
- 750 g beef mince
- 1 tbsp dried herbs
- 1 leaf bay
- 3 tins chopped tomatoes 400g x 3
- 3 tbsp tomato puree
- ½ glass red wine
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Place a large saucepan over a medium high heat and add the olive oil.2 tbsp olive oil
- When hot, add the bacon, onions, carrots and celery and slow cook for 15 – 20 minutes until golden with a lovely aroma. Once golden reduce the heat for now but stir frequently to make sure nothing burns.4 rashers smoked back bacon, 2 large onions, 2 large carrots, 2 stalks celery
- Once ready add the mushrooms, garlic, bay and dried herbs.4 cloves garlic, 250 g mushrooms, 1 leaf bay, 1 tbsp dried herbs
- Place a frying pan over a high heat and add part of the beef mince.
- Using a spatula/spoon break up any lumps and stir until the mince is browned all over. Push the mince to one side of the frying pan and tilt the pan. Use a tablespoon to transfer the fat into a glass jar for disposal. Once drained, transfer the mince to the vegetable pan and repeat until all of the mince has been browned.750 g beef mince
- Add the chopped tomato and tomato puree/paste to the mince and vegetables and stir thoroughly to combine everything. Add the red wine (or a little boiling water) to the tomato cans to wash them out and pour into the pan. Extra goodness and flavour.3 tins chopped tomatoes, 3 tbsp tomato puree, ½ glass red wine
- Add the sugar, the red wine vinegar and a good pinch of pepper. Stir and taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Don’t forget the bacon can be quite salty so taste first before adding any.½ tbsp sugar
- Stir well and increase the temperature until the pan simmers.
- Pop on the lid leaving a little gap and leave for 60 minutes for the mince to cook fully and the sauce to thicken.
- When ready serve with spaghetti or in a lasagne or allow to cool for freezing.Parmesan cheese
