Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in Ragu Bolognese sauce? ›

The secret to this authentic Ragù Bolognese sauce recipe is cooking the meat in milk first before adding white wine and tomato paste. The texture will melt in your mouth! Serve with fresh homemade pasta, lasagna noodles or homemade gnocchi for a classic old world taste.

The best tip for intensifying the flavour of your sauce is just to cook it slowly on a low heat for a long time. This reduces the sauce and intensifies the flavours – four hours is not uncommon for my bolognese.

According to our Food Director Amira, not only does milk add a rich flavour to the bolognese, but it also “helps cut through the acidity of the tomatoes and red wine”. She adds: “It also makes the mince meat nice and tender, creating that melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness.”

The secret to the rich and complex flavors of Bolognese sauce lies in the slow cooking process. Traditionally, the sauce would simmer gently for hours, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify.

Usually no. But putting (a very small bit) of sugar or even a tiny pinch of baking soda in the tomato sauce can help if it is too acidic, but this is only done if the person cooking it is really in a rush.

The reason for sprinkling a pinch of sugar into a simmering saucepan of tomatoes is simple: sugar cuts the acidity of the tomatoes and creates an overall more balanced sauce. The exact acid levels in tomatoes can vary quite a bit depending on whether they're fresh or canned, the tomato variety, and the time of year.

Ragù also contains more tomato sauce, although it can be made in a "white" version that doesn't contain any tomatoes. Bolognese, on the other hand, is usually made with just a little bit of tomato paste and some added milk.

Cornstarch: Make a slurry of half water, half cornstarch and whisk until smooth. Cornstarch is a powerful thickener, so start by whisking in no more than 1 tablespoon of the mixture per 2 cups of simmering sauce; stir and simmer for 2 minutes, check the thickness, and repeat with more slurry as needed.

Put the oil, butter and chopped onion in the pot and turn the heat on to medium. Cook and stir the onion until it has become translucent, then add the chopped celery and carrot. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring vegetables to coat them well. Add ground beef, a large pinch of salt and a few grindings of pepper.

Does garlic go in bolognese? ›

Method. Put a large saucepan on a medium heat and add 1 tbsp olive oil. Add 4 finely chopped bacon rashers and fry for 10 mins until golden and crisp. Reduce the heat and add the 2 onions, 2 carrots, 2 celery sticks, 2 garlic cloves and the leaves from 2-3 sprigs rosemary, all finely chopped, then fry for 10 mins.

Whereas true Bolognese is just as much about the aromatic base of vegetables as it is the meat, Italian-American versions are very meat-heavy (and often use red wine) and more reminiscent of southern Italian dishes.

IF YOU COOK spaghetti in a big pot of water, drain it, then toss it with sauce, you are pouring a lot of flavor down the drain, says Vendemmia chef Brian Clevenger. “The trick to good pasta is cooking it in the sauce,” he says. It was while working at Delfina in San Francisco that he really started to understand why.

Let this sauce gently simmer and lightly bubble for at least two (2) hours, uncovered, stirring occasionally, tasting as you go because it already smells so good, you can't believe you have to wait that long, so may as well taste as you go.

Tossing in strips of basil, a sprig of thyme or some oregano can take your sauce to the next level. Although fresh herbs might pop a bit more, dried herbs and spices can work just as well. Sprinkling in some red pepper flakes, a pinch of parsley and a dash of salt and pepper can liven up your jarred pasta sauce.

Why should you add sugar to your spaghetti sauce? If the tomatoes are too acidic or you add wine to the sauce, and you don't plan on cooking it for hours like an authentic Sunday Sauce, then a teaspoon of sugar can help reduce the acidity.

Sundried tomatoes are another great source of umami for a bolognese sauce. The concentrated tang of sundried tomatoes will add an especially complex taste that's both sweet and smoky, and that flavor will tie the overall taste of your bolognese together.