This classic Italian Bolognese meat sauce is rich in flavours from each ingredient and it is comfort food at it’s best! It’s an easy sauce to make any day of the week.
This all-time classic Bolognese sauce is satisfying and so delicious with most pastas. I decided to use ground veal and Italian sausage to give it a lighter beef flavour and the sausage has a hint of spiciness.
If you have never made a Bolognese sauce before, then I highly recommend it. Don’t be intimidated with the amount of ingredients. Most of these ingredients you will have in your pantry or refrigerator, and I have included some substitutions below.
Ingredients and Subsitutions:
Meat: the combination of veal and sausage gives this sauce it’s richness and delicious flavour; ground beef is another flavourful choice.
Vegetables: these are the traditional vegetables used in this sauce – onions, garlic, celery and carrots. They all give that tasty flavour in this sauce.
Tomatoes: I used crushed tomatoes, however, whole roma tomatoes would be an option. I recommend crushing them down with a masher or in a food processer.
Wine: is traditional ingredient for this recipe, use a dry red wine or you can use white wine and a substitution would be good option is beef broth.
Milk: is another traditional ingredient in this classic Bolognese sauce.
How to make this delicious sauce:
Begin: onion, celery, and carrots and garlic until tender.
Meat: add ground veal and Italian sausage, break meat apart with a spoon, and cook the until there is no pink visible, about 8 minutes.
Sauce: add the wine, and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the the wine reduces. Then add milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to blend.
Serve: once the sauce has thicken, add the reserved pasta water and pasta, toss to coat. Then add parsley and check the flavour. Adjust the seasoning at this time if needed. Garnish with fresh basil, parsley and Parmesan cheese.
Weeknight Veal and Sausage Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 lb ground veal
- 1/2 lb Italian sausage, casing removed
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 - 28 oz can organic crushed tomato
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 8 oz pasta
- 1/2 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 sprig fresh basil, garnishing
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add ground veal and Italian sausage, break meat apart with a spoon, and cook the until there is no pink visible, about 8 minutes.
- Increase the heat and add the wine, and cook for about 5-6 minutes until the the wine reduces. Then add milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to blend.
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a pot of water to a boil, add ½ tsp of salt then add the pasta. Cook until al dente and drain. Reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water, and add it to the sauce.
- Once the sauce has thicken, add the reserved pasta water and pasta, toss to coat. Then add parsley and check the flavour. Adjust the seasoning at this time if needed.
- Garnish with fresh basil, Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Nutrition
How to make this recipe:
Begin: Heat oil in a skillet, add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook and stir until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. When adding ground veal and sausage, break meat apart into small pieces. Cook the meat until there is no pink visible, about 8 minutes. Increase the heat and add the wine, and allow it to cook until the the wine reduces, about 5-6 minutes.
Simmer: Then add milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, basil, salt, and black pepper. Simmer for 30-45 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken and flavours to blend. Once the sauce has thicken, add the reserved pasta water and pasta, toss to coat. Then add parsley and check the flavour. Adjust the seasoning at this time if needed. Garnish with fresh basil and Parmesan cheese.
Storing:
When storing food, it’s always important to know for how long. This recipe makes 4 serves and if you want leftovers I suggest doubling the recipe.
Refrigerator: place sauce in an air-tight container for up to about 3-4 days.
Freezing: freeze the sauce for that last minute meals. It is a something I do often, making larger qualities, place in an air-tight container or zip-lock bag and freeze it. This sauce can be stored in the freezer for 4 months and still have the same tasty flavours.
Serve this delicious Bolognese sauce hot and garnish with parsley or fresh basil and Parmesan cheese. This recipe is one that is a go to for families on the run. It’s healthy, hearty, and always so delicious! Happy Eating! 🙂
