Bolognese is one of those easy dishes folks rustle up for the family on busy weeknights, often with some supermarket mince and a jar of flavoured pasta sauce. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, but this one is a little heartier, with some chunks of beef added to the mince, along with finely chopped vegies, fresh herbs and a good splash of red wine. Spoon it over some spaghetti and top with parmesan for a Northern Italian-style dinner that tastes buonissimo!
How to make ragu bolognese: key tips
One of the most important things when starting your bolognese is to sear your vegetables and diced beef well so that your sauce gains maximum flavour and valuable juices are sealed inside the chunks of beef.
Keep the lid off the saucepan while it simmers. You want your ragu to reduce until it’s lovely and thick. If you think the ragu is reducing too quickly, you can either turn the heat down a tad or place a lid partially on top of the pan.
Your ragu is ready when the sauce is thick and the beef is very tender. Serve it over pasta or gnocchi, sprinkled with freshly grated Grana Padano (parmesan) cheese.
Key ingredients in this ragu bolognese recipe
This recipe uses beef mince, but you could also use pork and veal mince. For the diced beef, choose a cut that does well when braised such as blade, chuck, ribeye or topside. As you are cooking this dish for a while, tougher cuts like these will become beautifully tender.
Celery is the main veg in this ragu, but feel free to add chopped carrots and button mushrooms for a vegie boost.
Everyone has their own way of making bolognese, but I also like to find new ways of making it. Try this top-rated spaghetti bolognese that has some sneaky bacon pieces added. And here’s a bolognese lasagne you might like to put together.
This recipe was originally submitted by AngelDust, a member of the Australia’s Best Recipe community. Introduction and additional recipe notes by Natasha Shaw.
Ingredients
- 2 kg beef mince
- 500 g diced beef
- 5 tbs olive oil
- 1 celery stick finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery leaves chopped
- 2 onion finely chopped
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 sprig fresh sage
- 2 garlic clove crushed
- 1/2 red wine
- 1 tbs tomato paste
- 1 L tomato puree
- 1 L water
Method
-
Step 1Remove meat from refrigerator and bring to room temperature. Make sure the beef is cut into 1 cm cubes.
-
Step 2Heat the oil in a large saucepan, add vegetables, herbs (tie rosemary and sage together) and garlic. Cook over a high heat for 5-8 minutes, do not let it colour and keep stirring.
-
Step 3Add meat to the vegetables, making sure the meat is covering the base of the saucepan. Season meat with salt and pepper.
-
Step 4Leave for about 5 minutes so that meat seals underneath and heats through, then begin stirring. Ensure the vegetables don't burn by adding a little more oil if required.
-
Step 5Stir meat and vegetables occasionally and heat for about 20 minutes.
-
Step 6Pour in the wine,allow it to reduce completely then add tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring continously.
-
Step 7Add the passata along with the water. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 2 hours. Remove rosemary and sage sprigs before using.
Recipe Notes
What pasta should I serve with this ragu bolognese?
A chunky ragu like this one is better suited to shorter pastas, like bow-ties, spirals and penne. Gnocchi is another option. You could also use this ragu for lasagne, but keep in mind that it would need to be a little runnier, so don’t reduce it as much on the stove.
Can I freeze this ragu bolognese?
This ragu freezes very well and is great to have on hand. Portion the ragu into airtight containers and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge before reheating on the stovetop or in the microwave.
Recipe Reviews (1)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Log in Register