A go-to meat sauce is an absolute must in my world, and this Ragu alla Bolognese is the one I keep tucked away in the freezer at all times. Rich, cozy, and finished with a dreamy béchamel, it’s comfort food that also feels dinner-party worthy.
Recipe name at a Glance
- 🕒 Total Time: ~3 hours (slow simmer for best flavor)
- 👪 Servings: 6–8
- 🍝 Cuisine Type: Italian / Classic Pasta Sauce
- 🧂 Flavor Profile: Deeply savory and rich with slow-cooked meat, soffritto, tomato, milk, and wine. Balanced, comforting, and luxurious
- 📖 Dietary Info: Contains dairy and meat; gluten-free if served with gluten-free pasta
- 📦 Storage Notes: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freezes exceptionally well for up to 3 months
- ⭐ Why You’ll Love It: A timeless, slow-simmered sauce that rewards patience. Perfect for cozy weekends, dinner parties, and stocking your freezer with something truly special.
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Why I Love This Recipe
Like most things on What’s Gaby Cooking, this isn’t just any meaty red sauce. It’s a marriage of classic Ragu alla Bolognese and a silky béchamel, which gives it that extra creamy factor, and honestly, what isn’t better with a little cream sauce? It’s made with both ground beef and pork, a generous splash of red wine, and slow-simmered until deeply flavorful. The best part is that it makes a big batch, which means dinner tonight and a stash in the freezer for later. Serve it over fresh pasta, gnocchi, or even spaghetti squash, skies the limit, and it’s especially perfect when you’re craving something comforting and impressive without a ton of extra effort.
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Ingredients
Substituions
🥩 Protein Options
- Ground beef + pork — traditional and deeply flavorful.
- All ground beef — simple and still rich.
- Ground veal — classic Italian option, very tender.
🥕 Veggie Base Swaps
- Onion, carrot, celery — the classic soffritto.
- Shallots — slightly sweeter and softer flavor.
- Add mushrooms (finely chopped) — boosts umami and stretches the sauce.
🍅 Tomato Options
- Crushed tomatoes — classic and balanced.
- Whole canned tomatoes, hand-crushed — deeper texture.
- Tomato paste — intensifies richness and color.
- Less tomato, more milk — for a more traditional Northern Italian style.
🥛 Dairy Swaps
- Whole milk — classic and mellowing.
- Half-and-half or cream — richer and silkier.
🍷 Wine Options
- Dry red wine — traditional and robust.
- Dry white wine — lighter, cleaner finish.
- Skip the wine — replace with broth if preferred.
🌿 Seasoning & Flavor Tweaks
- Bay leaf — subtle depth.
- Fresh thyme or rosemary — aromatic upgrade.
- Red pepper flakes — optional heat.
- Parmesan rind — simmer for extra savory richness.
🍝 Pasta & Serving Swaps
- Use in lasagna or baked pasta — perfect make-ahead move.
- Tagliatelle or pappardelle — ideal for clinging to the sauce.
- Rigatoni or mezzi rigatoni — hearty and scoopable.
- Bucatini — cozy and indulgent.
- Serve over polenta — very Northern Italian and very good.
🍝✨ Tips & Tricks for the Best Ragù alla Bolognese
Rich, comforting, and worth every minute
- Take your time with the saute. Onions, carrots, and celery should cook low and slow until soft and sweet. This is the flavor foundation, so don’t rush it.
- Brown the meat properly. Let it cook until it’s deeply caramelized before moving on. Color equals flavor, and this step makes a huge difference.
- Season as you go. Salt each layer lightly instead of dumping it all in at the end. It builds depth and keeps the sauce balanced.
- Let the wine cook off fully. You want the alcohol to evaporate and leave behind richness, not sharpness. If you still smell wine, keep going.
- Milk matters. Adding milk (or cream) softens the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce that signature silky texture. Don’t skip it.
- Simmer low and slow. Gentle bubbling is the goal. A fast boil will dry it out instead of letting it become rich and cohesive.
- Stir occasionally, scrape the bottom. Those little browned bits add incredible depth. Just make sure nothing sticks too aggressively.
- Taste and adjust at the end. Long simmers change flavor. A pinch more salt, a splash of milk, or a bit of butter can bring it all together. Here's a video on how to make Bolognese if you need it!
- Use the right pasta. Wide noodles like tagliatelle or pappardelle hold the sauce beautifully. This ragù deserves a sturdy partner.
- It’s even better the next day. Bolognese is one of those magical sauces that improves overnight. Make it ahead if you can.
FAQ's
Can I make this Bolognese ahead of time?
Yes, absolutely. The sauce tastes even better after sitting overnight. Store in the fridge up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
What pasta works best with Bolognese?
Fettuccine, pappardelle, rigatoni, or even gnocchi are all fantastic. You want something sturdy that can hold the sauce.
Can I skip the wine in Bolognese?
Yep, just sub beef broth. You will still get great flavor.
Is the béchamel necessary for a Bolognese?
Technically no, but highly recommended. It adds a silky, classic Bolognese finish that makes this extra special.
Similar Recipes
Ragù alla Bolognese
Classic Ragù alla Bolognese with béchamel, rich Italian meat sauce tossed with fresh pasta, cozy comfort food, perfect for Sunday dinner or meal prep.
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 ⅔ cups milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the Ragù
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 medium stalk celery with leaves, finely diced
- 3 small carrot, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 10 ounces ground pork
- 10 ounces ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ⅔ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup half and half (or heavy cream or milk)
- 1 28-ounce can san marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recommended for serving
- 1-2 pounds cooked fresh fettucine pasta, or any other pasta, gnocchi etc of your choosing
Instructions
For the Béchamel
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, for about 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk while whisking until smooth. Add the Parmesan and continue whisking over medium heat for several minutes until slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Ragù
- Heat olive oil in a 12 inch Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add pancetta, onion, celery, and carrots. Sauté, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add ground pork and beef, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes until deeply browned.
- Stir in tomato paste. Pour in the wine, reduce heat slightly, and simmer until reduced by half, about 3 minutes, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the half and half.
- Partially cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add crushed tomatoes and cook uncovered at a very slow bubble for another 20 to 30 minutes until thick and stew-like. Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir the béchamel into the meat sauce until fully combined. Toss with cooked fresh pasta and serve immediately.
Notes
- Take your time with the soffritto. Onions, carrots, and celery should cook low and slow until soft and sweet. This is the flavor foundation, so don’t rush it.
- Brown the meat properly. Let it cook until it’s deeply caramelized before moving on. Color equals flavor, and this step makes a huge difference.
- Season as you go. Salt each layer lightly instead of dumping it all in at the end. It builds depth and keeps the sauce balanced.
- Let the wine cook off fully. You want the alcohol to evaporate and leave behind richness, not sharpness. If you still smell wine, keep going.
- Milk matters. Adding milk (or cream) softens the acidity of the tomatoes and gives the sauce that signature silky texture. Don’t skip it.
- Simmer low and slow. Gentle bubbling is the goal. A fast boil will dry it out instead of letting it become rich and cohesive.
- Stir occasionally, scrape the bottom. Those little browned bits add incredible depth. Just make sure nothing sticks too aggressively.
- Taste and adjust at the end. Long simmers change flavor. A pinch more salt, a splash of milk, or a bit of butter can bring it all together.
- Use the right pasta. Wide noodles like tagliatelle or pappardelle hold the sauce beautifully. This ragù deserves a sturdy partner.
- It’s even better the next day. Bolognese is one of those magical sauces that improves overnight. Make it ahead if you can.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 640kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 16g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 104mg | Sodium: 575mg | Potassium: 907mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 4692IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 317mg | Iron: 4mg
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Hi!
I’ve been searching for a great bolognese recipe but don’t eat meat. Any suggestions on how to modify this one to make it vegetarian?
Thank you!
Absolutely AMAZING! Saving this recipe as one of my go-to's. I did not have pancetta on hand so I used bacon and also just had regular crushed tomatoes but I think it turned out so good!
Dear Gaby, I just finished making Ragù alla Bolognese. The recipe turned out with great flavor but the appearance is not as nice as yours. I noticed that my Red sauce was not as red so I proceeded to add a smaller can of the tomatoes. Still the colors is not too appealing. May be there was too much bechamel in mine. I've had to ask my family members to close their eyes and taste the sauce otherwise we'll, anyway Thank you for a great recipe I will stick to the red sauce and use the bechamel for something else.
Teresa
Not only is this one of the best pasta recipes I have ever made, I truly believe it is one of the best meals I have ever had! Well worth the time to put into it, I already can't wait for the next time we make it! Outstanding!
I made this last night and the whole house smelled like we had gone to Italy! Thank you so much for your detailed instructions! It was wonderful!
This looks amazing! Do you have a alternate suggestion for the pancetta? I’m sure it’s won’t be the same but unfortunately I can’t eat pancetta....
you can totally omit - still mega flavorful
So when you say you pull it out of the freezer do you just freeze the red sauce and make the white sauce at the moment you are reheating spaghetti?
no i make the entire thing, and then freeze portions of it!! and then re-heat over low heat on the stove
Yummmmm! This looks and sounds like Bolognese heaven!
I have made this many times for my family and it is a amazing. I am a Bolognese snob and I think this one is incredible. Everyone Gaby fan/follower should try it - they will make it over and over.
This is so good that my husband eats it like soup
My family LOVES this sauce. They waited a long time for me to finish making dinner, and it was unanimously totally worth the wait! Six of our nine kids are home today (only two are still living at home). This was the perfect meal to end the weekend with (even if it was 8 pm when we ate!) Thanks so much, Gaby, for a delish sauce that we will be putting into the regular rotation.
Question - How do you measure 3 cups of whole peeled plum tomatoes? I have two 28oz cans. Should i use both or just one? Also, so far the 'stew' is very beige, not deep red... #gettingworried
it's roughly 1 28-ounce can! No need to worry - color develops as it cooks! And if you want to add extra tomatoes to make it more red, that's totally allowed
Just checking if the "2 cups of milk" in Ragu portion of this recipe is an error? I have made many, many of your recipes and all have been wonderful and looked very similar to your photos. (so thank you for all of your great recipes, I have shared with many friends and they now follow you as well)
This sauce, however, was a VERY light pink and was also very thin, even after simmering one hour after adding the milk as recipe indicates. Your photos show a rich and thick deep red sauce.
Any tips you may have for achieving a better result are appreciated! Thanks!
it's not an error! Sounds like it just needed to reduce even further to get thicker?
Thank you
Maybe. Thank you
Hey I really want to make this recipe but I’m from Australia so measurements are different here we don’t use ounces for meat here we uses grams or kilograms so many ounces in Australian measurements is that I just find ounces bit confusing in my country ? Hope I didn’t confuse you I tried looking it up online
Just noticed the two cups of milk in the ragu ingredients but no step for it in the recipe...is this reduced down too? Might explain my colour issue. Regardless, still delicious
it's in step 6!