Your kitchen will smell heavenly with a simmering pot of this Easy Bolognese Sauce with pancetta. With ground beef, salty and crisp pancetta, chunky tomatoes and Italian spices, this versatile sauce will be a family favorite.
Growing up, my kids were less than adventurous eaters. Pasta with a plain Jane marinara sauce or just butter was a favorite meal. I do love a good marinara sauce made with fresh basil. But, I also like to change up my pasta toppers from time to time.
As a personal chef, I get to experiment in the kitchen with a wide variety of cuisines for my clients. Italian foods are always popular. My Easy Bolognese Recipe is always a favorite.
the ingredients
- extra virgin olive oil
- onion
- garlic
- mushrooms
- carrot
- celery
- pancetta
- ground beef
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- red wine
- canned diced tomatoes
- half and half
- red pepper flakes, dried oregano and basil
- butter
- pasta, zucchini noodles or polenta
This super easy bolognese recipe is full of flavor. And it actually tastes even better after a day or 2 in the refrigerator.
The chunky bolognese sauce with basil, garlic, and oregano is loaded with meaty goodness (both ground beef and pancetta and mushrooms) along with diced tomatoes and a smidgen of red wine. The addition of pancetta to the recipe adds a wonderful smoky undertone. A little cream and butter make the bolognese extra rich.
chef cooking tips for my bolognese recipe
- Finely chop the carrot and celery. It is more important that they add flavor to the dish then it is to add color. You want the veggies to almost dissolve into the bolognese.
- Pancetta is a smoky Italian bacon. It is available at most grocery stores. And conveniently, it is usually already diced for you. If you cannot find pancetta, substitute bacon.
- I like to use 85/15 ground beef. The ratio is that of meat to fat in the ground beef mixture. This combination adds just the right amount of fat to the recipe.
- Don't skip adding the half and half (or substitute light cream) and butter to the bolognese recipe. The ingredients add a sneaky rich creaminess to the sauce without overpowering it.
what to serve with bolognese
Try this easy bolognese recipe with pasta (ziti, spaghetti, and orrechiette are my top choices), thin zucchini noodles or a creamy Parmesan polenta. The polenta is a little bit out of the ordinary and takes only a few minutes to prepare. Its creaminess is a nice contrast to the chunky bolognese.
To make a quick polenta, add 2 cups chicken stock to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Then whisk in 1 cup of quick cooking polenta. Cook for about 3 minutes over medium low heat, stirring constantly. Add in a handful of shredded Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste and the polenta is ready to serve.
If you make this delicious and easy bolognese recipe, I'd love hearing from you all. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I'll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations.
more favorite recipes
- Cider Honey Chicken Skewers with Sweet Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Loaded Turkey Sloppy Joe Stuffed Potatoes
- Spinach and Sausage Lasagna
- Spicy Jalapeno Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Recipe
Easy Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ medium onion chopped about 1 cup
- 2 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 1 small carrot finely chopped, about ½ cup
- 1 small celery stalk finely chopped, about ½ cup
- 4 ounces pancetta finely chopped
- 1 pound ground beef 85/15 blend
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ cup red wine
- 1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
- ¼ cup half and half or light cream
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Pasta polenta, or zucchini noodles for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the red pepper flakes, dried basil and dried oregano. Sauté for 20-30 seconds. Add the onion, garlic, mushrooms, carrot, celery and pancetta. Add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Sauté for 10 to 12 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize and the pancetta is almost crisp.
- Add the ground beef to the pan and continue cooking until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off the fat.
- Return the pan to the burner over medium heat. Add the red wine. Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Cook until the wine is almost evaporated or about 2 minutes.
- Add the can of diced tomatoes and their juices, the half and half, red pepper flakes, basil, and oregano and stir to combine. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Stir in the butter and season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve over hot pasta, polenta or zucchini noodles.
Notes
- Sauté the dried herbs in olive oil to enhance their flavor.
- Finely chop the carrot and celery. It is more important that they add flavor to the dish then it is to add color. You want the veggies to almost dissolve into the bolognese.
- Pancetta is a smoky Italian bacon. It is available at most grocery stores. And conveniently, it is usually already diced for you. If you cannot find pancetta, substitute bacon.
- I like to use 85/15 ground beef. The ratio is that of meat to fat in the ground beef mixture. This combination adds just the right amount of fat to the recipe.
- Don't skip adding the half and half (or substitute light cream) and butter to the bolognese recipe. The ingredients add a sneaky rich creaminess to the sauce without overpowering it.
Amy says
My clients love this one!!