Pasta Bolognese
Updated Apr 25, 2025
This easy Pasta Bolognese recipe features a hearty ground beef sauce served over long pasta. The sauce is simple to make in one pot!
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My Pasta Bolognese Is So Good!
If you thought dishes like Pasta Bolognese were weekend projects, think again. My recipe for pasta bolognese takes just 10 minutes to prep the rest of the work is done by the stovetop.
I keep the dish classic and straightforward. You start by cooking onion, celery and onions until softened, then add the ground beef, tomatoes and seasonings. After that, just let it simmer away until the Bolognese sauce develops a rich, deep flavor.
Pasta Bolognese Ingredients
- Olive oil: I’m using olive oil since this is an Italian dish, but butter or avocado oil will work.
- Onion, celery and carrots: This combination of ingredients, called soffritto, forms the base of flavor for Bolognese sauce. If you don’t have them on hand, you can swap in other vegetables like shallots (for onion), cauliflower (for celery), bell peppers (for carrots), and mushrooms (for all three).
- Garlic: Fresh is best, but 2 teaspoons of jarred minced garlic or 1 teaspoon of garlic powder will work instead.
- Lean ground beef: I prefer lean ground beef (83% lean or higher) to keep the sauce from being too greasy. For an even lighter Bolognese, use an equal amount of ground turkey or crumbled Italian turkey sausage.
- Whole milk: I recommend sticking with whole milk rather than swapping in a low-fat or plant-based version. If you can’t have dairy, skip this ingredient entirely.
- Crushed tomatoes: Crushed tomatoes give the sauce a wonderful texture, but canned tomato sauce or diced tomatoes will also work.
- Tomato paste: For a fun alternative, try red pepper paste, miso paste, or blended sun-dried tomatoes.
- Salt: Regular table salt is fine, but kosher salt or sea salt can be used instead.
- Black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper is best. For a milder taste, use white pepper.
- Bay leaf: Use 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, or ½ teaspoon dried oregano if you’re out of bay leaves.
- Oregano: If you don’t have oregano, use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme, basil, marjoram or Italian seasoning.
- Nutmeg: You can use ⅛ teaspoon allspice in place of the nutmeg or skip it altogether.
- Tagliatelle pasta: Bolognese is traditionally served with tagliatelle or other flat ribbon pastas, like pappardelle or tripoline. I also often serve this recipe with tube pasta like penne or rigatoni. I love how the meat sauce gets stuck in the pasta when tossed!
- Chopped parsley: Fresh basil also looks and tastes great if you don’t have parsley.
Popular Additions
- Mushrooms: Add 1 cup of finely chopped cremini, porcini, shiitake, or baby bella mushrooms with the onion, carrots, and celery to give an earthy depth to the sauce.
- Crushed red pepper flakes: For a subtle kick, add ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes while sautéing the garlic.
- Cheese: Stir freshly grated Parmesan cheese (not the kind that comes in a green plastic container) into the sauce just before serving to make it even richer. You can also add a 2-3 inch piece of Parmesan rind while the Bolognese simmers for a similar effect – just don’t forget to remove it!
How to Make Pasta Bolognese
Recipe Tips
- Let it simmer for at least 30 minutes but preferably one hour. In Italy, Bolognese traditionally cooks for around two hours. That’s because Bolognese gets better the longer it’s cooked, allowing it to deepen in flavor.
- Stir occasionally. To make sure the sauce cooks evenly, be sure to stir it every 10 minutes or so during the simmering time.
- Toss the pasta with the Bolognese sauce instead of serving it on top. This may seem like just a preference, but there’s actually a scientific reason behind it. When you toss the pasta with the sauce, it allows the sauce to emulsify and thicken, which means it sticks better to the pasta. And that means every bite of pasta is adequately coated in the sauce!
- Use fresh herbs. While you can start with dried herbs, I highly recommend also adding fresh herbs. You can do this before you start the simmering process and/or after you finish cooking the sauce. This will liven up the pasta dish and add a fresh, aromatic flavor.
Serving Ideas
- Fresh Garden Salad
- Caesar Kale Salad
- Strawberry Caprese Salad
- Cheesy Garlic Bread
- Garlic Knots
- Air Fryer Vegetables
More Easy Pasta Recipes
- Easy Baked Spaghetti
- Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta
- Spaghetti with Meatballs
- Creamy Tomato Cottage Cheese Pasta
- Roasted Red Pepper Pasta
- Ground Beef Casserole
- Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta
- Garlic Butter Shrimp Spaghetti
- Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta
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This Pasta Bolognese recipe was originally published on February 5, 2019. The recipe has been slightly modified to make it more authentic and the post now includes updated step-by-step photos.
Pasta Bolognese Recipe
This easy Pasta Bolognese recipe features a hearty ground beef sauce served over long pasta. The sauce is simple to make in one pot!
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion diced
- 3 celery sticks small diced
- 2 carrot sticks peeled and small diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 16 ounces Tagliatelle pasta or any pasta of choice
- Chopped parsley for serving
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, carrots and garlic, and sauté for a few minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Break up the ground beef and cook until it’s browned and crumbled. stirring occasionally.
- Add the milk and allow it to simmer until it has mostly evaporated, stirring occasionally, in order to help tenderize the beef, about 10 minutes.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, bay leaf, oregano and nutmeg. Mix to combine, bring mixture to a boil and then simmer on low uncovered for at least 30 minutes, but preferably 1-2 hours. Simmering for longer will enhance the flavor. Remove from heat and discard the bay leaf.
- When ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta and add to individual bowls. Spoon the Bolognese sauce over it. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat with a splash of water or milk, or warm up the pasta in the microwave.
Freezing Instructions: It’s best to freeze the sauce without the pasta; the Bolognese sauce will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating and adding pasta.
Make Ahead Tips: You can make the Bolognese sauce up to 3 days in advance, and then cook the pasta when you’re ready.
Original Recipe
1 tablespoon olive oil1 pound lean ground beef
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 onion diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 15-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
16 ounces Spaghetti or penne pasta for serving
Fresh basil for serving
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook al dente according to package instructions; drain. Reserve ½ cup pasta water
Heat the olive oil in a large deep saute pan. Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. Brown the beef and break it into smaller pieces with the back of a wooden spoon until cooked through.
Add onions and garlic; and season with oregano, basil and crushed red pepper. Saute for about 5 minutes until they soften. Add crushed tomatoes and tomato paste and pasta water. Mix to combine, bring mixture to a boil and then simmer on low covered for 30 minutes.
Toss the pasta with the bolognese sauce and top with fresh basil, if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcal, Carbohydrates: 46g, Protein: 21g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 251mg, Potassium: 488mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 2706IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 81mg, Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
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Comments
Tried the recipe today and it turned out great. I was reading the comments and saw you mentioned pasta water to be added to the sauce but the recipe card (of the main recipe) doesn’t mention pasta water. Probably needs to be edited in.
Hi Lish! The pasta water was included in the original recipe. I recently updated this recipe and decided to omit the pasta water, but you can find the original version in the ‘Notes’ section of the recipe card if you would like to try it!
Thank you, the kids loved it, it’s yummy
Yay, so glad they loved it!! Thank you!
This is not the first I try your recipes and all of them taste great and are easy to apply.
Absolutely loved your old pasta Bolognese recipe, however, you seem to have removed that from the page. Is there any chance you can put that back on the website?
Hi Wassem, I’m so glad you liked the original recipe! I just added it to the recipe card notes for you. Enjoy!
Very delicious! Thank you for simple and yummy recipe
So happy you liked it! Thank you!!
Thanks for this wonderful recipe! Wondering if leftovers can be frozen? Thank you!!
Yes, absolutely! You can freeze the sauce without the pasta for up to 3 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to use the sauce again, thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating and adding pasta. Enjoy!
Hii, I did the old variation but just substituted celery for bell peppers as that’s what I had on hand, and sunflower oil instead of olive – and omg it turned out amazing! It was so hearty and tomatoey. I love this recipe, it was so easy to follow and the results are so tasty. Would definitely make this again, and would choose this any day over store bought sauce. I let it simmer for roughly 2 hours with the last 30 min being with the spaghetti, and wow was it flavourful. Thank you so much!!
Yay, I’m so happy you loved it!! Thank you so much, Lissia!
So delicious! I was a bit skeptical about the milk but followed the recipe. Since I didn’t have crushed tomatoes I used diced tomatoes and a can of tomato sauce for added liquid. As suggested it’s been simmering for a couple of hours. I’m anxious to share this dish with my family – such a rich sauce!
Yay so happy you liked it, Paula! I hope your family enjoyed the Bolognese as well!! Thank you!
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