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!
Thank you really simple & good ☺️ Really what I need
You’re welcome! So happy you liked it!
Made this for dinner and let it simmer for an extra 1-2 hours, was delicious! Will definitely make more for leftovers in the future.
Yum, I love how flavorful a sauce becomes when it has extra time to simmer!! So glad you liked the recipe!
Awesome recipe. Everyone enjoyed it.
Yay! So glad it was a hit!
I wish you didn’t change the old recipe. I kept this link in my bookmarks and used it everytime I cooked, but now I see you have revised the recipe and added milk. 😭
Sorry to hear of your disappointment. Traditional bolognese has dairy added at the end, but you can feel free to skip it.
Looks delicious, can’t wait to try it!! Can you replace the milk with heavy cream??
Sure, if you prefer!
Where do I sign up to follow your site
You can sign up here for instant updates on recipes!
YUM! Such a great comforting tasty dish. I subbed coconut milk since I have a dairy allergy and some pasta sauce because I didn’t have crushed tomatoes and it came out amazing! Will definitely be making this again.
Yum, sounds great!
I love this. Followed just about exactly—served it over spaghetti squash!
Yum, sounds great and healthy!
Really good, everyone in my family liked it and so I’ll make it again. Just as a side note, I’ve added a bit of thyme and more pepper. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Sounds great and glad you enjoyed it!
Yuma. As you stated, this can not be a gluten free dish if you don’t use gluten free pasta. And if I have to use gluten free pasta that doesn’t come apart while boiling it, then what would you recommend ?
I’m not at home until late January but I am really looking forward to a steaming hot plate of this it looks heavenly .my home is incredibly cold I’m going to make double the amount and add kidney beans, cumin and harissa to the other half .
This is the new version of the recipe. I used to do the older one and at first I was a bit disappointed when I couldn’t find it. It was one of my favorites. But then I decided to give this new recipe a try. I was hesitant to be honest. Celery, milk… But OMG! So good! I couldn’t believe how delicious it turned out. Honestly it’s amazing! Thank you
Thank you so much! So yes this is a new variation (true Bolognese has milk in it) so I updated it. I will add the old version to the notes section though just in case anyone else wants it. But I am happy to hear that the new version is great too!
hi, is there anyway I can see the old, archived version of this recipe?
Hi Katelynn! After some digging I found it and added it to the notes under the recipe card! The original recipe wasn’t a traditional Bolognese as it was missing milk – someone did just comment as well saying they were hesitant, because they loved the old recipe, but they tried the new one and it was even better. So I’d love for you to try it and let me know what you think given that you made the old version.
1 pound ground beef? — 8 servings = 2 onces per Person ?
Hi Norman, the serving size is based on the sauce as whole. So the finished sauce will provide around 8 servings. Hope that helps!
My absolute favorite by far. I let mine simmer for 2 hours and the flavors were on point! So so so good!
Yay, so glad you liked it!
Absolutely fantastic. So easy and loved it!
So glad to hear you tried this recipe and enjoyed it!
This came out absolutely perfect. The taste is off the charts. I followed the recipe to the T and glad I did! This will be my go-to Bolognaise. I passed this on to friends and family so they can enjoy it as well! Thanks!
You’re so welcome!
Wow! I loved this recipe! It was super simple and quick yet delicious. I love the result!
So glad you liked it!
this is test
These recipes are supposed to have vegetable broth in it, yet I see no vegetable broth at all. Did I miss something? Misleading recipe.
I originally made this with vegetable broth but after re-testing, I removed the broth from the recipe and just used pasta water. The pasta water is one less ingredient you have to worry about and it actually clings to the sauce much better.
Why would you give 1 star for 1 ingredient. You scream Basic.
Easier: Brown 1 lb lean ground meat in 4 tbsp olive oil with Chilli flakes and 1 chopped clove if garlic. When completely cooked, add you fav non-cheese tomato pasta sauce. 15 min.
How much pasta water?
½ cup pasta water
A little confused as you mention broth but it’s not in the actual recipe or the ingredients list. How much broth and at what point are we supposed to add it? Thanks!
Hi, Rian! The vegetable broth can be used with the diced tomatoes to create the sauce. I have used broth and pasta water and actually prefer it with the pasta water, so I’ve reflected that in the recipe now.
I made this for dinner and everyone loved it! Age 6-61 ate without complaints. Thank you for the amazing recipe 😃
Yay!! Love to hear that!!
made this last night with ground turkey and it was delicious!! thank you for sharing the recipe!
So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
Cooked this but used a cup of soy Textured Vegetable Protein to replace the mince for a vegan version. My boyfriend was literally so confused because he thought I was serving him mince and he knows I’m a strict vegan, haha.
Thanks for the great recipe.
How awesome!! So glad to hear it was a success!!
Love this recipe! As is it’s great however, depending on who I’m cooking for I usually substitute the beef for ground turkey and the veggie broth for a dry white wine and my husband ❤️‘s it!! Yum! Thanks for the recipe.
So glad to hear you and your husband love this recipe! Love the tips on the substitutions…those sound perfect!
One word, DELICIOUS!!! I too, grew up eating Pasta Bolognese. I came across your recipe and wanted to try it since my Mother died young and took her recipes with her. This recipe tastes just how I remember my mother’s recipe. Thank you so much for for sharing this.
Aww that’s amazing! Makes me so happy to hear that it tastes like your mother’s recipe. Thank you so much for the feedback!
Spaghetti Bolognese does not exist in Italy , so it can’t be a classic Italian dish. It’s an invention by non Italians outside Italy. And equally, there is no Bolognese sauce in Italy. Another American etc invention. There is tagliatelle al ragu which is a classic Italian dish. Big difference.
I’m actually not Italian, so my perspective on what is Italian comes from watching Giada De Laurentiis. She is Italian and says this is a classic Italian dish. It might be true what you’re saying and my authentic sources are limited as I mentioned.
One thing to note is that Wikipedia says “Bolognese sauce is a meat-based sauce in Italian cuisine, typical of the city of Bologna. It is customarily used to dress tagliatelle al ragù and to prepare lasagne alla bolognese.”
Um, yes Spaghetti Bolognese
does exist in Italy. We lived 5 years in Palau, Sardinia, Italy and 5 years in Mascalucia, Sicily, Italy. Both had Spaghetti Bolognese in different ristorante’s. Making this recipe for supper. Will let you know how it comes out. Ciao!
So glad to hear that! Hope you like it!!
Cooked Pasta Bolognese for dinner using your valuable tips. Love it, specially with the fresh basil.
very delicious!!
So glad you enjoyed it!!
Followed this recipe and it is better than restaurant pasta! So delicious, I’m not trying other Bolognese recipes!
I used minced pork instead and it is just as good.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it that much! Yay!!