Beef Bolognese with Spaghetti (Print Version)

Rich slow-cooked beef and tomato sauce paired with perfectly cooked spaghetti for a hearty Italian dish.

# What You Need:

→ Meats

01 - 1.1 lbs ground beef (80/20 ratio preferred)

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Pantry & Liquids

06 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
07 - 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
08 - 2 tablespoons tomato paste
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - ½ cup whole milk
11 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
12 - 1 teaspoon dried basil
13 - 1 bay leaf
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
15 - 14 oz dried spaghetti

→ Garnish

16 - ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
17 - Fresh basil leaves (optional)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Sauté onion, carrot, and celery for 7 to 8 minutes until softened and translucent.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently to release aroma.
03 - Increase heat to medium-high, add ground beef, and cook until browned, breaking it up with a spoon, about 6 to 8 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to enhance flavor and color.
05 - Pour in the red wine and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the browned bits from the pan.
06 - Add crushed tomatoes, dried oregano, dried basil, bay leaf, then season with salt and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.
07 - Lower heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover partially, and cook for 50 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
08 - Stir in whole milk and continue simmering for another 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
09 - Meanwhile, cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain well.
10 - Remove bay leaf from sauce. Toss spaghetti with a portion of sauce or serve sauce ladled over pasta. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil if desired. Serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The sauce builds its own depth over time, so you're mostly just watching it happen while you do other things.
  • Milk softens the acidity of tomatoes in a way that feels almost luxurious without being complicated.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, making this perfect for batch cooking or feeding a crowd.
02 -
  • Don't rush the simmering—that 50 to 60 minutes is when the flavors actually marry and the sauce stops tasting like separate ingredients thrown together.
  • Milk can curdle if the heat is too high, so keep everything at a bare simmer once the tomatoes go in and you'll be fine.
  • The sauce tastes noticeably better the next day after the flavors have had time to settle, so don't judge it harshly on the first night.
03 -
  • Taste constantly as the sauce simmers—salt and pepper are your tools for making everything taste more like itself, not for changing the dish.
  • Keep a wooden spoon dedicated to this kind of cooking because it holds heat better and won't scratch your pan.
  • Buy whole milk rather than skim because the fats are what carry flavor, and they make the difference between good and unforgettable.

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