Spaghetti Bolognese
A rich, deeply savory meat sauce simmered low and slow with tomatoes, red wine, and aromatic vegetables. This is the Sunday sauce that makes the whole house smell incredible.
Prep: 15 min
Cook: 60 min
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 1 lb spaghetti
- 1 lb ground beef
- 0.5 lb Italian sausage
- 28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 garlic cloves
- 0.5 cup dry red wine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion, carrots, and celery (this is called a soffritto). Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook the soffritto for 8 minutes until softened.
- Push the vegetables to the sides and add the ground beef and sausage to the center. Break it up and cook for 5-6 minutes until browned. Drain any excess fat if needed.
- Add the minced garlic and tomato paste. Stir constantly for 2 minutes until the paste darkens and becomes fragrant.
- Pour in the red wine and scrape up all the browned bits from the bottom. Let it simmer for 2 minutes until mostly evaporated.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, 1 tsp salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce heat to low, partially cover, and cook for 45-60 minutes, stirring occasionally. The sauce should be thick and rich.
- Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 0.5 cup pasta water before draining.
- Toss the spaghetti with the Bolognese sauce, adding a splash of pasta water if needed. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan.