Description
A rich and hearty Pasta Bolognese recipe that uses a traditional milk-simmering technique to create a tender, authentic meat sauce in under an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and small diced
- 3 stalks celery, small diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
- 16 oz Tagliatelle pasta
- Fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, carrots, and minced garlic. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft and aromatic.
- Add the ground beef to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Break the meat up into small crumbles with a wooden spoon and cook until fully browned and no pink remains.
- Pour in the milk and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has mostly evaporated. This step tenderizes the meat.
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes (up to 1 hour for deeper flavor), stirring occasionally. The sauce should thicken considerably. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- While the sauce simmers, cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Drain well.
- Add the cooked pasta directly to the pot with the sauce and toss to coat evenly. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
For an even richer flavor, add a parmesan rind to the sauce while it simmers. If you don’t eat beef, ground turkey or a plant-based crumble works well as a substitute.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Resting Time:
- Cook Time: 50 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 260mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 48g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 23g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: Pasta Bolognese, meat sauce recipe, easy italian dinner, homemade bolognese, ground beef pasta