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an overhead shot of bolognese sauce mixed with pappardelle pasta and garlic bread in a bowl to the side
4.25 from 4 votes

Bolognese Sauce

A made from scratch Bolognese sauce with ground beef, crispy pancetta, a flavorful tomato base, over delicious pasta. The ultimate pasta sauce.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 10 minutes
4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 pound ground chuck
  • 4 ounces pancetta (diced)
  • 28 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
  • 5 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1 large shallot (minced (about 3 tbsp))
  • 1 medium carrot grated (about 1/4 cup)
  • 2 teaspoons Kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry red wine
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces pappardelle (cooked al dente)
  • Fresh parmesan for garnish
  • Serve with homemade garlic bread

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Instructions

  • In a dutch oven over medium heat, add 3 tbsp olive oil and pancetta. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes until pancetta begins to crisp. Add the ground chuck, red pepper flakes, and cook until meat has browned. Add in 1/2 cup of red wine and allow to deglaze for about 4 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by half. Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef/pancetta and set aside in a dish leaving behind the oil and tiny bits of flavor.
  • Add the shallots, carrots, salt, and black pepper. Allow to cook for 5 minutes until shallots become translucent. Add in the minced garlic and cook an additional minute. Add in the whole peeled tomatoes, lower the heat to simmer, and cover for 20 minutes to allow the tomatoes to break down.
  • Uncover sauce, break up tomato chunks with a spoon or lightly pass immersion blender to smooth out the sauce. Add back the browned beef/pancetta to the sauce and stir to combine. Cover and allow sauce to simmer for 30 minutes.
  • In a large pot, cook pasta until al dente (time depends on the type of pasta, follow package directions). Drain pasta. 
  • Once the sauce is finished simmering, add in heavy cream, stir until combined. Give the sauce a try and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add in the pasta and using tongs, gently toss until pasta is coated in the sauce.
  • Serve with freshly grated parmesan over the top and optional garlic bread on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

  • If you do not have pancetta, you can substitute with non-flavored bacon. The bacon will add smokey flavor to the dish. To get rid of the smokiness you can boil for 2 minutes before continuing with the dish.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 939kcal (47%), Carbohydrates: 54g (18%), Protein: 34g (68%), Fat: 63g (97%), Saturated Fat: 20g (125%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 32g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 164mg (55%), Sodium: 1755mg (76%), Potassium: 996mg (28%), Fiber: 5g (21%), Sugar: 8g (9%), Vitamin A: 3343IU (67%), Vitamin C: 21mg (25%), Calcium: 132mg (13%), Iron: 6mg (33%)
© Author: Stephanie