This spaghetti bolognese recipe combines fresh homemade pasta with a slow-simmered, meat-filled sauce and plenty of Parmesan cheese. It’s hearty, flavorful, and the kind of Italian comfort food everyone at the table will love.
If you’ve been following my cooking adventures, you know pasta is one of my favorite things to prepare, whether it’s a fresh bowl of pesto pasta on a busy weeknight, a big pot of spaghetti and meatballs for Sunday dinner, or homemade fettuccine that feels restaurant-worthy. Of course, lasagna will always have a place at the table when I want something hearty and comforting, too.
However, when I really want to slow down and cook a special dish, nothing beats my spaghetti bolognese recipe. The handmade pasta and slow-simmered meat sauce bring out all the rich, layered flavors of Italian comfort food for a hearty, filling meal that’s truly worth the time it takes to make. It’s a fun way to get family and friends in the kitchen, too!
Ingredients and Notes
See the recipe card below for the complete ingredients list and instructions.
Homemade Pasta
- 00 Flour – This is a finely milled Italian flour that creates silky, elastic dough perfect for fresh pasta.
- Eggs – I use a combination of whole eggs and extra yolks to give the pasta a rich golden color and a tender bite.
Bolognese Sauce
- Olive Oil and Pancetta – Olive oil adds richness, while pancetta renders flavorful fat and a smoky, savory base that adds depth to the sauce.
- Ground Beef (or Beef Mince) and Ground Pork – This mixture creates a well-balanced flavor, keeping the sauce hearty and filling while preventing it from being overly greasy. If you want a super traditional bolognese recipe, try using veal in addition to the ground beef or in place of it.
- Vegetables – A classic soffritto (or Italian mirepoix) of onion, carrot, and celery builds sweetness and complexity. Then, garlic cloves round out the base flavor.
- Herbs and Spices – Fresh parsley, thyme, and rosemary slowly infuse the sauce with aromatics. Of course, we have to have salt and freshly cracked black pepper, too. If you can avoid it, try not to use dried black pepper, which is pretty bland compared to freshly cracked black pepper.
- Dry White Wine – This adds acidity and depth while deglazing the pot. For the most authentic flavor, choose one from Emilia-Romagna if available.
- Passata – This creates the rich body of the sauce without overwhelming the meat. Substitute crushed tomatoes if you can’t find passata.
- Beef Stock and Whole Milk – Stock enriches the sauce, while milk mellows the acidity of the tomatoes and helps tenderize the meat. Heavy cream will also work in place of whole milk, creating a similar taste and texture.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese – This is stirred in at the end for a savory finish and nutty flavor. Then, I like to add more as a garnish just before serving.
How to Make a Homemade Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
1. Prepare the Fresh Pasta
2. Cook the Bolognese Sauce
3. Cook the Pasta and Enjoy
Nick’s Tips for Success
- Switch up the pasta. As written, this recipe calls for spaghetti. However, in the video, I make pasta bolognese, using pappardelle pasta. Really, any shape will work, but I recommend longer strands so you can wrap up all the sauce. You can also save time and use store-bought pasta if preferred.
- Take your time. This sauce is all about low and slow cooking. Don’t rush the simmer, allowing three to four hours in the oven for a deep, rich flavor.
- Deglaze well. After browning the meat and veggies, pour wine into the pot, and use the liquid to help loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. This is my secret to infusing the sauce with incredible flavor that you just won’t get from a jar.
- The type of milk matters. Whole milk isn’t just tradition. It smooths the acidity of the tomatoes and makes the sauce silky.
- Taste and adjust. Check for seasoning as you go, especially toward the end. A pinch of extra salt or Parmesan can bring everything together. It’s much easier to adjust the flavor while you’re cooking, but it can be pretty difficult once you’re done.
Spaghetti Bolognese Recipe
There’s nothing I love more than slowing down in the kitchen and cooking something special, and this spaghetti bolognese recipe is exactly that. Between the handmade pasta and the rich, slow-simmered sauce, it’s one of those recipes that feels like a hug in a bowl. When I make it, I know I’ll end up with a hearty, flavorful meal that brings everyone to the table and usually keeps them there for seconds.
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven
- 1 Stand Mixer with Pasta Roller and Cutter Attachments
- 1 Wooden Spoon
- 1 Large Pot
- 1 Pair of Tongs or a Spider Strainer
- Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 2 ⅔ cup (255 gram) 00 flour
- 2 large egg, room temperature
- 4 egg yolk, room temperature
For the Bolognese Sauce
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ pound (225 gram) pancetta, diced
- 1 pound (450 gram) ground beef, 80/20
- ½ pound (225 gram) ground pork
- 1 large yellow onion (225 gram), minced
- 2 carrot (225 gram), peeled and minced
- kosher salt , to taste
- black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
- 4 parsley sprig
- 4 thyme sprig
- 2 rosemary sprig
- 2 cup (475 milliliter) dry white wine, preferably from Emilia-Romagna
- 1 (28 ounce / 794 gram) can passata or crushed tomatoes
- 3 cup (720 mililleter) beef stock
- 1 ½ cup (235 mililleter) whole milk
- ¼ cup (25 gram) Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
For Serving
- Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- fresh parsley
Instructions
Make the Fresh Pasta
- Add the flour to a clean work surface. Create a well in the middle and add the eggs and yolks into the center. Using a fork, whisk the eggs together, pulling in small amounts of flour as you go until a thick paste forms. Switch to your hands and knead the dough together.2 ⅔ cup 00 flour, 2 large egg, 4 egg yolk
- Knead for five to ten minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic wrap and let rest for one hour at room temperature. Refrigerate up to one day, or freeze up to one month.
- Divide the dough into three equal portions about five ounce (140 gram each). Working with one portion at a time, roll through a pasta roller from the widest setting to ⅛ inch (3.2 millimeter) thick.
- Cut into pappardelle or spaghetti with a pasta cutter and dust with flour. Repeat with remaining dough.
Prepare the Bolognese Sauce
- Preheat oven to 325°F (162°C). In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and pancetta over medium heat until crisp, 10–12 minutes. Remove pancetta, leaving fat behind.3 tablespoon olive oil, ½ pound pancetta
- Add beef and pork, breaking up with a wooden spoon, and cook until no longer pink, seven to nine minutes.1 pound ground beef, ½ pound ground pork
- Add onion, carrot, celery, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft, eight to ten minutes. Tie parsley, thyme, and rosemary into a bouquet garni.1 large yellow onion (225 gram), 2 carrot (225 gram), kosher salt, black pepper, 4 parsley sprig, 4 thyme sprig, 2 rosemary sprig
- Add wine, scraping up browned bits. Simmer ten minutes until mostly reduced.2 cup dry white wine
- Stir in passata, beef stock, milk, and bouquet garni. Taste and season with salt.1 (28 ounce / 794 gram) can passata or crushed tomatoes, 3 cup beef stock, 1 ½ cup whole milk
- Transfer to oven, uncovered, for three to four hours, stirring every hour, until sauce is glossy and fat has separated.
- Stir in Parmesan before serving.¼ cup Parmesan cheese
Serve
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta one to two minutes until al dente.
- Transfer pasta to sauce, tossing gently and adding pasta water if needed.
- Divide into bowls, garnish with Parmesan and parsley, and serve hot.Parmesan cheese, fresh parsley
Video
Notes
Storage:
– Refrigerator: Store leftover spaghetti Bolognese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
– Freezer: For the best results, freeze the sauce without pasta in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Fresh pasta can also be frozen uncooked on a floured sheet pan, then transferred to a freezer bag and cooked straight from frozen, adding a few minutes as needed.
– Reheating: Warm the sauce gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of water, stock, or milk if it has thickened. Cook fresh pasta before tossing it with the reheated sauce.
– Refrigerator: Store leftover spaghetti Bolognese in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.
– Freezer: For the best results, freeze the sauce without pasta in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating. Fresh pasta can also be frozen uncooked on a floured sheet pan, then transferred to a freezer bag and cooked straight from frozen, adding a few minutes as needed.
– Reheating: Warm the sauce gently on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of water, stock, or milk if it has thickened. Cook fresh pasta before tossing it with the reheated sauce.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving, Calories: 942kcal, Carbohydrates: 63g, Protein: 41g, Fat: 52g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 24g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 187mg, Sodium: 757mg, Potassium: 1464mg, Fiber: 4g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 1087IU, Vitamin C: 18mg, Calcium: 242mg, Iron: 8mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!Frequently Asked Questions
What should I serve with homemade spaghetti bolognese?
You can never go wrong with a side of sourdough bread or garlic bread for soaking up all the extra sauce. Then, if serving a crowd, I like to add a crisp green salad for extra nutrients.
What’s the difference between bolognese sauce and regular spaghetti sauce?
Traditional bolognese is a slow-simmered, meat-forward sauce from Bologna, Italy. It’s built on a base of ground meats, soffritto (onion, carrot, celery), wine, milk, and just enough tomato to bring a slight acidic balance.
Regular spaghetti sauce, on the other hand, usually refers to a marinara-style tomato sauce that may or may not include meat. Bolognese is richer, thicker, and layered with flavor, while spaghetti sauce is lighter and quicker to prepare.
This is one of my favorite meals! So good!