Bolognese Ragu

White dish filled with creamy tomato and meat sauce on a gray napkin.

This bolognese ragu is rich, hearty, and full of slow built Italian flavor. The meat sauce cooks down into something deep and satisfying that works with pasta, zoodles, or layered dishes. It’s a clean eating friendly take that still feels classic and comforting.

Course Sauces and Spices

Cuisine International, Italian

Keyword alla bolognese, bolognese, bolognese recipe, bolognese sauce, bolognese sauce recipe, pasta, ragù, ragù alla bolognese, ragu bolognese, sauce recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Servings Servings

Calories 213kcal

Author Zuzana Paar

Equipment

1 Cooking Pot
1 Wooden Spatula

Ingredients

1 Cup Tomato Sauce
2 Cups Meat Minced
1 Cup Celery Stems Diced
1 Piece Onion
1 Cup Bacon Diced
1 Cup Heavy Cream
4 Pieces Garlic Cloves
1/4 Cup Fresh Oregano
1/4 Cup Fresh Marjoram

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Chop the onion, garlic, and celery, and measure the bacon, minced meat, tomato sauce or paste, cream or milk, and herbs. Having everything prepped keeps cooking smooth and efficient.
Heat oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, garlic, and celery until soft and fragrant. This builds the flavor base of the sauce.
Add the diced bacon and cook until it releases its fat, then add the minced meat and brown it fully, breaking it apart as it cooks. This adds richness and depth.
Stir in oregano, marjoram, salt, and pepper, mixing well so the herbs evenly coat the meat. This step layers in aroma and seasoning.
Add the tomato sauce and heavy cream or milk, stirring until smooth and well combined. The dairy softens the tomato acidity and adds creaminess.
Lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 40 minutes so the flavors meld into a rich, classic bolognese.

Video

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id="eYaPiMU5" upload-date="2025-01-04T08:02:44+00:00" name="Bolognese Ragu YTV.mp4" description="Wanted to have a rich, hearty Italian dish? Bolognese ragu is the perfect recipe to try. This flavorful meat sauce makes any pasta dish extra special. It is flexible—you can serve it over pasta, zoodles, lasagna or even with a side of crusty bread. This clean eating-friendly version of bolognese sauce brings out all the best flavors." player-type="default" override-embed="default"]

Notes

Low and Slow: The longer you let it simmer and evaporate, the better the flavors blend together.
Add a Veggie Twist: For extra nutrients, try adding finely chopped carrots or mushrooms to the sauce.
Use High-Quality Ingredients: When you’re only using a few ingredients, their quality matters. Fresh herbs, good meat, and quality tomato paste can make a huge difference in taste.
Extra Ideas: A few pours of white wine or red wine will give you an even richer taste. Adding freshly grated nutmeg intensifies this even further.

Nutrition