This stovetop classic bolognese sauce features ground beef with fresh vegetables cooked slowly to enhance the flavor. A hearty meat sauce for serving over pasta, this recipe can be split and frozen for future meal prep.
PREP TIME 15 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 4 hourshours30 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME 4 hourshours45 minutesminutes
YIELD 12servings
Ingredients
6tablespoonsbutter
1/4cupolive oil
1/2onionchopped
2stalks of celerychopped
2whole carrotschopped
2poundsground lean beef
1cupwhole milk
2cupsdry white wine
1/4teaspoonnutmeg
1(28 oz) can whole tomatoes
Instructions
Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until softened and translucent.
Add the chopped celery and carrots to the pot, stir, and cook for 4 minutes.
Add the ground beef to the pot and break it up with a spoon. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and continue to cook the beef until it is no longer pink.
Stir in the milk. Continue to cook until most of the milk has evaporated, 10 - 15 minutes.
Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the wine and nutmeg to the pot. Continue to stir and cook the mixture until most of the liquid from the wine has also evaporated, 10 - 15 minutes.
Open the can of tomatoes. Use a clean kitchen scissors to snip the whole tomatoes while in the can to break them up. Alternatively, you can chop the tomatoes on a cutting board but in either case be sure to keep all the juices from the can.
Add the chopped tomatoes with the canned tomato juices to the pot and stir them in. When the mixture begins to bubble, turn the heat down to medium-low.
Cook the mixture uncovered for a minimum of 3 1/2 - 4 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot as it cooks. The bolognese sauce will continue to reduce and thicken and the meat and vegetables will be very tender.
Serve over pasta, rice, or baked potatoes.
Recipe Notes
Freezer Tips:
Once the bolognese has completely cooled, leftovers can be frozen for future use. Portion the meat sauce into 2-cup containers for easy meal prep since this allows you to defrost just what you might use for a single recipe.