14 Tips You Need When Making Bolognese Sauce

Italy is renowned for some of the best food in the world, from silky risotto and crisp fritto misto to cured meats and fresh, tender pasta. Interpretations of classic Italian cuisine are beloved around the world, including a versatile, meaty tomato sauce often layered into hearty lasagna or poured over spaghetti for an easy, weeknight dinner. However, the beloved spaghetti and meat sauce often found on tables in the United States is a far cry from its predecessor, the rich, tender, and complex ragù alla Bolognese.

Are ragù and Bolognese the same thing? Ragù refers to a number of meat-based Italian sauces that are typically built from a soffritto of carrots, celery, and onions with meat and tomato that is cooked over low heat for a long period of time. Bolognese is a type of ragù that hails from the Northern Italian city of Bologna in the region of Emilia Romagna and is one of many variations of ragù enjoyed across the country. This surprisingly simple sauce rewards attentive cooks with a decadent and satisfying result that instantly upgrades pasta, lasagna, and more. A few easy steps elevate the average meat and tomato sauce with richness and depth that would make any Italian nonna proud. Take pasta night to the next level with these tips you need when making Bolognese sauce.

The type of meat you choose to make your Bolognese will likely have one of the largest impacts when it comes to both the texture and taste of the final product. Many versions use ground meats although some cooks may choose to chop the meat into small chunks or a combination of the two. A traditional Italian ragù typically includes two or three types of meat with the most classic for Bolognese being a mixture of beef and pork. Sometimes pancetta, lamb, or veal are added or swapped to round out the texture. 

No matter which meats you choose, they should be high quality and carry some fat. La Cucina Italiana recommends avoiding lean cuts of meat that lack enough fat to infuse flavor and protect the sauce from drying out. If you will be cutting or grinding the meat yourself, go with chuck or flank steak for beef and fatty pieces of pork such as the thigh. Whether opting for a traditional version or getting creative with your meat mixture, select your meat with purpose and care. 

Knife skills are foundational to preparing a quality dish whether you are a home cook or a professional chef. Sliced, diced, or julienned, the type and size of the cut can actually affect both the taste and texture of the dish. NPR recruited culinary experts to explain how different knife cuts can change the flavor and feel of your food. For example, increasing the surface area by finely cutting a vegetable exposes more of the ingredient to the cooking method and allows for them to mingle with other components such as fat or seasonings. The cut will affect the cook time and texture of the dish as well while different types of produce have unique reactions and are better suited for certain cuts.

When preparing a Bolognese, a mince or small dice is recommended to prepare the vegetables that make up the soffritto — typically carrot, celery, and onion. This fine cut offers precision and consistency for even cooking and allows the vegetables to easily meld into the sauce as it reduces. Most of the knife work should be done during a step professional chefs know as mise en place, a French term meaning "everything in its place." Chef Anne Burrell encourages home cooks to adopt this practice to help streamline processes and reduce stress in the kitchen. This tip is especially advantageous when preparing dishes that have many steps or layers such as traditional Bolognese.

Tomatoes play a unique role in Bolognese, bringing brightness and acidity to counteract the fatty richness of the meat. Not all tomatoes taste or feel the same, however, with some varieties better suited to melding into the slow-cooked sauce. L'amore Italian Restaurant suggests that when making homemade tomato sauce, Roma and other paste tomatoes that have a meaty texture with few or no seeds are the best choices, such as San Marzano and similar varieties. These tomatoes are excellent for marinara, arrabbiata, or puttanesca, but when it comes to Bolognese, many cooks skip the fresh tomatoes altogether as they can be too watery and affect the texture and taste of the finished dish. 

When it comes to ragù, most recipes call for a more concentrated product such as tomato puree or paste rather than whole tomatoes to avoid watering down the flavor intensity of the dish (via La Cucina Italiana). Unlike other pasta sauces that feature tomatoes, the ingredient is not central to the dish and their presence is optional in many varieties.

By the late 18th century, professor Thomas Gwinner explains that ragù had begun to evolve from the French stewed ragout into the heart of Italian cuisine as new variations with new ingredients spread across the country (via International Journal of Arts and Humanities). By 1891, the first documented recipe appeared in a cookbook by Pelligrino Artusi. Artusi's version of the slow-cooked meat stew included only a dozen ingredients, notably Parmesan cheese and optional cream. The tradition of including dairy such as milk, cream, or Parmesan carries on in the recipes of renowned Italian chefs from Chopped judge and restaurateur Scott Conant to culinary icon Lidia Bastianich.

According to La Cucina Italiana, milk is essential to ragù, especially in the style of Bologna, and should be added little by little toward the end of cooking, mixing with the meat until the milk is completely absorbed into the dish. Milk adds a rich, creamy element that may aid in tenderizing the meat while lending yet another layer of flavor to the sauce. Save your Parmesan rinds to cook with Bolognese as well. It will add a rich, nutty note to your ragù.

Although less common in modern Bolognese recipes, Pelligrino Artusi actually included a suggestion to add dried mushrooms in the first documented version of the classic ragù (via International Journal of Arts and Humanities). Bringing a dose of umami along with textural interest to the dish, mushrooms offer even more depth of flavor as well as an easy way to bulk up the dish without putting in more meat.

While traditional versions often relied on whichever meats were available, rising food costs can limit accessibility to even the less desirable cuts of pork or beef. In addition to their nutritional value, mushrooms are an excellent way to stretch the meat in your sauce with a lower-cost filler that still packs plenty of flavor. Though certainly not traditional, vegetarians may also employ mushrooms along with some legumes such as lentils for a meat-free version of the Italian staple sauce. Scientific American notes that reducing meat consumption has a number of benefits for the environment such as using less water and fertilizer, improving biodiversity, and slowing deforestation. Even if you don't want to cut out the meat completely, swapping mushrooms for half of the beef in your Bolognese can benefit both your wallet and the planet.

As a classic dish makes its way around the globe, new ingredients and techniques can inspire thrilling interpretations that bring renewed excitement to a dish. Simply swapping an ingredient or two or perhaps adding a unique element can reinvigorate a traditional dish for the modern era. Although not typically known for ingredients that bring the heat, Italians are no strangers when it comes to spice. Bold red pepper flakes will have you sweating while enjoying a plate of spicy arrabbiata and fiery Calabrian chiles add a uniquely potent heat to sausage, pizza, and even honey.

Elevate your Bolognese with a touch of heat that offers a bright contrast to the savory richness of the traditional version. Simply sprinkle a few red pepper flakes to raise the heat level of the dish or try mixing in some spiced meats in addition to or in place of the typical pork or beef. Food writer and television personality Donal Skehan includes spicy 'nduja sausage in his meat sauce. You could also swap in vibrant chorizo to get that fiery bite or try spicy Italian sausage for a less intense heat.

Traditional recipes have withstood the test of time for good reason. Fine-tuned over the years, certain dishes have become comforting classics often steeped in family memories, serving as a way to connect to your heritage, or offering a deeper understanding of other cultures. Once you understand the history and foundations of a dish, you can begin to experiment, giving the original version a personalized touch.

Whether out of necessity or creativity, food continues to evolve thanks to the innovation and ingenuity of home cooks and culinary professionals who continue to explore the boundaries of what is possible for a dish. Find your own favorite variations of Bolognese by experimenting with unexpected combinations of meats, adding a new vegetable, raising the spice level, or even opting to create a vegan alternative as you put your own signature twist on this iconic sauce.