FOOD NEWS
The Meaty Distinction Between Bolognese And Sunday Sauce
BY BRIAN UDALL
Bolognese and Sunday sauce seem very similar, since their primary ingredients are meat and tomatoes, but the two sauces are more different than you might think.
Although both are classified as “ragù” or meat sauces, Bolognese sauce focuses on the meat, while Sunday sauce is all about the tomato base, making it more liquid than Bolognese.
Bolognese is typically served with long, ribbon-cut egg noodles like tagliatelle or pappardelle, while Sunday sauce is often paired with long, thin spaghetti.
Additionally, Bolognese is a true Italian creation, hailing from Bologna, Northern Italy, but Sunday sauce is an Italian-American dish, though it does have ties to Southern Italy.
Bolognese uses diced tomatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and nutmeg, plus ground meat like beef, pork, and/or pancetta, to create a thick, stew-like sauce.
Meanwhile, Sunday sauce is made of a tomato base with large chunks of meat like meatballs, Italian sausage, or beef ribs, which are stewed for hours to flavor the sauce.
Overall, Bolognese is thick, hearty, meat-based sauce served with thick noodles, while Sunday sauce is thinner, more tomatoey, and served with lighter noodles with the meat on the side.