Along with Lamb Ragu and Sunday Sauce, this is a dish for those occasions when you want something truly special.
Why You’ll Love It
Delicious Flavors: The combination of pancetta, ground beef, and pork makes a deeply savory and meaty sauce. It’s the Ultimate Comfort Food: There’s something incredibly comforting about a big bowl of pasta with homemade Bolognese sauce. Easy: Although the sauce takes a long time to cook, it doesn’t require much hands on time. Just let it simmer away, and in a few hours you’ll have a restaurant-quality meal. Gourmet Impressiveness: You can wow guests, or feed a big crowd for a special Sunday dinner.
Ingredient Notes
Aromatics: Carrots, celery, and onion, combined as Soffritto, along with garlic. Ground Meats: Ground beef and ground pork. The mix of these meats is a great flavor combo. Ground lamb or veal can also go in the mix. Tomato Elements: Tomato paste for concentrated flavor, and San Marzano tomatoes for sweetness balancing the sauce. Base Liquids: Dry white wine to add acidity and complexity, and beef broth for enhancing the meaty flavor and richness of the sauce. Milk: To soften the acidity of the tomatoes and add a subtle creaminess to the sauce. Pancetta: Adds a smoky, salty depth to the sauce. Pasta: Pappardelle, with its wide and flat shape, is ideal for holding onto the rich, meaty sauce.
How to Make Pappardelle Bolognese
- Crisp the Pancetta: In a large pot (we used a 7qt dutch oven), cook the pancetta until it begins to crisp up. Remove to a plate.
- Sauté Soffritto: Over medium heat, add the soffritto. Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it becomes soft and aromatic.
- Brown the Meat: Add in the meat and garlic. Cook till it is browned, breaking it up into small pieces as you go along. Stir in tomato paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Complete the Sauce: Next add in the wine and deglaze the pan. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Add in the tomatoes, beef broth and cooked pancetta. Simmer for 2-3 hours, adding the milk in the last 45 minutes to one hour of cooking time. While it’s cooking, check out our collection of favorite Italian recipes!
- Cook the Pasta: When sauce has about 20 minutes left to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions to desired doneness.
- Serve: We like to serve the pasta topped with sauce. Some prefer to toss them together before serving. Try both ways and see which is your favorite!
Leftovers and Storage
The sauce on its own stores very well, and in fact gets even better after resting. Allow to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. If you have tossed the pasta in with the sauce, we do not recommend freezing. However, you can still refrigerate it for 4-5 days. The pasta may absorb some of the sauce, but a little water or olive oil can be added to loosen it up.
Helpful Tips
Tomatoes Matter: Use high-quality tomatoes like San Marzano for the best flavor. Soffritto: Take your time to cook the soffritto until it’s soft and aromatic. This is crucial for developing the base flavor of the sauce. Deglaze with Wine: When you add wine, make sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. These bits add a lot of flavors. Slow Cook the Sauce: Allow the sauce to simmer gently for several hours. This slow cooking process helps develop a deeper, richer flavor. The longer it cooks, the better it tastes. Rest the Sauce: If time allows, let the sauce rest for a while after simmering. Some people even like to cook it the day before eating, refrigerating it overnight.
The next time you crave Italian, go beyond the basic pasta, and treat yourself to a slow simmered pot of bolognese. Pin or bookmark this easy recipe so you always know where to find it. And be sure to subscribe to GypsyPlate, we’re always cooking up new recipes for you.
Pappardelle Bolognese, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More great pasta dishes to try:TikTok SpaghettiPasta e PiselliLouisiana Chicken PastaOrecchiette with SausageAmerican Chop SueyCreamy Sausage PastaGigi Hadid PastaPastalaya
