Classic Spaghetti Bolognese with Parmesan

Name: Classic Spaghetti Bolognese with Parmesan
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 170 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef chuck, coarse grind; 8 oz ground pork; 1 yellow onion, finely diced; 1 carrot, finely diced; 1 rib celery, finely diced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 3/4 cup dry white wine; 1 cup whole milk; 28 oz canned whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand; 1 lb spaghetti; 1 cup parmesan, finely grated; 2 tsp kosher salt, plus more for pasta water

A slow, milk-softened beef and pork ragu built on soffritto and a splash of white wine, tossed with spaghetti and buried under freshly grated parmesan.

4.9 1287 cooks rated this

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 2 hr 30 min
Serves: 6
Level: Medium

Free recipe Jump to method

Purists serve ragu with tagliatelle, but spaghetti night is its own tradition and nobody at the table is complaining. What makes this sauce taste like it came from Bologna is patience and dairy: milk goes in before the tomatoes and simmers away, softening the meat so it melts rather than turns grainy. Brown the meat hard at the start and do not rush the soffritto. After that, the pot mostly minds itself. Save a cup of pasta water; it binds sauce and noodles.

Ingredients

Serves 6

Method

Warm the olive oil in a heavy 5-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook the onion, carrot and celery for 10 minutes, until soft and sweet but not browned.
Done
Raise the heat to medium-high, add the beef and pork with 2 tsp salt, and break it up. Keep cooking until the liquid evaporates and the meat sizzles and browns in spots, about 12 minutes.
Done
Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot. Let it bubble away almost completely.
Done
Add the milk and simmer until it disappears, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes.
Done
Drop the heat to the lowest setting and simmer uncovered for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes and adding a splash of water if it looks dry. The finished ragu should be thick with fat glistening on the surface.
Done
Boil the spaghetti in well-salted water until 1 minute shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain, and toss the noodles into the ragu over low heat with a splash of the water for 1 minute.
Done
Serve in warm bowls with a generous snowfall of parmesan.
Done

Rows of raw rolled meatballs on a floral china platter — Meatballs rolled and ready for the pan

Ground beef in a skillet above minced garlic and a chef knife — Browning ground beef while the garlic waits

11 Hanging next to it

All Meatballs & Mince →

Members only No. 11 · Meatballs & Mince Beef and Onion Pie with Parsley Crust Total2 hr 50 min Serves6 LevelHard 4.7 (84)

Members only No. 11 · Meatballs & Mince Greek Pastitsio with Browned Bechamel Total2 hr 15 min Serves10 LevelHard 4.8 (231)

Free No. 11 · Meatballs & Mince Indonesian Bakso Meatball Soup Total2 hr 5 min Serves6 LevelMedium 4.8 (143)

Members only No. 11 · Meatballs & Mince Sogan Dolmasi Stuffed Onions Total2 hr Serves6 LevelHard 4.6 (71)

+ Featured from other counters

Members only No. 03 · Poultry Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken Total1 hr 5 min Serves4 LevelMedium 4.9 (1276)

Free No. 03 · Poultry Pollo a la Brasa Rotisserie Chicken Total1 hr 45 min Serves4 LevelHard 4.9 (1184)

Members only No. 13 · Sides & Sauces Duck Fat Roast Potatoes Total1 hr 35 min Serves6 LevelHard 4.9 (674)