This Linguine Bolognese is the ultimate comfort food. It combines al dente linguine with a hearty meat sauce that's been simmered to perfection in a Dutch oven. Whether you're cooking for a family dinner or impressing guests, this easy and delicious meal will be one that you keep coming back to.
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to visit Italy several times. I've eaten my way through countless plates of pasta and glasses of incredible wine, which deepened my appreciation for the art of Italian cooking.
While I've tasted numerous variations of Bolognese during my travels, this recipe holds a special place in my heart. While this recipe is not 100% traditional, it still hits the spot. The meat cooks low and slow for hours and becomes so tender. Seriously the sauce just melts in your mouth!
A good bolognese recipe is something I believe every home cook should have in their arsenal. While the idea of making a flavorful sauce can be intimidating, I promise this bolognese is super easy to make. All you have to do is sauté a few ingredients, then the oven does the rest.
If you are a lover of Italian food check out my Gluten-Free Lasagna, Pasta Alla Salmon, or my Easy Gluten-Free Meatballs. While the oven is doing the work enjoy an Aperol Soda while reading about the Top 10 Foods that pair well with Barolo wine.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- One-Pan wonder: This meal requires minimal cleanup, you just need one pot for the sauce and one for the pasta.
- Family Favorite: This bolognese is so good, that it will become a family favorite in no time.
- Customizable: Feel free to add some veggies to this recipe or use your favorite kind of pasta.
Ingredients
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil: You won’t need much, just a little oil to coat the Dutch oven. My favorite oil is from TDC Mercantile.
- Pancetta: This will add a layer of depth to the dish. If you don’t like pancetta you can leave it out.
- Onions: You can use any color onion, but I prefer sweet yellow onion for the added flavor. You can certainly use a white onion if that's what you have on hand.
- Carrots: Add natural sweetness that balances out the acidity in the sauce.
- Celery: Celery is part of the holy trinity or “soffritto” in Italian cooking. "Soffrito" consists of onions, carrots, and celery, and this combination is often used as the base in many Italian sauces, soups, and stews, and helps add a depth of flavor.
- Ground Beef: For this recipe, you will want to use 80/20 Grass-fed ground beef. Grass-fed beef tastes better and also is higher in Omega 3 than conventional grain-fed beef. We’ve been getting all of our meats from Moink Box for years; Moink is owned and operated by US farmers, and they offer ethically sourced meat boxes delivered to your doorstep monthly.
- Tomato Paste: Intensifies the tomato flavor and helps thicken the sauce.
- Aromatics: You can get creative here, and use some or all of the fresh herbs mentioned below. I love a lot of aromatics, and I end up using whatever is in my garden. You can use Thyme, Oregano, Marjoram, Rosemary, or Bay Leaves. If you don’t have or like one of these herbs, leave ‘em out!
- Red Wine: Crack open a good bottle of red wine, as it will add so much depth to your dish. Also, you can enjoy the rest with your linguine bolognese. You can learn all about the wine I drink and the importance of drinking clean Dry Farmed Wine.
- Marinara Sauce: Yep, I like using a marinara rather than the typical crushed tomatoes often found in most of the traditional recipes. I like using Rao’s Marinara, as it is made with real food ingredients and no added sugar. You can find Rao's at Costco and save a few bucks!
- Beef Broth: Store-bought or homemade. The broth will add an extra layer of depth.
- Whole Milk: Provides richness and helps balance the acidity of the tomatoes, creating a smoother consistency. You can also use heavy cream or half-and-half if you like.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper: Essential for seasoning and bringing out the flavors of all other ingredients.
- Linguine: This recipe is intended to be gluten-free, so be sure to read the package labels. Additionally, you can make this with regular linguine, if gluten is not an issue for you.
- Parmigiano Reggiano: Adds a salty, umami finish to the dish, enhancing its overall flavor and providing a traditional topping.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Ground Meat: You can swap out ground beef and use ground turkey or ground chicken.
- Dairy-Free: Omit the milk and parmesan cheese and instead use plant-based versions.
- Pasta: Use any pasta you like. This bolognese works well with fettuccine, pappardelle, or even penne rigate.
- Gluten-Free: This recipe utilizes gluten-free linguine, but you can use regular linguine if you don't want to make this linguine alla bolognese gluten-free.
- Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce for an extra kick.
How To Make Linguinie Bologese
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
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Step 1. Preheat the oven & prepare the sauce: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees f. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until browned.
Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and herbs, stir to combine, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2. Brown the meat: Push the veggies to the side of the Dutch oven and add the ground beef. Break the ground beef up with your wooden spoon and cook until the outside has caramelized. You do not need to cook the meat through at this point.
Step 3. Add the liquids: Stir to combine the veggies and beef, then add the red wine and increase to medium-high heat. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes until the wine reduces down by half. Add the marinara, along with 1 cup beef broth, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
Step 4. Finish the Sauce: Put the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven and cook for 2.5 hours. You will want to check on the bolognese and give it an occasional stir during this time. After 2.5 hours, add the milk and stir, then put the sauce back in the oven for another 45 minutes.
Step 5. Cook the Pasta: While the sauce is finishing in the oven, cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. You will want to cook the linguine pasta until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. This will help thin out the bolognese if needed.
Step 6. Combine and Serve: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, place just enough sauce to coat the amount of pasta you are planning to serve. Add the cooked pasta to the bolognese along with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and toss with tongs until the bolognese lightly coats the pasta. If the bolognese is too thick, use some of the reserved pasta-water to help thin out the sauce. You don't want to skip this step, as this will ensure that the sauce sticks to your linguine. Top with fresh basil or parsley.
Tips and Tricks
- While the sauce cooks, a layer of fat will rise to the top. Just stir it back into the sauce, and once it is done, spoon out a few tablespoons of fat (or leave it in for additional flavor, depending on your preference for added fat with your meal).
- If your sauce is not thinking up fast enough, you can crack the lid or remove it altogether. This will help the liquid evaporate.
- For a little extra flavor, you can add a parmesan cheese rind to the bolognese, as it cooks in the oven. Just be sure to remove it before serving!
- Remember to reserve about a cup of pasta water, as this will help your sauce stick to the pasta and can also be used to thin out your bolognese.
Serving suggestions
- Salad: Serve with Caesar salad, Grilled Peach and Burrata Salad, or a simple arugula salad.
- Garlic Bread
- Wine: Enjoy with a glass of Chianti or Barolo.
- Veggies: Roast some asparagus or steamed broccoli as a side dish.
Storage and reheating
- Storage: Store leftover bolognese sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, adding a splash of broth if the sauce has thickened. It's best to store the pasta separately, or cook a new batch of pasta and toss with the sauce once it's warmed through.
- Freezing: The Bolognese freezes well! Store in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQ
Bolognese is a meat-based sauce that includes vegetables, wine, and milk or cream, resulting in a thicker, richer texture compared to a simple tomato sauce.
You do not need to put wine in your pasta sauce, however, the wine does add a lot of flavor. If you don't like red wine, you can use white wine, however, my personal preference for this recipe is using a good Italian red wine.
More Dinner Recipes You Will Enjoy
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Linguine Bolognese Recipe (Linguine With Meat Sauce)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 oz Pancetta
- ½ Onion yellow
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Celery Stalk
- 1 lb Ground Beef 80/20, Grass-Fed
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Herbs use what you like (rosemary, oregano, thyme etc)
- ½ cup Red Wine
- 28 oz Marinara Sauce
- 1 cup Beef Broth
- ⅓ cup Half & Half
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
- 16 oz Linguine gluten-free
- Parmigiano Reggiano to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. f.
- Prepare the sauce: Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced pancetta and cook until browned. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery, and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Next, add the tomato paste and herbs, stir to combine, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
- Brown the meat: Push the veggies to the side of the dutch oven and add the ground beef. Break the ground beef up with your wooden spoon and cook until the outside has caramelized. You do not need to cook the meat through at this point.
- Add the liquids: Stir to combine the veggies and beef, then add the red wine and increase to medium-high heat. Cook the mixture for 2-3 minutes until the wine reduces down by half. Add the marinara sauce, along with 1 cup beef broth, and ½ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer.
- Finish the sauce: Put the lid on the Dutch oven and transfer to the oven and cook for 2.5 hours. You will want to check on the bolognese and give it an occasional stir during this time. After 2.5 hours, add the milk and stir, then put the sauce back in the oven for another 45 minutes.
- Cook the Pasta: While the sauce finishes in the oven, cook the linguine in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions. You will wan to cook the linguine pasta until al dente. Reserve a cup of pasta water before draining the pasta. This will help thin out the bolognese sauce if needed.
- Combine and Serve: In a large skillet over medium-low heat, place just enough sauce to coat the amount of pasta you are planning to serve. Add the cooked pasta to the sauce along with some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and toss with tongs until the sauce lightly coats the pasta. If the sauce is too thick, use some of the reserved pasta-water to help thin out the sauce. You don't want to skip this step, as this will ensure that the sauce sticks to your linguine. Top with fresh basil or parsley.
Notes
- While the sauce cooks, a layer of fat will rise to the top. Just stir it back into the sauce, and once it is done, spoon out a few tablespoons of fat (or leave it in for additional flavor, depending on your preference for added fat with your meal).
- If your sauce is not thinking up fast enough, you can crack the lid or remove it altogether. This will help the liquid evaporate.
- For a little extra flavor, you can add a parmesan cheese rind to the sauce, as it cooks in the oven. Just be sure to remove it before serving!
- Remember to reserve about a cup of pasta water, as this will help your sauce stick to the pasta and can also be used to thin out your bolognese.
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