A slow-simmered meat ragù built on soffritto, wine, and patience. Ninety minutes of barely bubbling transforms mince into velvet.
Bologna's ragù dates to the 18th century and is traditionally served with tagliatelle — spaghetti is the world's happy corruption.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
6
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Heavy pot
Large pot for pasta
Prep checklist
Onion — fine dice
Carrot — fine dice
Celery — fine dice
Parmesan — to serve
4 steps
Method
1
Brown the beef hard in a dry hot pot, breaking it up, until real fond forms, 8 minutes. Remove.
8 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
Grey meat makes grey sauce. Let it sit and sear before stirring.
2
Soften onion, carrot, and celery in olive oil 8 minutes; add garlic and tomato paste and cook until brick-red.
8 min — timer available in cooking mode
3
Deglaze with wine, return the beef, add tomatoes and bay, and simmer on the lowest bubble for 75 minutes, adding the milk halfway.
75 min — timer available in cooking mode
Why this works
The milk is traditional Bolognese practice — it mellows the acidity and tenderizes the meat.
4
Cook the spaghetti in salty water, toss with the ragù and a splash of pasta water, and serve under parmesan.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; reheat gently with a splash of water.
Freezing
Freezes well up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Reheat gently: covered in a 160°C oven for 15 minutes, or in a pan over medium-low with a splash of water or stock. The microwave works at 50% power in short bursts — full blast toughens proteins.
Make ahead
Most braises and sauces improve overnight. Sear-and-serve dishes: do every step up to the final cook, then finish fresh.
Wine pairing
Sangiovese — Chianti is the law in Bologna's general direction.
Beer pairing
Match intensity: lagers for delicate dishes, amber ales for roasted flavors, stouts for the rich and braised.