From Bobbie's original dinner cards
A recipe keepsake from Bobbie's Kitchen
Homemade Bolognese Sauce
Rich, hearty, comforting — restaurant-quality Italian flavour made simple.
Bobbie's tips: use pancetta for deeper flavour; finely dice the veggies for a smooth, richer sauce; let the wine and milk reduce separately for best flavour; simmer low and slow for at least 60–90 minutes; use high-quality tomatoes (San Marzano if possible); save some pasta water — it helps the sauce cling; don't rinse the pasta; the sauce freezes beautifully; add a Parmesan rind while simmering for extra richness. Serve with garlic bread or focaccia, a Caesar or Italian salad, or roasted vegetables. Storage: fridge up to 4 days, freezer up to 3 months; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth. Nutrition per serving from Bobbie's card (approximate): 359 calories, 26 g protein, 18 g fat, 14 g carbohydrates, 3 g fibre.
Ingredients
For the Bolognese sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 oz pancetta, finely diced
- 1 large yellow onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 large carrot, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 2 celery ribs, finely diced (about ½ cup)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20)
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1¼ cups dry red wine (cabernet or merlot)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes (San Marzano if possible)
- 4 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 Parmesan rind (optional)
- ½ tsp salt (more to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
For serving
- 1 lb pappardelle or other thick pasta (tagliatelle, fettuccine)
- Reserved pasta water (about 1½ cups)
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Fresh parsley or basil, chopped
- Extra black pepper
- Optional: red pepper flakes
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Method
- 1
Cook the pancetta and veggies: heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven. Cook pancetta until crispy. Add onion, carrot and celery. Cook until softened, about 8–10 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.
- 2
Brown the meats: add ground beef and pork. Cook, breaking into crumbles, until well browned. Drain excess fat if needed, leaving a little for flavour.
- 3
Add wine: pour in red wine. Simmer over medium heat until almost evaporated, about 10 minutes.
- 4
Add milk: stir in milk and a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer until mostly evaporated, about 8 minutes.
- 5
Simmer the sauce: add tomatoes (crush with your hands), tomato paste, Italian seasoning, bay leaf and Parmesan rind. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, 60–90 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and rich. Season with salt and pepper.
- 6
Combine and finish: add pasta to the sauce and toss over low heat with a splash of pasta water until the sauce clings to the noodles. Remove the bay leaf and Parmesan rind.
- 7
Serve and enjoy: top with fresh Parmesan, chopped parsley or basil and extra black pepper. Serve hot!
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From Bobbie's “Bobbie's Recipe Cards (batch 4)”. Written up by Bobbie's Kitchen · Updated 26 October 2026