The Sunday Lunch Ragu Luxurious SlowSimmered Creamy Bolognese

Slowsimmered Creamy Bolognese Ragu

0.0 / 5 (0 Review)

Preparation time:25 Mins

Cooking time:03 Hrs

Servings:6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large Yellow Onion, finely diced
• 2 medium Carrots, peeled and finely diced
• 2 medium Celery Stalks, finely diced
• 4 large Garlic Cloves, minced
• 1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 mix)
• 1 lb Ground Pork (or Italian sausage removed from casing)
• 3 Tbsp Tomato Paste (double concentrated)
• 1 cup Dry Red Wine (e.g., Chianti or Merlot)
• 1 cup Whole Milk (full fat)
• 28 oz can Crushed Tomatoes (San Marzano preferred)
• 3 cups Beef or Chicken Stock (low sodium)
• 1 piece Parmesan Rind (optional, approx. 50g)
• 2 Dried Bay Leaves
• Salt (Kosher or Sea), to taste
• Black Pepper, freshly ground, to taste
• 1 tsp Fresh Thyme, leaves only
• ½ cup Heavy Cream (Double Cream)
• Fresh Basil, chopped, for garnish
• Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese, for serving

Instructions:

• Prep the Soffritto: Ensure the onion, carrot, and celery are diced very finely and evenly no larger than a little fingernail.
• Sauté the Vegetables: Heat the butter and olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium low heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook gently for 10 12 minutes until softened and translucent (do not brown). Add the minced garlic and thyme, and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Remove the vegetables to a separate bowl.
• Brown the Meat: Increase the heat to medium high. Add the ground beef and pork to the pot (in batches if necessary to avoid crowding). Season generously with salt and pepper. Brown thoroughly, breaking the meat up with a spoon, until a deep, brown crust develops (8 10 minutes).
• Drain Excess Fat: Tilt the pot and use a spoon to scoop out and discard any excess rendered fat.
• Add Tomato Paste: Stir the tomato paste into the browned meat and cook for 2 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to caramelize the paste.
• Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Bring to a fierce bubble and cook until the wine is almost completely reduced (about 5 minutes).
• Add Milk and Soffritto: Pour in the whole milk and stir well. Allow the milk to bubble gently and reduce until it is almost absorbed by the meat. Return the reserved soffritto vegetables to the pot.
• Combine Liquids and Aromatics: Stir in the crushed tomatoes, warmed stock, bay leaves, and the Parmesan rind (if using). Bring the ragu to a gentle simmer.
• The Long Wait: Reduce the heat to the lowest setting possible a gentle bubble should occasionally break the surface. Cover the pot loosely (or slightly ajar).
• Simmer and Stir: Cook for a minimum of 3 hours, stirring every 30 45 minutes to prevent sticking. The sauce should reduce significantly and deepen in colour. If too thick, add small splashes of extra stock.
• Final Preparation: After simmering, remove the bay leaves and the Parmesan rind. Check the seasoning and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
• The Creamy Finish: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated. Allow the sauce to warm through for 2 minutes (do not boil). Serve over your chosen pasta.

Nutrition Facts

Calories	601 kcal
Protein	17.5 g
Fat	25.9 g
Carbs	66.7 g
Fiber	20.6 g
Sodium	6968 mg

Recipe Info

Category	Main Course
Cuisine	Italian

Why True Bolognese Demands Patience (and Red Wine)

Bolognese is not simply "spaghetti sauce" mixed with ground beef; it is a dedicated culinary process, a slow ritual of flavor development often referred to as a proper Sunday Sauce .

Achieving a truly transcendent, complex profile that defines authentic Italian ragu requires respecting the ingredient stages and dedicating serious time in our case, a full three hours of low, gentle simmering.

This lengthy cook time allows the proteins to break down, the acidity of the tomatoes and wine to mellow, and all the diverse ingredients to merge into a singular, cohesive flavor profile.

It is a labor of love, but once you taste the profound depth of this creamy meat sauce , you will understand why patience is the most crucial ingredient.

The Difference Between Ragu and Sauce

In Italian cooking, the distinction between ragu and sauce (sugo) is critical. A sauce, like a simple marinara, is generally vegetable based, can be made quickly, and features tomato as the star. A ragu, however, is a classic slow cooked, meat forward preparation.

Our Creamy Bolognese sauce is unequivocally a ragu. It starts with a base of rendered fat and aromatic vegetables, incorporates substantial quantities of meat and dairy, and relies on time and reduction to create a dense, luxurious coating for the pasta.

This heavy concentration of flavor is what separates a genuine Italian meal from a hurried weeknight dinner.

The Essential Role of the Soffritto Base

Every great Italian dish begins with the soffritto —the holy trinity of finely diced onion, carrot, and celery. This vegetable base is the unsung hero of depth.

Before a single piece of meat hits the pot, these aromatics must be sautéed gently in butter and olive oil for 10 to 12 minutes until they are completely soft, translucent, and sweet, but absolutely not browned.

This slow sweating process ensures that the vegetables release their fundamental sweetness, setting the stage for the savory notes of the meat and the complexity of the wine that follow.

Emilia Romagna vs. Naples: Understanding the Regional Origins

Traditional Bolognese originates in Emilia Romagna, a region known for its rich egg pastas and its incorporation of dairy. Unlike the lengthy, highly acidic, and tomato centric sauces of the South (like Neapolitan ragu), Bolognese is historically lighter on the tomato and heavy on dairy and slow cooked meat.

Our particular creamy bolognese recipe pays homage to this Northern tradition by utilizing whole milk early in the cooking process to tenderize the proteins and finishing with heavy cream.

This final step gives the sauce its signature silkiness, elevating it to a truly decadent Creamy Bolognese .

Sourcing the Essential Ingredients for a Rich Creamy Bolognese Sauce

The long cooking time means that the quality of your base ingredients truly shines through. For the liquids, invest in high quality dry red wine, such as a Chianti or Merlot (1 cup), ensuring it’s something you would happily drink on its own the flavor only concentrates in the ragu.

The recipe calls for a 28 oz can of the finest crushed tomatoes you can find, with San Marzano being the gold standard for their balanced sweetness and low acidity. For the crucial finishing touch that differentiates this luxurious recipe, you will need a half cup of heavy cream, stirred in at the end to create that iconic creamy bolognese sauce .

Substitutions and Adjustments for Dietary Needs

The Optimal Meat Blend: Beef, Pork, and Pancetta

A balanced blend of meats provides the most complex flavor and best texture for a hearty creamy meat sauce . We use equal parts, 1 pound each, of ground beef (ideally an 80/20 mix for adequate fat) and ground pork. The beef provides a deep, savory flavor, while the pork offers richness and tenderness.

For an extra layer of salty depth, you can substitute a quarter cup of the ground pork with finely diced pancetta, rendering its fat before starting the soffritto process. This trinity of meats ensures the ragu achieves its characteristic velvety body.

Dairy Choices: Whole Milk vs. Heavy Cream (And Why It Matters)

Dairy plays two distinct roles in this recipe. The initial cup of whole milk is added immediately after deglazing with wine. The milk's slow reduction tenderizes the meat fibres, resulting in a supremely soft final texture. The half cup of heavy cream, on the other hand, is stirred in right before serving.

This is purely for finishing; it emufies with the fat and moisture already in the sauce, providing the luxurious mouthfeel that defines this particular creamy meat sauce pasta .

Required Kitchen Tools for Slow Simmering

The success of a slow simmered ragu hinges on consistent, even heat. For this, a large, heavy bottomed Dutch Oven is absolutely essential. Its thick walls and base distribute heat perfectly, preventing scorching during the three hour simmer and ensuring the flavors meld smoothly.

You will also need a sturdy wooden spoon for scraping up the fonds (browned bits) during deglazing.

Making This Sauce Gluten Free

Happily, this authentic Bolognese Sauce is naturally gluten free. The ingredients meat, vegetables, wine, dairy, and tomatoes contain no wheat. Always double check that your beef or chicken stock is certified low-sodium and gluten free, as this is sometimes where hidden glutens reside.

Choosing the Best Tomato Paste for Depth of Flavor

While traditional Bolognese uses tomato sparingly, we still rely on triple concentrated tomato paste (3 tablespoons) to provide essential umami and complexity. The key is ensuring this paste is cooked until it caramelizes and darkens, a crucial step that removes any metallic or raw tomato flavour before the liquids are added.

Related Recipes Worth Trying

• SlowSimmered Creamy Bolognese Sauce Ultimate Comfort Ragù — Get the secret to a properly luxurious deeply flavored Creamy Bolognese Sauce Three hours of simmering yields a velvety creamy meat sauce that clings to...
• Sunshine in a Bowl Creamy Charred Mexican Street Corn Soup Recipe — This Mexican Street Corn Soup recipe captures the smoky elote flavour in a velvety chowder Naturally thickened and easily adapted for the slow cooker or...
• Weeknight Pressed Ground Lamb Gyros Recipe with Creamy Dill Tzatziki — Master authentic ground lamb gyros meat at home Use our clever pressing technique for beautifully thin slices paired with cool cucumber yogurt sauce A...

Achieving the Depth of Flavor: Step-by-Step Methodology

Our methodology focuses heavily on building layers of flavor before the slow, passive cooking phase begins. The active preparation time is approximately 25 minutes, dedicated to precise chopping, browning, and deglazing.

The remaining three hours are reserved for the deep, transformative reduction that turns a collection of quality ingredients into a cohesive, complex Creamy Bolognese .

Finishing the Sauce: The Secret to Restaurant Quality

Browning the Meat and Rendering the Fat Correctly

The browning phase is non-negotiable for flavor. Use medium high heat and ensure the ground beef and pork are added in batches if necessary, allowing them space to sear rather than steam. This 8 10 minute process creates the deep brown crust the Maillard reaction which is vital for savory depth.

After browning, always tilt your pot and spoon out the excess rendered fat. Failing to drain the fat will result in an oily ragu, compromising the final creamy texture.

Sweating the Aromatics (The Art of the Soffritto)

Once the meat is browned and set aside, return to medium low heat to gently cook the finely diced onion, carrot, and celery. The addition of four cloves of minced garlic and a teaspoon of fresh thyme happens in the final minute of this phase, ensuring the garlic becomes fragrant but doesn't burn, completing the flavor foundation before adding the liquids.

The Crucial Simmering and Reduction Phase

After deglazing the pot with the red wine, incorporating the whole milk, and adding the crushed tomatoes and three cups of warm stock, the ragu is ready for its long sleep. Drop in the two bay leaves and, importantly, a piece of Parmesan rind. This rind melts slowly, providing an incredible boost of salty, aged umami.

The mixture must then simmer, barely bubbling, for a minimum of three hours. This low-and-slow approach concentrates the flavors and creates the thick body expected of a proper Sunday Sauce .

Introducing the Cream for Maximum Decadence

After the minimum three hour simmer, remove the bay leaves and Parmesan rind. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Now comes the moment that transforms this ragu into a Creamy Bolognese .

Reduce the heat to the absolute lowest setting, then stir in the half cup of heavy cream until it is smoothly incorporated. Allow the sauce to warm gently for just two minutes avoiding a boil to achieve a velvety, unified texture ready for serving.

Pairing the Sauce: Which Pasta Shape Works Best?

A sauce this rich and thick should never be served with thin spaghetti. The ideal carriers for a creamy meat sauce pasta are wide, rustic egg noodles like pappardelle or tagliatelle.

Their broad surface area allows the dense ragu to cling and be carried effortlessly, ensuring you get the perfect ratio of sauce to noodle in every bite.

Troubleshooting and Mastering Your Creamy Bolognese Sauce

What to Do If the Sauce is Too Thin or Too Oily

If your sauce is too thin after the prescribed three hours, simply remove the lid and continue simmering for another 30– 60 minutes. The reduced surface tension will allow moisture to escape quickly.

If the finished sauce appears oily, the best time to correct this is right after browning the meat, when most of the fat has rendered. However, if excess oil remains at the end, simply allow the sauce to cool slightly, allowing the fat to solidify slightly on the surface, which you can then easily skim off with a spoon.

Freezing and Reheating Instructions for Meal Prep

This Bolognese Sauce freezes exceptionally well, making it perfect for batch cooking. Once cooled completely, portion the ragu into freezer safe containers and store for up to three months. To reheat, simply thaw overnight in the refrigerator and warm gently on the stovetop, stirring frequently.

Like many great stews, the depth of the flavor actually improves the day after it's cooked, making this an ideal make ahead meal.

Common FAQs About Bolognese Preparation

A frequent question revolves around the use of dairy. Why milk? The cup of whole milk used early in the recipe is vital for tenderizing the lean meat fibers. Why red wine? The dry red wine adds a necessary layer of acidity that balances the richness of the meat and fat, preventing the creamy bolognese recipe from tasting heavy or flat.

Variations: Taking This Ragu Beyond Pasta

Turning the Sauce into a Lasagna Filling

The thickness and richness of this slow simmered Bolognese Sauce make it the perfect base for an indulgent lasagna. Use the ragu layered between sheets of fresh pasta, ricotta, and mozzarella.

Because the sauce is already quite dense, you won't need to reduce it further; its texture is ideal for creating sturdy, flavorful layers.

Transforming Leftovers into Sloppy Joes or Pizza Topping

Should you find yourself with a generous amount of leftover Creamy Bolognese , you can easily pivot its usage. For gourmet sloppy joes, simply warm the sauce, perhaps adding a dash of Worcestershire sauce or cider vinegar for an extra tang, and serve on toasted brioche buns.

Alternatively, use the ragu sparingly as a decadent, rich base layer instead of traditional tomato sauce on a homemade pizza, topping it with fresh mozzarella and basil.