A go-to meat sauce is an absolute must in my world. It’s one of those things I keep on hand in the freezer at all times so if I need a comforting / impressive / delicious meal, I pull out a Ragù alla Bolognese in like no time flat!
Like most things on What’s Gaby Cooking – this isn’t just any meaty red Bolognese sauce. It’s quite possibly the best combo ever as it’s a marriage of a Ragù Bolognese and a Béchamel sauce which gives it that extra creamy flavor and let’s be real here people, what isn’t better with a little cream sauce? It’s made with both ground beef and ground pork plus a giant glug of wine… so it’s a winner in my book. Not to mention it makes a whole vat of sauce! Which is perfect because I can stick half of it in the freezer for a rainy day when I am in a crunch for dinner!
Serve it up on a bed of pasta, a plate of gnocchi, on top of spaghetti squash… you name it! Skies the limit with this one. And it’s perfect for all that cold weather going on this time of year!
Ragù alla Bolognese
Ingredients
For the Béchamel
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 2 2/3 cups milk
- 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
For the Ragù
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 medium stalk celery with leaves, finely diced
- 3 small carrot, finely diced
- 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 10 ounces ground pork
- 10 ounces ground beef
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2/3 cup dry red wine
- 1 cup half and half (or heavy cream or milk)
- 1 28-ounce can san marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recommended for serving
- 1-2 pounds cooked fresh fettucine pasta, or any other pasta, gnocchi etc of your choosing
Instructions
For the Béchamel
- In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium hight heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring with a whisk, for 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk, and whisk together. Add the grated parm. Whisk and cook over medium heat for several minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
For the Ragù
- Heat the olive oil in a 12 inch dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and chopped vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Add in the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds before adding in the meat. Stir the meat into the pan and slowly brown over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Stir often for about 15 minutes, or until the meats are a deep brown. Add the tomato paste and stir to combine.
- Add the wine to the dutch oven, lowering the heat so the sauce bubbles quietly. Stir occasionally until the wine has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Scrape up the brown bits as the wine bubbles. Stir in the half and half. Adjust heat so the liquid bubbles very slowly. Partially cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes. Stir frequently to check for sticking. Add the tomatoes, crushing them as they go into the pot. Cook uncovered, at a very slow bubble for another 20-30 minutes, or until the sauce resembles a thick, meaty stew. Season with salt and pepper
- Once cooked, stir in the Béchamel sauce into the meat sauce and combine with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Add the cooked fresh pasta and stir to combine.
So amazing as with all Gaby recipes
I could eat this all day!! Love a quick delicious meal!
I love following your Instagram stories. I enjoy so many of your recipes and I also have two of your books. I have a suggestion. When you publish a recipe on your website, if it came from one of your books put that under the Recipe name.
Added more garlic, paste and herbs. Cut the fat with using skim milk and whole milk combo. Added fresh tomatoes because I love them . Béchamel sauce made it complete. Wish I’d double the recipe !
This was delicious! i rushed some of the steps bc late day at work and used oat milk with just a bit of half and half for my dairy intolerant husband and was still yum!
Question: if i use one pound beef and one pound pork, would you suggest doubling the rest of the ingredients? Thanks!
YES – that would be best