Pappardelle Bolognese
Serves 6 · Prep: 20 minutes · Cook: About 2 hours · Total: About 2 hours 20 minutes
There’s nothing quite like a big bowl of Bolognese, especially with those wide ribbons of pappardelle. Don’t be shy with the cheese! Grate some into the sauce while you toss the pasta, then bring the rest to the table.
Ingredients
For the Bolognese sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 12 ounces ground beef, preferably 85% lean
- 4 ounces ground pork
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup low-sodium beef broth, plus more as needed
- 1 bay leaf
For the pasta and finishing
- 1 pound dried pappardelle or 1½ pounds fresh pappardelle
- Salt, for the pasta water
- ½ cup finely grated Grana Padano, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
Instructions
- 1
Soften the vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a wide, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion looks translucent and the carrot softens.
Stir in the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
- 2
Brown the meat
Add the beef, pork, salt, and pepper. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon, then let it cook for a minute before stirring again.
Continue cooking for 10 to 12 minutes, breaking apart any large clumps. Wait for the liquid to evaporate and some brown patches to form on the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat if those patches start turning black.
- 3
Add the tomato paste and wine
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes.
Pour in the wine and scrape the bottom of the pot with your spoon. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes, until most of the wine cooks away.
- 4
Simmer the sauce
Pour in the milk and simmer for about 5 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, and bay leaf.
Bring the sauce to a gentle bubble, then lower the heat and partly cover the pot. Cook for 75 to 90 minutes, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes.
Check the bottom when you stir. If the sauce begins sticking before the meat turns tender, add a splash of broth or water. Toward the end, remove the lid to let any excess liquid cook off.
Remove the bay leaf and taste for salt.
- 5
Cook the pappardelle
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pappardelle according to the package directions, checking it about a minute early.
Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water.
- 6
Toss the pasta with the sauce
For six servings, divide the pasta and sauce between two wide pans, or toss them together in a roomy pasta pot.
Add the drained pappardelle to the sauce over low heat with ¼ cup pasta water. Gently lift and fold the ribbons through the sauce for about a minute.
Turn off the heat and add the butter and Grana Padano. Toss again, adding another spoonful of pasta water if the ribbons start sticking together.
Divide among warm bowls. Finish with the oregano and more cheese.
Choosing a pot
Use a 5- to 6-quart Dutch oven or a heavy stainless-steel pot. A broad base gives the meat room to brown. During the long simmer, a thick bottom also helps prevent scorching.
An enameled Dutch oven works well with the tomato sauce. Save an uncoated aluminum pot for something less acidic.
Shortcuts and substitutions
Prechopped vegetables: Use about 2 cups of prepared onion, carrot, and celery. Chop any large pieces a little finer before cooking.
All beef: Replace the pork with another 4 ounces of ground beef. Avoid very lean beef for this long simmer.
No wine: Use ½ cup low-sodium beef broth to scrape up the browned bits.
No Grana Padano: Use Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan in the same amount.
No pappardelle: Tagliatelle and fettuccine work well. Rigatoni makes a good option if you prefer short pasta.
Dried oregano: Stir ¼ teaspoon into the sauce during its last 15 minutes of cooking. Dried oregano tastes much stronger than fresh.
Can I make Bolognese ahead?
Yes. Refrigerate the sauce in shallow, covered containers within two hours and use it within 3 to 4 days. Reheat only what you need, adding a splash of water if it has thickened.
Cook fresh pasta for each meal. Pappardelle left in the sauce overnight absorbs liquid and softens.
For longer storage, freeze the sauce in portions for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator before reheating.
Why add milk to Bolognese?
Milk adds richness and softens the sharp taste of the tomatoes. Let it simmer with the meat before adding the tomatoes. Whole milk gives the sauce more body than skim milk.
Why won’t the sauce stick to my pasta?
Check the sauce before draining the noodles. A thin sauce needs more time uncovered. If it looks thick enough, finish cooking the pappardelle directly in it with a little pasta water.
Keep tossing gently as the liquid reduces. Skip the oil after draining the pasta.
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