Pappardelle Bolognese is classic Italian comfort food and one of our favorite family recipes. It is a timeless combination of al dente pappardelle pasta tossed in a luscious slow-cooked meat and tomato ragù, topped with grated parmigiano-reggiano. Trust us, you''ll want to make this over and over again!
This is hands down our favorite pasta dish. We know that is a big claim. But the way the buttery beef combines with the bright San Marzano tomatoes, veggies, and wine is truly exceptional. The best part is you can make a big batch and enjoy it for nights on end!
Looking for other easy and delicious pasta recipes? Check out our penne pomodoro pasta or gorgonzola mushroom pasta, and pasta frittata.
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Why You'll Love Pappardelle Bolognese
- Taste - Pappardelle bolognese has classic rich Italian flavors.
- Texture - The pappardelle is cooked al dente and the bolognese is light and velvety.
- Effort - You just need to cook the soffritto then the beef and tomatoes.
- Time - It takes about 10 minutes to prep and about 2.5 hours to cook.
Key Ingredients
- Soffritto - Soffritto is the flavorful base for this pasta and many other Italian dishes. It features sautéed onions, carrots, and celery.
- Ground beef - The ground beef is cooked low and slow to infuse it with the other sauce flavors and make it tender.
- Whole milk - Whole milk helps to keep the beef tender and makes the sauce extra rich.
- White wine - White wine adds depth to the sauce and brightens it up.
- Italian tomatoes - We use Italian plum tomatoes or San Marzano tomatoes because they have a sweeter, more intense, and less acidic tomato taste compared to regular tomatoes.
- Pappardelle - Pappardelle has a large surface texture and allows the sauce to cling well to the pasta.
- Parmigiano-reggiano cheese - Parmigiano-reggiano is full of umami flavor and has a sharp accent.
Substitutions and Variations
- Pasta - You want a pasta noodle with a lot of surface area to hold the sauce. We suggest other wide flat noodles like tagliatelle or wide tube pasta shapes like rigatoni or penne.
- Red wine - Use red wine instead of white wine to add more body to the sauce.
- Lean beef - Use a lean ground beef with lower fat content for a healthier option.
- Ground turkey - While not as flavorful as beef, it can still provide a flavorful lean base for the sauce.
- Spicy - Add red chili flakes or a little cracked black pepper to spice up the sauce.
- Gluten free - Use a gluten free pasta if you are gluten intolerant. We recommend Garofalo Gluten Free pasta, which tastes like traditional wheat-based pasta.
- Guanciale or pancetta - Start the recipe by browning pancetta, then cook the soffritto in the rendered fat for even more flavor.
How to make Make Pappardelle Bolognese
- Heat oil and soffritto - In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium heat. Then stir in chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook for 10-15 minutes, or until the onion turns translucent. (Photo 1, 2, and 3)
- Cook ground beef chunks - Break beef into chunks and stir into the onion mixture. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg. (Photo 4)
- Add white wine - Once the meat begins to brown, stir in the milk and cook until it is absorbed in the meat. Add wine and simmer until evaporated. (Photo 5)
- Add tomatoes and juice - Add tomatoes to the pot and stir the mixture until the ingredients are covered in tomato juice. Once the sauce starts to boil, lower the heat so the sauce reaches a very low simmer and occasionally bubbles. (Photo 6)
- Cook sauce - Allow sauce to gently cook over low heat for 2½ hours with the lid partially covering the pot, stirring occasionally. If the sauce dries out and is too thick, you may add a little water or beef stock and stir, then simmer some more. Cook up to 3 hours for an even deeper, concentrated flavor. (Photo 7 and 8)
- Boil pasta and reserve water - In a separate pot, boil salted water. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, add the pasta and cook it until al dente. For fresh pasta, cook for 2-3 minutes; for dry pasta, cook as instructed (typically around 8 minutes). Reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the pasta. (Photo 9)
- Toss pasta in sauce - Add the pasta water to the sauce and stir. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Then remove the sauce from the heat and use tongs or a pasta fork to transfer the pasta to the sauce. (Photo 10)
- Serve with cheese - Serve in bowls and top with fresh grated parmesan cheese or Parmigiano-Reggiano. (Photo 11 and 12)
Pasta Tips
- Salt the pasta water - Salt the pasta water to give the pasta extra flavor.
- Low and slow - Cook the sauce for at least 2 and half hours over low heat to develop the richest flavor. It is even better as leftovers.
- Serve pasta with bread - Trust us, you will want to dip bread in this rich sauce. In Italian, this is called "fare la scarpetta," or "make the little shoe."
Recipe FAQs
What is the best wine for bolognese sauce?
We prefer a dry white wine for light acidity. Red wines add a nice flavor as well but can be a little overpowering.
How long should I cook bolognese sauce?
The longer you cook the Bolognese sauce, the more flavorful it becomes. We prefer to cook it for at least 2 and a half hours to deepen the flavors.
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📖 Recipe
Pappardelle Bolognese
Pappardelle Bolognese is classic Italian comfort food and one of our favorite family recipes. It is a timeless combination of al dente pappardelle pasta tossed in a luscious slow-cooked meat and tomato ragù, topped with grated parmigiano-reggiano. Trust us, you''ll want to make this over and over again!
Servings: 8
Calories: 460kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 medium yellow onion finely minced
- 2 celery ribs finely minced
- 2 medium carrots finely minced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper or to taste
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup milk
- ¾ cup white wine
- 28 oz passata, or 28 oz can of San Marzano or Italian crushed plum tomatoes plus the juice *see notes
- 1 lb pasta pappardelle, tagliatelle, or rigatoni
- grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables - Finely mince the celery, carrots, and onion. The goal is to mince the vegetables so finely that they essentially melt when cooked with the olive oil.2 celery ribs, 2 medium carrots, 1 medium yellow onion
- Cook vegetables - In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-low heat. Add in butter to melt. Stir in minced onion, carrot, and celery and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the onion turns translucent and the carrot and celery are soft, stirring occasionally. The mixture, known as soffritto, should be soft and cooked down.2 tablespoon butter, 2 tablespoon olive oil
- Cook beef - Break beef into chunks and stir into the soffritto mixture. Add kosher salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Once the meat begins to brown, stir in the milk and cook until it is absorbed in the meat, about 3 minutes. Then, add the white wine and simmer until reduced.1 lb ground beef, 1-2 teaspoon kosher salt, ½ teaspoon fresh cracked pepper, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ cup white wine, ½ cup milk
- Add tomatoes - Add tomatoes to the pot and stir the mixture until the ingredients are covered in tomato juice. Once the sauce starts to boil, lower the heat so the sauce reaches a very low simmer and occasionally bubbles.28 oz passata, or 28 oz can of San Marzano or Italian crushed plum tomatoes plus the juice
- Simmer sauce - Allow sauce to gently bubble on low heat for 2½ hours with the lid partially covering the pot, stirring occasionally. If the sauce dries out and is too thick, you may add a little water or beef stock and stir, then simmer some more. Cook up to 3 hours for an even deeper, concentrated flavor. Add more salt and pepper to taste and remove from the heat.
- Boil pasta - In a large pot, bring salted water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Then add pasta to the water and cook until al dente per the packaging instructions. Time the pasta and the sauce so they are ready around the same time. Reserve a cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.1 lb pasta pappardelle, tagliatelle, or rigatoni
- Combine sauce and pasta - Add the pasta to the sauce and gently toss until the pasta is coated. If the pasta is dry, add a little pasta water, about a quarter cup at a time, until the pasta sauce reaches a silky consistency. You do not need to use all of the pasta water.
- Serve - Serve in bowls and top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
Video
Notes
*For the tomatoes, you can use canned whole tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, or passata. Passata is a smooth tomato purée. If you use canned whole tomatoes, we recommend blending them until smooth or pulsing in a blender until broken down. You can also do this by hand.
Storage
- Refrigerate leftover pasta in an air-tight container for up to 5 days. Reheat the leftovers on low heat and occasionally stir until warm.
Nutrition
Calories: 460kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 486mg | Potassium: 688mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2797IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 91mg | Iron: 3mg
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