Having a family that is half Italian, I grew up eating homemade bolognese. Nothing is more comforting than a bowl of hearty bolognese that has been stewed for a couple of hours! It is one of the easiest recipes, but one of the best. All you need is time to stew it, and you will have a crowd favorite.
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Beef and Pork – I like to use a combination of ground beef and pork. I find it brings more flavor to the dish and adds richness. Make sure to get 80/10 ratios for best flavor. If you don’t like one of these meats, just use the one you like.
- Onion, Celery, Carrot – These are the trifecta of vegetables used in all good recipes. I wouldn’t omit unless you don’t have access to one of them.
- Fresh Minced Garlic – Please for the love of god do not use jarred minced garlic! Use fresh minced by hand or even through a garlic press! The more garlic the better for this recipe.
- Whole Canned Tomatoes – The best tomatoes for this job are canned San Marzano tomatoes. They are canned at peak ripeness and have the most flavor. You can also use fresh tomatoes here, just note you will have less of a concentrated tomato flavor.
- Basil and Parsley – This recipe is packed with fresh herbs, I highly recommend not omitting.
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SERVINGS: 6
- PREP TIME: 20 Mins
- ACTIVE TIME: 3 Hrs 30 Mins
- TOTAL TIME: 3 Hr 50 Min
Ingredients:
- Olive Oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 celery rib, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- salt and pepper to taste
- 10 garlic, minced
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 lb 80/20 ground beef
- 2, 28oz cans whole tomatoes
- 1 bu fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp dried basil
Preparation:
STEP 1.
In a large pot over medium heat add a few tablespoons of olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Once hot, add the onion, celery and carrot and saute until cooked through, salting as you go. This usually takes 5-8 minutes. Once translucent, add the minced garilc and cook for another 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
STEP 2.
While the vegetables are cooking, in a large saute pan over medium high heat, add olive oil and once hot, add the ground pork. Saute until cooked through and browned off, salting as you go. Transfer to the large pot with the vegetables.
STEP 3.
In the same large saute pan over medium high heat, add olive oil and once hot, add the ground beef. Saute until cooked through and browned off, salting as you go. Transfer to the large pot with the vegetables.
STEP 4.
Stir in the tomatoes, crushing them first with your hands so they are roughly chopped. Stir in the parsley, dried basil and season with salt and pepper. Bring up to a low simmer and top with a lid. Make sure it is very lowly bubbling. Simmer for 1-3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes or so. The longer you simmer, the more depth of flavor there will be.
STEP 5.
Remove the parsley and discard. Taste the bolognese for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve and enjoy!
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