Fettuccine Bolognese in 45 Minutes
A thick, soul-satisfying Bolognese that's ready in under an hour. Fair warning — the smell will have everyone in the kitchen before you've even set the table.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- ½ cup finely chopped onion about ½ of one medium onion
- ½ cup finely chopped carrot about 1 large, peeled carrot
- ½ cup finely chopped celery 1-2 stalks
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 pound (450 g) ground beef
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 clove finely chopped garlic
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) dry white wine such as pinot grigio
- ½ cup (120 ml) chicken broth
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
To serve
- ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- ½ pound cooked fettuccine pasta or other preferred pasta shape* See how to cook pasta perfectly
Instructions
- Place a 12-inch deep saute pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil to the pan. When the butter has melted and is no longer foaming, add ½ cup finely chopped onion, ½ cup finely chopped carrot, ½ cup finely chopped celery and ½ teaspoon of the salt. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring to coat the vegetables in the fat, until the onion is translucent.
- Add 1 pound ground beef, breaking up clumps with a fork or a spatula. Cook until it's no longer pink, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally to mix the meat with the vegetables.
- Pour in 1 cup whole milk, then add 1 clove finely chopped garlic and ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Turn the heat up to medium-high and bring to a lively simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the milk is almost completely evaporated, 10-15 minutes. It's okay if the mixture looks a bit curdled at this point.
- Push the meat and vegetables to the sides of the pan and add ¼ cup tomato paste to the center. Let it cook in the fat for about 30 seconds, then stir it in to blend with the meat mixture.
- Pour in 1 cup dry white wine, ½ cup chicken broth and another ½ teaspoon salt. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer. Cook until the liquid has bubbled away and the sauce is thickened, which should take 20-25 minutes. Stir frequently as it cooks, and adjust the heat as needed to be sure the sauce doesn't begin to stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in ¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Taste the sauce and add more salt, if needed, and black pepper to taste. Add ½ pound cooked fettuccine pasta, or your choice of pasta to a serving bowl. Add the sauce and toss to coat. Serve right away and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You can use a combination of ground veal, pork and beef chuck to make a total of one pound of meat.
- A note on salt: I call for kosher salt throughout, which is what I always cook with. If you only have table salt, use about half the amount — table salt is much finer and much saltier by volume.
- This recipe makes enough sauce for half a pound of pasta — 4 modest servings. It doubles easily and the second batch freezes perfectly, so if you've got time, make more.
- Bolognese sauce keeps up to one week, refrigerated and 1 month in the freezer.
Nutrition
Calories: 474kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 23gFat: 32gSodium: 763mgFiber: 2gSugar: 8g
