Classic Spaghetti Bolognese (Grandma's Recipe)

overhead view of homemade spaghetti bolognese on a plate with a fork

Servings: 8

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 1 30

Total Time: 2

My friends say nona's (Italian grandmother) spaghetti Bolognese is the best they've ever had. It's rich, hearty, and generous enough to feed the family and leave leftovers for another day.

5 from 55 votes

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Ingredients

3 strips of bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 bay leaves
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 pinch cinnamon & nutmeg, recommended
1 pound ground beef
½ pound Italian sausage, removed from casings
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ cup red wine
28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
14 oz can of diced tomatoes, or crushed
1 cup beef broth*,
1 pound spaghetti, for serving
grated parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Prep

Chop the bacon, onion, carrots, and garlic. Open up the canned tomatoes and measure the other ingredients (or have them ready).

Make the sauce

Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chopped bacon and cook it stirring occasionally, until it's nearly crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the chopped onions, carrots, and garlic, and sauté them for 5 minutes, until the onions look translucent and are soft.
Add the salt, pepper, bay leaves, thyme, oregano, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir and sauté them with the bacon and vegetables for about a minute.
Add the ground beef and sausage and cook them for 7 to 10 minutes until they're no longer pink, using a spatula to break up the meat as you cook. Add the tomato paste and wine, then stir with a spatula to scrape any browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Cook this down for about 3 minutes, until most of the wine has evaporated. Add the canned tomatoes and broth, and bring the sauce to a boil. If you're not using wine, you can skip this and scrape any tidbits after adding the tomatoes and broth.

Simmer

Bring the sauce to a boil (uncovered) while stirring from time to time. Then, reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the sauce simmer for 1.5 hours, checking periodically to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Serve

Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
Serve pasta in a shallow plate topped with the bolognese sauce and grated Parmesan.

Store

Allow sauce to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. It can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

Notes

Swap dried herbs for 1 to 2 sprigs of each, finely chopped.
Beef broth can be substituted with water and a bouillon cube (or paste).
This recipe yields enough bolognese sauce for 12 when served with pasta. We noted 8 servings in this recipe because 1lb of pasta serves 8, so the nutritional information is for a generous serving of sauce + pasta. You can cook more or freeze extras for up to 3 months.

Nutrition