The Ultimate Bolognese Sauce

A rich and complex Italian meat sauce made with ground beef, pork, and chicken livers, slowly cooked with wine, milk, and aromatic spices. This authentic bolognese is perfect for serving over pappardelle pasta.

6 servings

6 hr 50 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•2 whole bay leaves
•3 whole whole cloves
•2 teaspoons fennel seeds
•1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
•¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
•1 tablespoon olive oil
•3 ounces chicken livers
•1½ teaspoons kosher salt
•1 to taste ground pepper
•½ large onion
•½ bunch thyme
•¼ cup peppers in oil
•5 cloves garlic
•14 ounces whole peeled tomatoes
•⅓ cup red wine
•1½ pounds ground beef chuck
•1 pound ground pork shoulder
•1½ cups whole milk
•2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
•12 ounces pappardelle
•1½ cups unsalted butter
•3 ounces Parmesan
•¾ cup grated Parmesan

Cooking Instructions

1.
Toast spices in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes (this releases their flavor). Let cool, then finely grind in a spice mill (or use a mortar and pestle).
5 min
2.
Preheat oven to 250°. Heat oil in a medium ovenproof pot over medium-high. Add livers and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until livers are deeply browned.almost burned, really-5-8 minutes. Add onion, thyme, and Mama Lil's peppers; stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until onion is brown and soft, 5-8 minutes more. Stir in garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in spice mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.
20 min
3.
Add tomatoes, then wine, stirring and scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add meat and stir to combine (the mixture will be fairly stiff but will loosen as it cooks). Add milk and mix well-everything should be evenly coated.
10 min
4.
Cover pot with a lid and transfer to oven; bake for 6 hours.
360 min
5.
Remove pot from oven. The sauce will have firmed up; stir to loosen. Pluck out thyme and, using an immersion blender, puree sauce until smooth. Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper. To serve the sauce like Chef Easton does, see opposite page.
15 min

Ingredients

•2 whole bay leaves

•3 whole whole cloves

•2 teaspoons fennel seeds

•1½ teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

•¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

•1 tablespoon olive oil

•3 ounces chicken livers

•1½ teaspoons kosher salt

•1 to taste ground pepper

•½ large onion

•½ bunch thyme

•¼ cup peppers in oil

•5 cloves garlic

•14 ounces whole peeled tomatoes

•⅓ cup red wine

•1½ pounds ground beef chuck

•1 pound ground pork shoulder

•1½ cups whole milk

•2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

•12 ounces pappardelle

•1½ cups unsalted butter

•3 ounces Parmesan

•¾ cup grated Parmesan

Cooking Instructions

Toast spices in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes (this releases their flavor). Let cool, then finely grind in a spice mill (or use a mortar and pestle).

5 min

Preheat oven to 250°. Heat oil in a medium ovenproof pot over medium-high. Add livers and stir to coat. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until livers are deeply browned.almost burned, really-5-8 minutes. Add onion, thyme, and Mama Lil's peppers; stir to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring as needed, until onion is brown and soft, 5-8 minutes more. Stir in garlic and cook until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir in spice mixture and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

20 min

Add tomatoes, then wine, stirring and scraping up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add meat and stir to combine (the mixture will be fairly stiff but will loosen as it cooks). Add milk and mix well-everything should be evenly coated.

10 min

Cover pot with a lid and transfer to oven; bake for 6 hours.

360 min

Remove pot from oven. The sauce will have firmed up; stir to loosen. Pluck out thyme and, using an immersion blender, puree sauce until smooth. Add vinegar and season with salt and pepper. To serve the sauce like Chef Easton does, see opposite page.

15 min