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Authentic Tagliatelle al Ragù alla Bolognese Recipe Alternate Text Bologna, Italy

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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though

Introduction & history

Ragù alla Bolognese is traditionally made with beef or, in some cases, a combination of pork and beef. In addition to beef, Italian fresh pork pancetta, dry white or red wine, tomato concentrate, and passata — strained tomatoes, plus soffritto — a flavorful mixture of celery, onions, and carrots are also on the list of ingredients of a traditional ragù alla Bolognese. Milk can be added halfway through the cooking, and the dish is usually, although not obligatory, served with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Also, what is to the rest of the world known as spaghetti Bolognese, practically doesn't exist in Italy, let alone in Bologna. Traditionally, ragù alla Bolognese is served either with tagliatelle or enjoyed in lasagne alla Bolognese. However, it also goes well with other types of fresh egg pasta, such as pappardelle, fettuccine, or homemade farfalle.

Main ingredients

Pair with

Wine Variety

Sangiovese
Europe

4.3

Rate It

Cooking tips

  • method

    Because they need different temperatures, experts argue that the meat and the vegetables should be cooked separately — the meat needs to brown, while vegetables should sweat. Once cooked, only then should they be mixed together. Another thing to be mindful of is salt. Vegetables release liquid when salted, so if it’s added too soon, there’s a risk they will burn, which means salt them only once they ... Read more

  • cooking time

    The general rule is that the longer the ragù cooks, the better. About 2-3 hours of cooking will be just fine, even though some recipes instruct a longer cooking time of about 4-5 hours.

  • beef

    Traditionalists advocate for the use of beef only, with the Italian Academy of Cuisine in their 1982 recipe calling for cartella beef cut, or beef diaphragm, one muscle consisting of hanger steak and outer skirt steak. It is tender and has very little fat. However, since cartella is a rare find nowadays, their newest 2023 recipe states that shoulder, chuck, brisket, plate, and flank can be used.

  • pancetta

    The official recipe calls for fresh pork pancetta, either rolled or flat; however, unsmoked pancetta can also be used.

  • pork

    Nowadays, ragù recipes often call for a mix of beef and pork or a mix of pork, beef, and veal. When choosing what cut of pork to use, go for fattier cuts.

  • tomatoes

    Ragù alla Bolognese is a meat sauce and should never be confused with tomato sauce, even though it typically contains tomatoes. Most recipes will call for tomatoes which act as an acid component in the dish, either only a small amount of tomato concentrate that is thinned out with water and stock or whole, peeled tomatoes, typically canned ones. However, it is not rare that recipes go for passata,... Read more

  • milk and cream

    Milk is an often-used ingredient that helps balance out the acidity of tomatoes. In some recipes, the meat is cooked in milk, but most recipes call for milk to be added towards the end of cooking. In the official recipe, milk is optional and is added halfway through cooking so it has time to evaporate by the time the ragù is done. In the previous official recipe, from 1982, the milk was a must, while ... Read more

  • wine

    The official recipe gives the option of using either red or white wine. However, most chefs argue that it does not make any difference whether you use white or red wine — the only thing that should matter is its quality, as this will contribute to the taste of the ragù.

  • herbs and spices

    A true ragù alla Bolognese does not have any herbs or spices, meaning no thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic. However, garlic and bay leaves are often used, while some recipes, especially older ones, do call for a little nutmeg or cinnamon.

  • butter or olive oil

    Even though many recipes call for olive oil, butter is the more traditional option since it’s more common in the region. That said, the present official recipe calls for olive oil, not butter.

  • stock

    Although many recipes call for the addition of stock, traditionalists argue that adding unsalted boiling water is the better option, as ragù does not need extra flavor. The official recipe gives the option of choosing between light meat broth, vegetable broth, and boiling water. It even allows using a stock cube, which has to be of the highest quality.

  • additional ingredients

    Salsiccia is sometimes used for making the ragù, in combination with beef and pork, to improve its taste and softness. If so, the sausage should be mildly flavored and fatty. Chicken liver is the second most commonly added ingredient, along with other chicken giblets, which give body to the ragù.

  • pasta

    Besides the traditional tagliatelle, hearty kinds of pasta like pappardelle, fettuccine or homemade farfalle will also do. Because pasta needs to be suitable to hold the meat ragù, spaghetti, although common outside of Italy, are simply not good enough as the sauce simply falls of the pasta.

  • cooking the pasta

    The general rule is that 100g (3.5 oz) of pasta needs to be cooked in 1 L (4 cups) of boiling water. The water needs to be generously salted before the pasta is added. Also, don’t throw away the pasta water as you can add it when mixing the pasta with the ragù, which will help the pasta soak up the ragù better and make the ragù more creamy. A single portion of ragù should be served with 90-120g (3... Read more

  • mixing the ragù and the pasta

    Although it's just fine to mix the pasta with the ragù as is, more experienced cooks will do this step a bit more elaborately. First, a portion of the ragù is placed in a large pan and heated over medium flame. The cooked pasta is added next, along with some of the pasta water, and the whole thing is tossed a few times, so the pasta soaks up the ragù before the whole thing is placed on a warmed plate ... Read more

  • serving

    The proper way to serve ragù alla Bolognese is not atop a bed of pasta, but rather to toss the meat sauce with the pasta, so it is evenly coated. For Italians however, it’s all about pasta and the meat sauce should never overpower it. The dish is commonly served topped with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, which is not in line with tradition, and is completely optional.

Recipe variations

Cardinal's Ragù

PREP 15min

COOK 4h

READY IN 4h 15min

4.6

Rate It
@shutterstock

This recipe is an adaptation of Alberto Alvisi's cardinal's ragù, a late 18th-century recipe and, so far, the oldest recipe for ragù Bolognese known. Alvisi's recipe offered a choice of beef, veal shoulder, pork loin, or even poultry giblets, any of which can be substituted in equal amounts for the beef mentioned below. Optionally, once the pasta and the ragù have been mixed, you can toss them into a casserole dish and bake them.

Ingredients

8 Servings

Cardinal's Ragù

2 tbsp lard

2 tbsp butter

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 ¼ lbs (560g) beef skirt steak or chuck steak, cut into 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) dices

1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

4 ⅓ cups (1 L) beef or poultry stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp flour

cinnamon and freshly ground black pepper, a generous pinch

1 lb (450g) penne, garganelli, maccheroni or other tube-shaped pasta

Preparation

1

Cardinal's Ragù

Step 1/6

Heat lard and butter in a 4-quart (3.8 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the meat and onions, turning the heat up to high, and constantly stirring until the meat is well browned.

Step 2/6

Add 1/2 cup (120 ml) stock and reduce heat to a medium; season with cinnamon, salt, and pepper. As the stock slowly bubbles, scrape up the brown glaze with a wooden spatula. When evaporated, add another 1/2 cup (120 ml) stock and reduce the sauce once again.

Step 3/6

While the sauce is cooking over medium heat, blend in the flour, stirring until thoroughly incorporated. Add the remaining stock and bring it to a slow simmer.

Step 4/6

Cook partially covered for about 2 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender, occasionally stirring the sauce. Add some water if the ragù thickens too much. When cooked, remove from the heat, and sprinkle with a generous pinch of cinnamon and black pepper.

Step 5/6

To prepare the pasta, bring a pot of salted water to a full boil. Cook the pasta al dente or until only slightly underdone. Drain it and toss it with ragù over a low heat for a few minutes, or until the pasta has absorbed some of the meat sauce.

Step 6/6

Alternatively, combine the pasta with ragù in a 4-quart (3.8 L) buttered casserole and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 30-45 minutes or until well-crusted.

Rating And Comments

4.6

Rate It

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