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Recipes

Nonna Consuelos's Bolognese Sauce

By Nonna Consuelos

4.2

(71)

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

1

1/2 cups coarsely chopped sweet onion (about 1/2 large onion)

1

cup coarsely chopped peeled carrots (3–4 small carrots)

1

cup coarsely chopped celery (1–2 stalks)

4

tablespoons olive oil, divided

1

pound lean ground beef

1

cup beef broth made from bouillon plus additional bouillon (optional)

1

28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

3

sprigs basil

2

large garlic cloves

1

teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sugar

Need to make a substitution?

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pulse onion, carrots, and celery in a food processor until finely chopped; set aside.

    Step 2

    Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef and cook, stirring often, until brown and cooked through, 4–5 minutes. Scrape into a medium bowl and set aside.

    Step 3

    Wipe skillet clean and add remaining 3 Tbsp. oil; heat over medium heat. Add reserved onion mixture and cook, stirring often and lowering heat if starting to brown, until softened, about 20 minutes. Add broth and 1 cup water. Stir in reserved meat, tomatoes, basil, garlic, and oregano. Let simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld and sauce thickens 1–1 1/2 hours.

    Step 4

    Remove garlic; crush with the back of a spoon and stir back into sauce. Season sauce to taste with salt, pepper, sugar, and more bouillon, if desired.

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