How to Make Authentic Pasta Bolognese for a Crowd
This authentic pasta bolognese is a rich and hearty homemade bolognese sauce with pasta that’s perfect for gatherings or family meals. Featuring traditional Italian pasta bolognese techniques, this pasta with meat sauce recipe is slow-simmered for deep flavor, making it the best bolognese pasta recipe to satisfy any crowd.
Equipment
- Large, heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Big pot for cooking pasta
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 1 medium carrot finely diced
- 1 medium celery rib finely diced
- 2 ounces pancetta thickly sliced and finely diced
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1/2 pound ground veal
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 28-ounce can peeled Italian tomatoes seeded and finely chopped, juices reserved
- 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-sodium broth
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 2 pounds penne rigate
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Prep your ingredients: Gather everything beforehand to make the cooking process smooth and stress-free.
- Cook the aromatics: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the diced onion, carrot, celery, and pancetta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl.
- Brown the meats: Add the remaining olive oil to the same pan. Once shimmering, add the ground beef, veal. Cook over medium-high heat, breaking up the meat, until just pink, about 5 minutes.
- Combine and flavor: Return the vegetable mixture to the pan. Stir in the chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create the sauce base: Stir in the tomatoes and their reserved juices, chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Simmer to perfection: Partially cover the pan and let the sauce cook on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the heavy cream. Heat through.
- Cook the pasta: Boil the penne in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain well.
- Toss and serve: Add the pasta back to the pot or a serving bowl. Pour in the sauce and toss thoroughly to coat. Serve in deep bowls with freshly grated Parmesan cheese on the side.