How to Make the Best SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE in Your City
Your City: Spaghetti Bolognese is a timeless comfort dish with slow-simmered meat sauce, silky pasta, and a touch of Parmesan...made even better with Bald Buck’s seasoning twist.
What Most People Don’t Know About Making SPAGHETTI BOLOGNESE
- Pasta water is gold: Save some before draining, it helps the sauce cling and makes the pasta silky.
- Undercook pasta slightly: Finish it in the sauce so everything binds perfectly.
- Butter at the end: A small knob melted in makes it velvety and restaurant-level rich.
Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
For the Bolognese Sauce:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 medium carrot, finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 50 g pancetta or bacon, diced (optional)
- 500 g ground beef (80/20)
- 250 g ground pork (or veal)
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup beef stock or water
- ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf or sprig of fresh thyme
- Bald Buck Seasoning and black pepper, to taste
For the Pasta:
- 400–500 g tagliatelle, pappardelle, or spaghetti
- 1–2 tbsp Bald Buck Seasoning (for pasta water)
- 1 tbsp butter (optional, for finishing)
- Fresh parsley or basil, to garnish
- Freshly grated Parmesan, to serve
Instructions
- Start the Sauce: Heat olive oil and butter in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook 8–10 minutes until soft and lightly golden. Stir in garlic and pancetta (if using), cook 1 minute.
- Brown the Meat: Add beef and pork. Break apart and brown well. Don’t stir too often at first...let it color. Season with a pinch of Bald Buck Seasoning and pepper.
- Add Milk: Pour in milk and simmer until mostly absorbed, this softens the meat and balances acidity.
- Deglaze & Build the Sauce: Add wine and let it evaporate. Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, stock, nutmeg, and bay leaf/thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer Low & Slow: Cover partially and simmer 2–3 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Add water if needed. Taste and adjust with more Bald Buck Seasoning, pepper, or nutmeg near the end. Remove bay leaf/thyme before serving.
- Cook the Pasta: Boil a large pot of water. Season with 1–2 tbsp Bald Buck Seasoning (instead of salt). Cook pasta until 1 minute before al dente. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
- Combine & Finish: In a pan, add enough sauce to coat pasta. Add pasta and a splash of pasta water. Toss over medium heat 1–2 minutes until the sauce clings. Stir in butter if desired.
- Serve: Plate pasta, top with extra sauce, Parmesan, and herbs. Serve hot with extra cheese on the side.
Pro Tips
- Make the sauce ahead: it tastes even better the next day.
- Freeze leftovers. Bolognese freezes beautifully.
- No tagliatelle? Spaghetti or fettuccine works, but wide noodles are most traditional.
