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The Best Creamy Bolognese Sauce

Creamy bolognese sauce with pasta on a white plate with red trim and napkin on table
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A cozy, creamy bolognese sauce made with ground beef, tomatoes, herbs, and just enough cream to make it feel special. It simmers low and slow, stretches a pound of meat, and turns into the kind of pasta dinner everyone goes back for.

Ingredients

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For the Sauce:

  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 1 large red onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • 7-8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1-2 portobello mushrooms, diced
  • 1 lb ground beef (80/20 for the best flavor)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (Bona Furtuna herb blend is my favorite)
  • 1 (28-oz) can whole San Marzano tomatoes
  • 7-8 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (or soy sauce)
  • 1 cup water (or red wine, white wine, or broth)
  • 1/2-1 cup heavy cream (depending on how creamy you'd like it)
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
  • 2 tablespoons Fresh Italian Parsley, minced

For the Pasta:

  • 1 lb rigatoni (or your favorite pasta)

  • 1 cup reserved pasta water (if needed to loosen the sauce)

  • Ricotta, for serving

  • Fresh basil leaves or fresh herbs, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil, then stir in the diced red onion, and carrots, saute until soft about 7 minutes.

pan with diced carrots and red onion

2. Stir in minced garlic and cook another minute, just be careful not to let the garlic burn.

garlic over sauteed vegetables in pan

3. Cook until the mushrooms release their moisture and start to brown — that’s where the depth builds.

diced mushrooms over sauteed carrots and onions

4. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture deepens in color and becomes fragrant.

5. Add the ground beef directly into the pot. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

ground beef over cooked veggies in pot

6. Pour in the whole peeled tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, water (or use red wine or broth if you have it on hand), thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Use a wooden spoon to break up the tomatoes slightly. Stir to combine. Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally and gently crushing the tomatoes as they cook down.

Don’t rush this part — the slow simmer is what makes this creamy bolognese sauce taste like it cooked all afternoon.

tomatoes, fresh herbs, over sauteed veggies in pan

7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the rigatoni until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before draining.

8. Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the sauce. Stir in the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese, tasting and adjusting salt and pepper as needed. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it.

heavy cream poured into meat sauce

9. Add the drained pasta directly to the sauce, tossing to coat. Serve immediately with ricotta, extra Parmesan, and fresh basil.

rigatoni pasta over meat sauce in pan

Notes

Need a thicker sauce? Simmer uncovered for the last 10 minutes.
No heavy cream? Use half-and-half or melt in a pat of butter at the end.
Make it ahead: This sauce tastes even better the next day. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Find it online: https://thebuttertable.com/creamy-bolognese-the-best-pasta-sauce-ive-ever-made/

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