What is a Bolognese sauce?

Bolognese sauce is a tomato-based sauce made with meat and typically served with pasta. Most Bolognese recipes are made with ground beef, though some recipes include variations such as bacon or sausage.

A simple Bolognese sauce combines 1 pound of ground meat, 28 ounces of canned tomatoes, 1 onion, basil, parsley, garlic, olive oil and grated cheese. Cooks should let the sauce simmer in a large pot for at least 45 minutes before serving to let the flavors merge.

Bolognese sauce originates from Bolonga, Italy, and Italians refer to it as "ragu alla bolognese" or simply "ragu." Italians often serve Bolognese sauce with lasagna, though in the United States and other places it is common to serve it with spaghetti.