Weeknight Bolognese
Author
Rocco Gizzo
Servings
4
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 hour
Protein
42g/serving
This weeknight Bolognese needs to be on your weekly rotation.
It comes together in just ONE hour but tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all Sunday afternoon. The secret? Using Snake River Farms Wagyu Ground Beef. The richness, the marbling, the depth… all together builds a sauce that’s velvety, deeply savory, and ridiculously luxurious without the traditional 4-5 hour commitment.
Ingredients
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1 lb American Wagyu Ground Beef
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4 ounces pancetta, finely diced
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120 grams onion
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60 grams carrot
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60 g celery
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3 tablespoons tomato paste
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¾ cup dry white wine
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1 ½ cups passata di pomodoro
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2 cups warm beef broth
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1 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
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½ teaspoon ground coriander
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Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg (about 1/8 teaspoon)
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Parm Rind (optional)
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Salt & Pepper, to taste
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2 tablespoons unsalted butter, to finish
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1 lb pasta (rigatoni, tagliatelle, or pappardelle)
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Reserved pasta water
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Freshly grated parm or Pecorino Romano (to finish)
Directions
In a mini food processor, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Process until they’re finely chopped, then set aside.
Heat a wide heavy pan or Dutch oven over medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon EVOO and the ground Wagyu. Spread it out and do not touch for 2 to 3 minutes to develop a crust. Break up and continue browning until deeply caramelized and most moisture is gone (8 to 10 minutes). Transfer beef to a bowl (leave the fat in the pan).
Lower heat to medium. Add pancetta to the same pan with the rendered Wagyu fat. Cook 5 to 6 minutes until fat renders and pancetta is lightly golden.
Add the carrot, celery and onion mixture and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very soft, jammy, and fragrant (making sure it doesn’t brown).Then add crushed fennel seeds, ground coriander, and nutmeg. Stir and cook 30 to 60 seconds until aromatic.
Add the tomato paste directly into the pan. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a darker brick red and smells sweet and caramelized.
Add the browned Wagyu (and any juices) back into the pan and mix thoroughly with the sofrito and tomato paste. Then deglaze with the wine and scrape the bottom of the pan to release all browned bits. Let it simmer and reduce 3 to 5 minutes until the wine is almost fully evaporated and the mixture looks glossy, not liquidly.
Stir in the passata, warm broth, and add a parm rind (if using). Bring to a simmer. Then lower heat to medium and simmer uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring every 5 to 8 minutes. Add small splashes of additional broth only if the sauce becomes too thick. You want steady bubbling and gradual reduction.
During the last 15 minutes of simmering, boil the pasta in heavily salted water until just shy of al dente. Reserve about 1 cup pasta water, then drain.
Lower heat and stir in 2 tbsp butter until melted and glossy. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Then add the drained pasta directly into the sauce with 1/2 cup reserved pasta water. Toss over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce clings and becomes silky. Add more pasta water as needed to loosen and emulsify.
Finish with freshly grated parm or Pecorino Romano. Enjoy!
Recipe Note
Author Bio
Rocco is a self-taught home chef known for his Italian-American style of cooking. He shares easy weeknight recipes, traditional holiday meals with a twist, and comforting dinner ideas for the everyday household on his blog cookingwithrocco.com and his Instagram @cooking_with_rocco. When he's not in the kitchen, he enjoys trying different restaurants, expanding his wine knowledge, and sharing his travel destinations with his Instagram followers.