Homemade Family Bolognese – Easy Double Batch for Freezing

Family-Favorite Bolognese (Double Batch for Freezing!)

There are a handful of meals that always catch my eye on a restaurant menu — and a good, rich Bolognese is one of them. I’ve ordered it countless times, but until this week, I had never made it myself. I had most of the ingredients already and I knew a rainy Sunday would be perfect.  I didn't plan to make a blog post for this- soI only had one pitiful photo-  but I also NEEDED to have a way to go back and make this again. 

Okay, I had never made this before so  I gave myself a lot of grace with this one. I combined several recipes that I found and it turned out AMAZINGGGG. I wanted something cozy, flavorful, and (hopefully) kid-approved. I also doubled the recipe so I could freeze half but honestly- we could have probably eaten this all. I was thinking about other things to make this sauce for- I was thinking it may also be good for chili? Adding a bunch of beans? Idk. I love beans and I love this sauce. 

It’s hard to find a dinner that everyone in our house loves right now, but they all devoured this one. Matt asked if he could take the leftovers to work the next day. I told him that if he’d just go ahead and retire me, I could make recipes like this all the time.

This Bolognese turned out incredible — rich and deeply flavorful — but what surprised me most was how easy it was. Once everything is simmering, you just walk by and give it a stir every so often. The ingredients do the work for you.

🍝 Family-Favorite Bolognese

Ingredients

(Makes a generous double batch — perfect for freezing!)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 small yellow onions, finely diced

• 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced

• 2 stalks celery, finely diced

• 5 cloves garlic, minced- measure with your heart

• 8 ounces pancetta, diced

• 2 pounds lean ground beef

• 3 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

• 2 cups whole milk

• 2 cups dry white wine- I used Sauvi B from the Bota Box. 

• 2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes ( I used diced and crushed because that is what I had. I DO recommend using San Marzano type-the Italian ones. I think this makes a difference)

• 2–3 cups chicken bone broth

• ¼ cup heavy cream

• Pappardelle 

• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics:
   Heat olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 10 minutes). Add garlic and cook for 1–2 minutes more.

2. Add pancetta and beef:
   Stir in the diced pancetta and let it cook for a few minutes until it begins to render and crisp. Then add the ground beef, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Cook, breaking the beef into small pieces, until no longer pink.

3. Evaporate the milk:
   Pour in the milk and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until most of the liquid has evaporated. The meat should look moist but without visible fluid in the pan (about 10–15 minutes).

4. Add wine:
   Stir in the white wine and cook until mostly evaporated (about 12 minutes).

5. Add tomatoes and broth:
   Add the whole peeled tomatoes (crushing them gently with your hands or a spoon) and pour in the chicken bone broth. Stir well to combine. I didn't have whole peeled so I used 1 can crushed and 1 can diced. 

6. Simmer slowly:
   Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low, and let it cook uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken and deepen in flavor as it cooks. I think I did mine closer to 3.5 hours then I put the lid on until I was ready to serve. 

7. Finish with cream:
   In the last 10 minutes, stir in the heavy cream to round out the flavor and texture. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

8. Serve:
   Spoon over your favorite pasta ( I used pappardelle) and top generously with grated Parmesan.

🧊 To Freeze

Let the sauce cool completely, then divide into freezer-safe containers or bags. It will keep well for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator and warm on the stove when ready to serve.

Final Thoughts

This Bolognese reminded me that sometimes the best meals aren’t the ones that require perfection — they’re the ones that fill your home with good smells and your people with good food. It’s rich, comforting, and somehow even better the next day.

If you’re home for a few hours on a weekend or snow day, put this on the stove, pour a glass of wine, and let it do its thing. You’ll feel like you’re in a cozy little trattoria — minus the price tag.