Ina Garten Pasta Bolognese Recipe
The Ina Garten Pasta Bolognese Recipe is exactly what you need. This dish features a thick, meaty sauce and tender pasta.
Ingredients
- 1 pound of lean ground beef.
- 1 pound of dry shell or rigatoni pasta.
- 2 tablespoons of good olive oil.
- 1 cup of minced yellow onion.
- 2 cloves of minced fresh garlic.
- 1/2 cup of dry red wine.
- 1 can 28 ounces of crushed tomatoes.
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste.
- 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream.
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- 1/4 cup of fresh chopped parsley.
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese.
Instructions
Brown the Meat
- Heat the olive oil in your large pot. Add the ground beef over medium-high heat. Break it up into very small crumbles. Cook it until it is fully brown.
Sauté the Aromatics
- Add the minced onion to the pot. Stir in the garlic and cook well. Let them soften for about five minutes. They should be translucent and very fragrant.
Deglaze with Wine
- Pour the red wine into the pot. Use your spoon to scrape the bottom. This gets all the tasty brown bits up. Let the wine simmer for two minutes.
Add the Tomatoes
- Stir in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Add salt, pepper, and the ground nutmeg. Nutmeg is the secret to a great Bolognese.
Simmer the Sauce
- Lower the heat to a very soft simmer. Cover the pot and cook for thirty minutes. This lets all the deep flavors blend together.
Boil the Pasta
- Bring a separate pot of water to boil. Cook your pasta until it is al dente. This means it is still a bit firm. Drain the water well.
Finish the Sauce
- Stir the heavy cream into the meat sauce. Add the fresh parsley and Parmesan cheese. The sauce will become pink and very creamy.
Toss and Serve
- Add the cooked pasta into the sauce pot. Toss it well so every shell is filled. Serve it hot with extra cheese on top.
Notes
- Use a good quality dry red wine.
- Do not skip the ground nutmeg ingredient.
- It adds a very warm and authentic taste.
- Use pasta with holes to catch the sauce.
- Rigatoni or shells are the best choices here.
- Let the sauce simmer slowly for best results.
- Use heavy cream, not milk, for richness.
- Freshly grate your Parmesan cheese for melting.
- Add a splash of pasta water if dry.
- Store leftovers in a sealed glass container.