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White Bolognese

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White Bolognese is a creamy and savory Italian meat sauce made without tomatoes, using a blend of ground meat, white wine, aromatics, broth, and dairy for a rich and elegant twist on the classic red version. Perfect for pairing with wide pasta like pappardelle.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 lb ground pork
  • 1/2 lb ground veal or beef
  • 1 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken or vegetable broth (plus more as needed)
  • 1 sprig fresh thyme or rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 12 oz pappardelle or wide pasta
  • Grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

Instructions

  1. In a large Dutch oven or skillet, heat olive oil and butter over medium heat.
  2. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened, about 8–10 minutes.
  3. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  4. Add ground pork and veal (or beef). Cook until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat as it cooks.
  5. Pour in white wine and simmer until reduced by half.
  6. Stir in milk or cream, broth, herbs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
  7. Reduce heat to low and let simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more broth if needed to keep the sauce loose.
  8. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  9. Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, then drain pasta.
  10. Toss pasta with sauce, adding a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen.
  11. Serve hot, topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

Notes

  • Use a mix of pork and veal for traditional flavor, or substitute with other ground meats.
  • Simmering the sauce slowly builds depth and richness.
  • Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency as needed.
  • Perfect for freezing—store sauce separately from pasta.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://thefamilycooking.com/white-bolognese/