How To Make Traditional Bolognaise Recipe

As you may have seen on Facebook over the weekend. I am trying to move away from the convenience of jars and packets and make my own homemade versions. I have never been able to make my own traditional bolognaise recipe before. It has always had something missing. So I went searching and found a recipe I could tweak.

You may laugh but I can not stand tomatoes. I was forced to eat them when I was about 6-7 at school and they made me sick. Luckily my mum let me have packed lunch from then on. Even now when using tomatoes I can not stand the smell of them. I do love bolognaise, as long as it is not too tomato tasting.

As you know I like simple, quick and easy recipes.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oilAMP
1 medium carrot
1 small celery stalk
1 small onion
garlic
300g minced beef
300g minced pork
1/2 cup red wine
beef stock cube
2 tablespoons tomato puree
A packet or jar of passata sauce
salt
Pepper
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup of milk

How To Make

• Cut the carrot and celery into small pieces – I use a blender that takes seconds
• In a pan add the olive oil and heat
• Add the carrot, celery and onion and stir until softened. Then add the garlic – I use lazy garlic and added a teaspoon
• Add the minced beef and minced pork – Lidls do a minced beef and pork mix especially for bolognaise. Cook through until the meat is browned
• Add the stock cube
• Add the red wine
• Next add the tomato puree, passata and bay leaves and stir through
• Turn the heat down to the lowest setting and simmer for around 3 hours, stirring occassionally
• Remove the bay leaves
• Before serving add the milk and heat through – I saw a couple of recipes stating about milk so thought I would give it a try
  

The Taste Test

Whilst shopping in Lidls, I saw that they had fresh gnocci on offer. I cook this and drained the water and then added the bolognaise to the gnocci and carefully mixed through.

I decided to us gnocci to have something a little different to spaghetti.

I topped with freshly ground parmesan and waited on the results from my taste testers – my husband and daughter.

No one complained, they both loved it and had clean plates. Which means that this is a winning recipe I am going to keep.

I froze the rest of the bolgnaise down for another day.

Now to see what to do with left over gnocci? I have seen a lovely idea so look out for how I used mine soon.

What traditional recipes would you like me to try and report back on?

This recipe sounds so yummy y and easy to make. I have always loved bolognaise but never tried the traditional recipe. I guess now I can.

It is so easy to make as well I need to make another batch this week

I love bolognese and this recipe looks absolutely delicious. Will definitely be giving it a try when I next plan to make one.

It is so easy and the first one I have made everyone has loved

This is pretty much the same as the recipe I use but adding gnocci is something I have never thought about but it would work. Great idea.

I only used gnocci as had a huge packet in and thought why not. I went well with the bolognaise

This looks like a delicious Bolognaise. My kids love it so much so I will have to try out this recipe for them! I am hungry now

I hope you enjoy it

I make bolognaise often for my family but have never added milk. I look forward to trying your version to see if the taste is better than my version.

I have never added milk before either, but will from now on

We love Bolognaise. But I have not tried making at home. Your recipe looks simple to cook. I would love to try it sometime.

It is such a quick and easy recipe to make which is what I love

I homemade bolognaise is one of the things my husband loves cooking. And I can’t even imagine using a pre-made/ jar version any more. Great recipe x

I have always had problems with making my own as there has always been something not right. So tried this recipe with a few tweaks and it was a huge hit and so easy

I don’t think I have truly ever had a genuine bolognaise. It would be nice to try making this at home. Sounds delicious!

You need to try it

I love that it incorporates classic ingredients! Sounds the perfect comfort food for any day, especially served with pasta!

I do love pasta so anything pasta related I do love to try to make

Ooo this is one of my all time fav comfort dishes and when done right it is yummy. I am going to give this a go next weekend wish me luck lol xx

Good luck hope you enjoy it as much as we did

I love homecooked bolognaise that my inlaws make. I guess it’s time to make my own. Didnt realize it’s this easy.

There are more difficult recipes, I did have one years ago which I can no longer find and I used to love. This does come a very close second though

I like simple and easy recipes, too. I will have to try your recipe sometime. It looks delish and I haven’t had bolognaise in a while.

I always opt for simple easy recipes, my husband is the one who does the complicated recipes that take ages and use 100 items

Spaghetti bolognaise has to be one of my all time favourites. It’s so tasty and versatile too. We adjust every so often so I am always looking out for new versions to try. I’m looking forward to trying this version, we don’t normally add celery or bay leaves to ours.

I love pasta so this has always been a grey area with me that I have never found a recipe that we all enjoy. I am not a celery eater I can not stand it, but in my electric chopper it goes fine and you do not taste it, but I do use it in cooking for a base for sauces etc.

This looks so good. I can’t wait to try this at home. And share it with my family

My family loved it hopefully you enjoy it as well

That looks delicious and I will certainly give this recipe a try. I do like to cook from scratch as often as I can

I do make a lot of meals from scratch but there are some I have just never mastered and choose the easy option of jars

Thanks for sharing can’t beat a home cooked bolognaise to share with the family

The first time I have made it from scratch and no one has moaned about it

I think there is something so comforting about a traditional spegetti dish! Thank you for sharing your recipe.

I agree it is comfort food

so yummy – chilli con carne and meat and potato pie recipes would be a lovely addition

Funny you should say that am thinking of a chilli one next

Yum this looks really good – I love gnocchi too!

I wanted to start cooking from scratch for meals I cheat and use jars or packets. Bolognaise has always been one I have never managed to do from scratch. I also love how quick and easy it is

This sounds very tasty. I have always cheated up until now by using jars , but will give this a try!

Honestly it is so quick and easy and there was no horrible comments that your family love to give you

the traditional Bolognese recipe offers a rich, hearty sauce that’s perfect for pasta. the slow cooking process really enhances the flavors.

It did smell great cooking slowly

this bolognese recipe looks like a great go-to meal. simple ingredients, but packed with flavor. definitely worth trying.

We all enjoyed it and I will not buy a jar again

It’s a beautiful image you’ve made of your recipe. I really enjoy the energy coming through the images photographed by the recipe creators. Happy 2025 to you!

I was so happy with the end result that my whole family enjoyed

This was so good. I’ve never tried making bolognaise for myself, but it was actually a lot easier than I thought it would be.

It is one of those meals I have never succeeded in making myself, so this year I am on a mission to try a new recipe each week and try to succeed with. This got a thumbs up. I also love easy recipes as well

I love Bolognaise so much but never had the courage to cook it myself…I can’t wait to make your recipe, can’t wait…

I have attempted in the past but never a success. This one got the thumbs up by everyone and is so quick and easy which I love