Bolognese meat sauce (Ragù) from Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking (page 203) by Marcella Hazan

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

  • Eat Your Books

    Can substitute tortellini, rigatoni, conchiglie, or fusilli pasta for tagliatelle pasta.

  • james_sdjgvi on June 01, 2026

    Absolutely delicious.

  • john_hpn9i3 on May 23, 2026

    The best bolognese, by a mile.

  • ldebuys on April 19, 2026

    Amazing! As expected. I don't see a reason to make a different bolognese sauce. The platonic ideal of bolognese. It obviously takes a long time, but it isn't difficult, especially if you food process all the vegetables. Bow down to Marcella!

  • nic_wfr3hi on March 21, 2026

    Easy and straightforward ragu. Delicious with no extra or fancy ingredients.

  • janet_x28jp9 on February 25, 2026

    Love making this sauce. Meditative process and always delicious. I know people skip the milk but I actually do this step. I feel like it does make a difference.

  • Baxter850 on February 22, 2026

    This was good but not as good as the Pasta Grannies version.

  • liza_r3dulm on February 12, 2026

    Excellent, just takes a while to make.

  • elizabeth_qe5381 on January 13, 2026

    The best bolognese, hands down.

  • Luckyme on July 06, 2025

    The first time I made this I learned what bolognese should actually taste like. It takes hours (but largely hands-off) and smells great while cooking. Worth the time.

  • apw2020 on January 16, 2025

    Classic, but do not rush this dish! Let it simmer.

  • averythingcooks on October 31, 2023

    This was a perfect recipe for a relaxed day at home and it is really good. I used her suggestion of 8 oz beef + 4 oz pork and home canned crushed tomatoes. I upped the onion & celery a bit to make up for less carrot (personal preference) and I ran the carrot & celery through the food processor. I also added some minced garlic & a bit of tomato paste. We loved this over homemade pasta but I think getting 6 servings would have been a stretch. I'll make this again...often.

  • markhayes on March 25, 2022

    Great recipe. Made it 30 times or more. Seeking other recipes to change things up a bit. Alice waters version is next on my Bolognese list. One great addition is sauteed mushrooms. As the sauce is cooking, I saute mushrooms till lightly browned. Flattening them as I cook them (per a great food and wine suggestion). You can serve them atop the bolognese or stir them in.

  • hirsheys on October 05, 2021

    Cooked as written - only changes I made were to use my food processor to chop the veggies super fine (as recommended by many reviewers), and used crushed tomatoes. Took forever to simmer, but came out delicious in the end. It tastes very much like the Bolognese sauces that I had in Italy.

  • taste24 on January 06, 2021

    Delicious and simple - excellent instructions. Make sure to add bunches of fresh grated parmesan at the end..

  • jhallen on January 05, 2021

    This is easy and very good. Simmering is no big deal.

  • aeader on December 27, 2020

    The best. A good weekend project, especially if you double the recipe and freeze. Keep tasting, I usually find it needs a little more salt. I use a full pound of meat and up the veggies a bit for proportion.

  • Beebopalulu on December 02, 2019

    Good, but I'm not sure if the time/result ratio is worth it for me.

  • Totallywired on November 27, 2018

    Have been making this for 10 years and have never had a need to veer off the recipe much. I do add some fish sauce to up the savouriness. Scales wonderfully and keeps forever.

  • Smokeydoke on January 06, 2018

    I make a version of this all the time. It's delicious as is, but over the years I've added some changes. Here are my personal notes: chop up veggies very small, shred the carrots then cut them. Saute veggies, then put aside, then add with the wine. Some "love" doesn't hurt. This recipe needs a lot of salt. A lot. Optional: add 1T of tomato paste and 2t of garlic at the end. This recipe takes forever and tastes better the next day. Always make at least a double batch. It's great for the meat filling in lasagna.

  • alex9179 on May 26, 2016

    I use the original measurements for the onion, celery, carrot (2T each) but make a 4x recipe for freezer stock. A wide cooking vessel, like a large sauté, helps speed reducing the liquid at each step but it is still a day long endeavor. Re-heat slowly at a low temperature to prevent the texture of the meat from hardening. Fresh pasta is a must, for us, with this sauce.

  • dclong on August 02, 2015

    Great recipe, and you should try it out. I've started an extra large batch out on the stove and transferred to a crock pot for the multi hour simmer, which is the key to this recipe. I also think the nutmeg brings it all together.

  • JLDuck on April 03, 2015

    Make sure that the vegetables are chopped very small.

  • stockholm28 on January 29, 2014

    This is not complicated, but takes at least 4 hours from start to finish. I made the pork variation. Double the recipe. Addendum 2018: I now make this every fall and quadruple the recipe. I freeze the sauce in single servings. When making such a large batch, it takes at least 6 hours to make the recipe from start to finish.

  • lhkelsey on November 24, 2013

    This is the best bolognese. We make double the recipe and freeze. Perfection!

  • Cheri on November 01, 2012

    This sauce freezes very well. Makes alot, so nice to have some sauce in the freezer for a quick weeknight meal.

  • TrishaCP on October 31, 2012

    I always forget how good this is until I have another occasion to make it. I also always forget that while it tastes good day one, it is spectacular by day two.

  • hshubin on December 24, 2011

    I read this recipe at a friend's house before buying the book, wrote it down and made it for years. Now I have the book and can see all the details. (P 203)

  • vinochic on November 10, 2011

    Easy and delicious!

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Reviews about this recipe

  • Leite's Culinaria by David Leite

    Rush this recipe, and you’ll miss its most important ingredient. Time. Time to ponder. Time to make lists. Time to sing the entire soundtrack of "Evita".

    Full review
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