Our recent trip to Italy has me wanting to recreate all the delicious Italian meals we ate there. Everything tasted so fresh and amazing. Bolognese was one of my favs, so I recreated my most treasured meal. I love how much protein you get in each serving and how this sauce simmers for a few hours to enhance the rich flavors. This is a perfect meal to make on a Sunday or even on a busy weeknight. Prepare the sauce mid day and let it simmer on low until dinner time.
Traditional Bolognese sauce has milk in it. You can omit the milk for dairy free. If you are dairy tolerant, be sure to buy organic!
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 lb meatloaf mix (combination of ground beef, pork and veal), or ground beef’s
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 cup red wine
1 cup organic whole milk
1-28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup fresh chopped basil leaves
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling
Directions:
In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrots and cook for 5-7 minutes, until soft. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring well. Add the ground meat, crumbling with a spoon and cook until brown. Add the wine and cook for 10 minutes until mostly absorbed. Add the milk and cook for 20 more minutes or until mostly absorbed. Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth and bay leaves. Stir until well combined. Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. A layer of oil will form. You can spoon it off the top or stir it back into the sauce. If the sauce dries out, you can add 1/4 cup of hot water as needed. Stir in fresh basil.
Serve the bolognese sauce on top of spaghetti squash, zoodles or your favorite gluten free pasta. Serve with more basil and parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
