Name: Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)
Cuisine: イタリアン
Ingredients: Beef (steak cut, whole block) 400g; Salsiccia (or sausage) 100g; Onion 150g; Carrot 50g; Celery 50g; Olive oil 15 ml; Tomato paste 20g; White wine 150 ml; Water 300 ml; Milk 50 ml; Bay leaf 1; Thyme to taste; Rosemary to taste; Salt to taste; Black pepper to taste; Tagliatelle to taste (approx. 1 serving); Parmigiano-Reggiano to taste

About "Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)"

This recipe faithfully recreates the traditional "Ragù alla Bolognese" from Bologna, Italy. Unlike the tomato-heavy versions common in Japan, this authentic style puts the beef center stage, using tomato paste only for subtle flavoring. It features a soffritto (aromatic vegetables) slowly cooked for 20 minutes and steak cubes seared over high heat to lock in rich umami. Finishing with a splash of milk—a classic Bolognese signature—mellows the robust meat flavors. True to tradition, it is served with wide, flat tagliatelle pasta rather than spaghetti.

Video Timestamps

Tips for Making "Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)"

Ingredients
- Use steak-cut beef instead of ground beef; dicing it finely highlights the meat's aroma and texture.
Prep
- Separate the beef fat first and use it as the cooking oil for both the soffritto and the meat.
Prep
- Dice the soffritto vegetables slightly larger so they hold up against the chunky meat.
Soffritto
- Render beef fat in a cold pan, then add a pinch of salt right after adding vegetables to draw out sweetness without burning.
Soffritto
- Slowly sauté the vegetables for 20 minutes to build a rich soffritto base.
Heat Control
- Season meat generously right before cooking and sear on high heat without touching. Low heat steams the meat and loses umami.
Cooking Tips
- After adding white wine, deglaze the pan on high heat by scraping up the browned bits from the bottom.
Ingredients
- Use tomato paste instead of canned tomatoes for a less acidic, authentic deep brown color and flavor.
Simmering
- Add water, tomato paste, and herbs, then simmer gently for 20 minutes to reduce the liquid.
Finishing
- Add 50 ml of milk at the end and simmer on low for 5 minutes to mellow the meat flavors and add depth.
Storage & Prep
- The recipe makes 4–5 servings; transfer to a tray, cover with contact wrap, and let cool to settle the flavors.
Pasta
- Cook tagliatelle in 2L of water with 30g of salt (1.5% salinity).
Finishing
- Thin the sauce with pasta water, toss with tagliatelle 1 minute before it's fully cooked, and finish with olive oil.

Ingredients for "Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)"

17 items

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Beef(steak cut, whole block) 400g
Salsiccia(or sausage) 100g
Onion150g
Carrot50g
Celery50g
Oliveoil 15 ml
Tomatopaste 20g
Whitewine 150 ml
Water300 ml
Milk50 ml
Bayleaf 1
Thymeto taste
Rosemaryto taste
Saltto taste
Blackpepper to taste
Tagliatelleto taste (approx. 1 serving)
Parmigiano-Reggianoto taste

How to Make "Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)"

1
Separate the fat from the beef. Cut the remaining beef into small cubes. Finely chop the salsiccia (or sausage).
2
Dice the aromatic vegetables (onion, carrot, celery) into slightly larger pieces so they hold their own against the chunky meat.
3
[Soffritto] Place the reserved beef fat in a cold pan and heat over high heat to render the fat completely, coating the pan.
4
Add all the aromatic vegetables and immediately add a pinch of salt. If there isn't enough fat, add a little olive oil. Sauté slowly over low to medium heat for about 20 minutes to complete the soffritto.
5
[Searing the Meat] Place the remaining beef fat in another pan over high heat to melt. Generously season the cubed beef with salt right before cooking, then spread it in a flat layer in the pan. Season the top side with more salt and plenty of black pepper.
6
Sear on high heat without touching. Once a savory aroma develops, flip the meat all at once. Let the released juices evaporate while searing until the meat turns a deep brown color.
7
Once the meat is well-seared, add the white wine. Keep the heat high and scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan to deglaze, letting the wine reduce.
8
Add the chopped sausage and the sautéed soffritto, then mix everything together.
9
Add 300 ml of water (just enough to cover), and dissolve the tomato paste into it. Tie the bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary together and add them to the pan.
10
Simmer gently for about 20 minutes to cook down and evaporate most of the liquid.
11
Once the liquid has reduced, add 50 ml of milk and mix well. Simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes. Once the sauce thickens and comes together, the ragù is ready.
12
Transfer to a tray, cover with plastic wrap pressed directly onto the surface, and let it cool completely before using (or use once it has cooled slightly).
13
Bring 2L of water to a boil in a large pot, add 30g of salt (1.5% salinity), and cook the tagliatelle according to the package instructions.
14
Put the desired amount of sauce in a pan, and thin it out with a little pasta water and regular water. Heat the pan 1 minute before the pasta is done, add the cooked tagliatelle, and toss quickly to coat.
15
Drizzle with a little olive oil, turn off the heat, and plate. Grate a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top to finish.

Detailed Commentary on "Ragù alla Bolognese (Authentic Italian Style)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

What is Authentic Italian Bolognese?

Chef Hayashi introduces how to make a basic, authentic Italian Bolognese. While many Japanese recipes treat Bolognese like a tomato stew, the traditional version from Bologna, Italy, is all about the meat, with a signature splash of milk at the end. This recipe keeps things simple and easy to recreate at home. The basic ingredients are beef, aromatic vegetables, tomato paste, milk, white wine, water, salt, and black pepper. For extra depth, we'll use sausage, Parmesan cheese, bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary, and serve it with wide, flat tagliatelle pasta, just like they do in Italy.

Prep and Choosing the Right Meat

We start by prepping the star of the dish: the beef. Instead of ground beef, we use steak-cut beef chopped into small cubes. The fat is trimmed off first to be used as the cooking oil later. Depending on the household in Bologna, Bolognese can be made with beef alone or mixed with pork. Italian restaurants often combine beef with cured meats like pancetta or salsiccia (raw sausage) to create incredible depth of flavor. Today, we'll use Chef Hayashi's favorite sausage, finely chopped, as a substitute for salsiccia. Additionally, the aromatic vegetables (celery, carrots, and onions) for the soffritto are diced slightly larger to complement the chunky texture of the meat.

Slow-Cooking the Soffritto Base

Next, we sauté the chopped vegetables to create the soffritto, the flavor base of our sauce. Place the reserved beef fat in a cold pan and turn on the heat. Heat it over high heat to render the rich fat completely. Once the fat has melted, add all the chopped vegetables. A professional tip here is to add a pinch of salt immediately after adding the vegetables. The salt helps draw out their moisture, allowing them to sweat and release their natural sweetness and umami without burning. If you need more fat, adjust by adding about a teaspoon of olive oil. Sauté the vegetables slowly for about 20 minutes in total to complete the soffritto.

The Key: Searing Meat on High Heat

While the soffritto is cooking, we'll sear the meat in an adjacent pan. Melt the remaining beef fat in another pan. Right before searing, season the cubed beef generously with salt. Place the meat in the pan and spread it out as flat as possible. Season the top side with more salt and plenty of black pepper. The most crucial tip here is to sear it thoroughly over high heat. Sautéing over low heat will cause the meat to release its juices and steam, losing its umami. Be patient and don't touch the meat until a rich, savory aroma develops, then flip it all at once to get a beautiful sear. Letting the released juices evaporate and coat the meat until it turns a deep brown is the secret to a delicious Bolognese.

Adding Depth with Wine, Paste, and Herbs

Once the meat is well-seared, pour in the white wine. Keep the heat high and scrape the bottom of the pan to deglaze all those delicious browned bits, letting the wine reduce. Next, add the finely chopped sausage and the slow-cooked soffritto, and mix everything together. Pour in enough water to just cover the ingredients. While restaurants often use chicken stock, water works perfectly fine for home cooking. Dissolve the tomato paste into the mixture. Using paste instead of canned tomatoes prevents the sauce from becoming too acidic and preserves the deep, rich brown color characteristic of authentic Bolognese. Finally, add the bundled bay leaf, thyme, and rosemary, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.

Finishing with Milk for Richness

After simmering for 20 minutes, once the liquid has evaporated and the sauce has thickened, it's time for the finishing touch: milk. Stir in the milk and simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes. Adding milk to the concentrated meat base wraps the robust meat flavors in a creamy richness, transforming the sauce into a mellow, deeply complex masterpiece. This is an essential step in Bologna-style Bolognese that adds incredible depth. Once the sauce thickens and comes together, your Ragù alla Bolognese is complete. Since this recipe makes about 4 to 5 servings, transfer it to a tray, cover with plastic wrap pressed against the surface, and let it cool completely to allow the flavors to settle before using.

Serving with Tagliatelle and Tasting

Instead of standard spaghetti, we'll use tagliatelle—a wide, flat pasta that holds the rich sauce beautifully. Boil the pasta in 2L of water with 30g of salt (1.5% salinity). In a pan, take the desired amount of sauce and thin it slightly with a little pasta water and regular water. Heat the pan 1 minute before the pasta is done, add the freshly boiled tagliatelle, and toss quickly. Drizzle with a touch of olive oil, turn off the heat, and plate. Top with a generous grating of Parmesan cheese to complete your authentic Bolognese. The result is an incredibly meaty dish that feels like eating steak, yet it doesn't feel heavy at all, pairing perfectly with the tagliatelle. Making it from steak cubes preserves the rich aroma of the beef, offering a truly luxurious, authentic experience.

Don't Use Canned Tomatoes! Authentic Italian Bolognese Recipe