The BEST Pork Bolognese Recipe

Course: Entree

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: bolognese, pork bolognese

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 30

Total Time: 40

Servings: servings

Calories: 555kcal

Author: Colleen Kennedy

A great Bolognese recipe is pure comfort food and always hits the spot! This is the best Pork Bolognese recipe. My favorite!

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Ingredients

1 ½ TBS bacon grease grapeseed oil or olive oil
1 ½ cups chopped Vidalia onion about 1 med-large
Heaping ½ cup chopped carrots
⅓ cup chopped celery optional
Kosher salt and black pepper
3 large cloves of garlic minced
2 pounds ground pork
8 oz tomato paste
2 cups red wine something full-bodied that you would drink...not a "cooking" wine. I like a Cab for this
½ cup water
A few sprigs of Thyme
½ TBS sugar optional
Red pepper flakes if you want a little heat optional
Pasta I like Rigatoni for this, however, any type of pasta works
Freshly grated Parmesan or your favorite hard Italian cheese if you like

Instructions

In a large pot, heat bacon grease or olive/grapeseed oil.
Add in the onions, carrots and celery and saute for 5 minutes or until tender and just browning.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add in garlic and saute for 1 minute.
Add in pork, break it up and allow it to brown.
Add in tomato paste, stirring to combine it with the meat and vegetables.
Add in wine, water and Thyme.
Season with additional salt and pepper and if adding sugar do so here (see notes).
Turn heat down to low and allow bolognese to simmer for 20-30 minutes, checking back often to stir and see if additional liquid (water or wine) needs to be added.
If you happen to have a Parmesan cheese rind, add it or a piece of it to the sauce (not necessary, just a nice way to use it up). And if you really enjoy garlic, add in some additional garlic for a stronger garlic flavor (adding some in towards the end gives a stronger flavor).
Add in a few shakes of red pepper flakes (more if you like heat) and maybe additional salt, taste and decide.
If you have the time, allow the bolognese to sit off heat for 15-30 minutes before serving, reheating if necessary. This deepens the flavor in my opinion and its fantastic the next day as well.
Serve over your favorite pasta ( I like it over rigatoni best), adding fresh shaved Parmesan if you enjoy it.

Notes

If you have Thyme on-hand add in a half dozen sprigs (tie together with kitchen twine for easy removal. OR strip two sprigs and add in just the leaves.

Tomato paste is bitter and depending on how dry the wine you used is...the sauce may need a bit of sugar. Taste and decide on your preference.

Don't be shy with your seasoning and salt. If you enjoy a bit of heat...add in red pepper...as much or as little as you like. Add in more garlic if you like as well.

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