Bolognaise Sauce - Detail - © seriouseats.com via Pintrest

Slow Cooker Dishes: Bolognaise Sauce

This is the unchallenged champion of Italian Meat Sauces and I’ve never had a meatier, thicker richer version than the one this Slow Cooker recipe turns out! Most folks just ladle it over Pasta. But you can use it in may other ways, from a Pasta Bake casserole to Lasagna to your own Italian Sloppy Joes!

Bolognaise Sauce - © seriouseats.com via PintrestBolognaise Sauce over Papardelle Pasta. A classic presentation. But there are
so many other ways you can use this all-round Italian Meat Sauce!

What you need…

1/4 lb. /115 g Bacon, chopped fine
2 lbs. / 1 kg Italian Ground Meat Mixture (Pork with either Veal or Beef)
2 tbsp. / 30 ml Olive Oil
2 medium Onions, chopped fine
2 medium Carrots, peeled and grated
2 stalks Celery, chopped fine
3-4 cloves Garlic, chopped fine
1/2 cup / 125 ml Dry White or Red wine
1 can 28 oz. / 796 ml Crushed Tomatoes
3/4 cup / 175 ml Chicken Stock
3/4 cup / 175 ml 18% or 35% Cream
1 can 6 oz. / 156 ml Tomato Paste
1 tsp. / 5 ml Oregano
1 tsp. / 5 ml Basil
2 Bay Leaves
Salt and Pepper

Note on Veggies: These veggies can be simply pout through the Food Processor with the Chopper or Grater blade installed. We want the veggies to melt into the sauce by the time cooking is done.

What you do…

Brown the Ground Meat mixture and Bacon in a medium-sized frying pan. Remove, and set aside for now.

Sweat the Veggies, Herbs and Garlic in the same pan until Onions are translucent. Add Salt and Pepper now.

Deglaze the pan with the Wine. Stir with a wooden spoon to get all the wonderful flavour bits off the bottom of the pan!

Place everything EXCEPT the Cream in the Sow Cooker and cook covered on low for 8 to 10 hours. If you like your sauce thicker, cook uncovered for the last half hour or so to reduce.

Let the Sauce sit for a few minutes after cooking to rest. Remove the Bay Leaves. Stir to incorporate any liquid remaining on top of the Sauce.

Stir in the Cream just before serving.

Serve over Pasta, or in any Italian recipe that calls for Bolognaise sauce. I’ve even used this stuff for Italian Sloppy Joes!

Garnish with Grated Parmesan or Romany Cheese and chopped Italian Parsley, as desired.

Make lots and freeze it so you’ll have some handy any time the craving strikes you!

~ Maggie J.