Quick and Easy Bolognese
Quick and Easy Bolognese is your weeknight pasta hero – rich, savory, and brimming with comforting flavors, yet simple enough to whip up without spending all day in the kitchen. The combination of tender pappardelle, a creamy tomato-based sauce, and a trio of ground meats makes this dish feel indulgent but totally approachable.
This version keeps the spirit of a traditional bolognese but speeds things up with a one-pot method that still delivers deep, developed flavor. It’s perfect for cozy dinners, easy entertaining, or whenever you need a big bowl of pasta happiness.
Before You Get Started
You’ll need a large, heavy pot (a low Dutch oven is perfect) to help the sauce simmer evenly. Have all your vegetables chopped before you start — once things get going, it moves quickly. Use quality beef broth and a mix of meats for the best flavor, and pappardelle noodles for that wide, silky bite.
What You Need To Make Quick and Easy Bolognese
You can find the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card, but here’s the lineup:
- A mix of ground beef, Italian sausage, and veal
- Fresh vegetables for a flavorful base
- Tomato paste, broth, and milk for richness
- Wide pappardelle noodles
- Creamy cheese and heavy cream for the perfect finish
How To Make Quick and Easy Bolognese
1
Sauté the aromatics (shallots, carrots, celery, and red pepper) with garlic, salt, and pepper until softened.
2
Add the meat and cook until browned. Stir in tomato paste, milk, beef broth, diced tomatoes, and oregano. Bring to a boil.
3
Add pappardelle on top, gently working them in, and cover to steam if needed.
4
Finish with heavy cream and mozzarella, then cook until the sauce is creamy and the pasta is coated. Garnish with Parmesan.
Quick and Easy Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 Italian meat mix premade or store-bought ground beef, Italian sausage, and veal
- 2 shallots finely diced
- 2 celery sticks finely diced
- 2 carrots finely diced
- 1 red pepper diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 cups beef broth such as Kettle and Fire
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ cup creamy mozzarella cheese
- 1 package pappardelle noodles
- Parmesan for garnish
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Dried oregano to taste
- Minced garlic to taste
Instructions
- In a low Dutch oven, sauté shallots, carrots, celery, red pepper, salt, pepper, and garlic until translucent. Add in meat, cover, and cook until browned.
- Stir in tomato paste, milk, beef broth, diced tomatoes, and dried oregano. Bring to a boil.
- Place noodles on top, gently working them into the sauce. Be careful not to break them. Cover to let them steam and soften if needed.
- Once pasta is softened and cooked, stir in heavy cream and mozzarella cheese. Let cook 7–10 more minutes. Garnish with Parmesan and serve hot.
