This White Bolognese Sauce combines beef & Italian sausage in this silky, rich & delicately spiced sauce that’s perfect for topping a bowl of pasta!
Bolognese is an Italian slow cooked traditional sauce that often involves several techniques during its preparation, including sweating, sautéing, and simmering. It’s a labor of love.
The backbone starts with a sofrito- A combination of onion, celery and carrot that is cooked along with the meat (usually beef, pork, or a combination of both)Â and finished off with a splash of milk or cream. The milk not only helps to round out the flavors, and add a bit of richness to the sauce, but it actually helps to tenderize and break down the meat.
Typically you’ll find Bolognese as a red sauce – Made with tomatoes and maybe even a splash of red wine. I actually tend not to make it at home, just because my go-to red meat sauce is my Nana’s Sunday Gravy. But, a few months back, while browsing through one of my Rachael Ray magazines, I came across a recipe where she made a white meat sauce. It had me totally intrigued.
While her version uses a combination of beef and veal, I chose to spice things up a bit with my White Bolognese Meat Sauce by swapping out the veal for some Italian sausage. I also left out the sage (it just reminds me too much of Thanksgiving stuffing) and upped the amount of white wine. Because, in my book, you can never have too much wine. A blend of spices – nutmeg, allspice and bay, up the comfort factor, and the result is a big pot of the most silky, rich, and delicately spiced sauce that’s perfect for topping a bowl of al dente pasta. You can devour it as is, or sprinkle on a bit of parmesan cheese and fresh parsley for even more flavor.
As far as the wine goes, you’ll be using a lot in this recipe. I always tend to have a bottle of dry vermouth on hand in the cupboard. I prefer using it to white wine just because I can always have it on hand. Vermouth is a fortified wine that doesn’t go bad, and it’s affordable, under $7 a bottle. But, if you’re going the white wine route, lean towards something on the dry and unoaked side. A Pinot Gris or Sauvignon Blanc will work well here.
I can tell you that I ate this White Bolognese Meat Sauce for both lunch and dinner, four days straight, and I didn’t get tired of it… And, although my Nana’s Sunday Gravy will always reign supreme in my book for it’s nostalgia, this White Bolognese Sauce definitely comes in at a close second and will be filling in on those days when I get bored of our family’s traditional red sauce.
Pasta Recipes:
- Squid Ink Pasta with Shrimp & Cherry Tomatoes
- Creamy Pumpkin Pasta with Sausage & Sage
- Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce
- Easy Lemon Pasta
- Half & Half Linguini with Zucchini Noodles & Fried Capers
Wine Pairings for White Bolognese Sauce:
Try an Italian wine with this White Bolognese Meat Sauce –
- If you’re feeling fancy, and looking to splurge, try a Barolo or Barbera wine – Their round fruit flavors will compliment this dish nicely.
- For a lower priced option, try a Chianti – It’s tannins and acidity will pair well with the creamy flavors in this pasta.
- Looking for something a bit lighter? Try a Lambrusco – Its slight effervescence and acidity will stand up nicely to the rich meat sauce.
I think you will love this White Bolognese Sauce. If you do, I would appreciate it so much if you would give this recipe a star review! Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.
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White Bolognese Sauce Recipe
White Bolognese Sauce
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 pound ground beef
- 3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
- 2 medium carrots (finely chopped)
- 2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
- 1/2 onion (minced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 1/2 cups white wine (or dry vermouth)
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add butter and when the foaming subsides, add the meat, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. Once browned, add carrot, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaf, nutmeg and allspice to pan and cover. Cook 10-12 minutes, to sweat the vegetables, stirring occasionally. Add the white wine and allow to boil and evaporate. Add broth and milk, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes over low heat.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta to al dente, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid before draining. Drain pasta and add to the sauce along with the parmesan and reserved pasta water. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
Yum! I think I’d make this a pizza topping or use it for Italian nachos.
That sounds SO good Meredith – Great idea!!!
Ooh I love a good Bolognese sauce – either tomato or white wine- based! This looks so delicious, and totally hits my need for fall comfort food right now!
I agree Marlynn – I’ll take pasta with a good sauce over chocolate any day of the week!
That looks so good! 🙂 My husband loves anything pasta. I will try you recipe and make it for him. 🙂
Awesome! Let me know how he likes it Raz!!!
I don’t totally know why but bolognese is the thing I miss most after becoming vegetarian…. maybe I’ll try this as a veggie option!
I think you could TOTALLY do a veggie option Erin – Maybe throw a blend of some exotic mushrooms in there!
Totally love the idea of a white meat sauce! Curious to see if my family will like this even better than an original bolognese!
Thanks Karly! I’d love to hear back on what your family thinks!
I love a good bolognese and your recipe sounds so good. Bolognese is just about the one thing I’m allowed to make at home (wife is a professional chef) so I’ll try to surprise her with your recipe soon.
Awesome! I’d love to hear back on how impressed she was 😉
I’m intrigued with the white sauce as well. I love Meredith’s idea of using this as a pizza topping, too.
I know, right?! I definitely need to try this on pizza!
Made this today and it was spectacular. The only adjustment I made was to brown 4 oz. diced pancetta along with the beef. Used a nice dry Falanghina white wine. This bolognese is perfect over pappardelle. Don’t skimp on the nutmeg!
So glad you liked it Tess!
I know I am very late but if anyone from the internet sees this recipe and does not use ANY alcohol in daily life then use some apple cider vinegar and white cranberry juice ( more vinegar than juice) and it is perfect. also instead of alcoholic pairings, cranberry ginger ale goes with anything ^^ also 4 stars because of the lack of non-alcoholic substitutes.
Wheres the white sauce!?? looks dry AF!
It wasn’t dry at all and was actually so delicious that everyone we had over for dinner had seconds!
Can the sauce be prepared the day before a party?
It sure can! I find it even better the next day.
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