Spicy Lamb Bolognese

Name: Spicy Lamb Bolognese
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon butter; 1/4 cup olive oil (divided); 1 onion (finely chopped); 1 carrot (peeled and finely chopped); 1 celery (finely chopped); 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided); 3/4 pound ground lamb; 3/4 pound ground beef chuck; 1 clove garlic (chopped); 1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste; 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes; 1/4 cup tomato paste; 1/2 cup whole milk; 1 cup dry red wine (such as Chianti); 1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand; 1 bay leaf; 1 3inch piece of parmesan rind; 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese; Pappardelle pasta, for serving

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This version of bolognese is half lamb and half ground beef, a mixture you'll see a lot in northern Italy. Because the lamb is lean, this is a somewhat lighter sauce than all-beef or pork-based ragu. This sauce needs a good long simmer, but it makes enough for two meals! The pasta shouldn't be swimming in sauce; you only want it to stain the pasta, so you'll likely have some leftover sauce, which I love to have in the fridge for a bonus weeknight dinner.

Servings

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

180 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup olive oil (divided)

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1 onion (finely chopped)
1 carrot (peeled and finely chopped)
1 celery (finely chopped)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
3/4 pound ground lamb
3/4 pound ground beef chuck
1 clove garlic (chopped)
1 teaspoon Calabrian chili paste

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1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup dry red wine (such as Chianti)
1 28-ounce can whole San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 bay leaf

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1 3inch piece of parmesan rind
1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Pappardelle pasta, for serving

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Instructions

Heat a medium dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil and warm until the butter is melted. Add the onions, carrots, celery and a 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook stirring often for 6 minutes or until the vegetable are soft but have no color. Add the lamb and beef and cook breaking apart the meat with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes or until the meat is cooked through and no longer pink. Stir the garlic, chili paste, red pepper flakes, and tomato paste into the meat mixture. Cook the tomato paste stirring often for 2 minutes. Add the milk. Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the milk is almost entirely evaporated. Add the wine, tomatoes, bay leaf, parmesan rind and remaining salt. Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to low to just maintain a gentle simmer.
Simmer the sauce for 1 ½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Skim the oil from the surface.
Spoon the bolognese over creamy polenta or pasta reserving any extra to serve on the side. Serve with additional parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil if desire.

Nutrition

Nutrition Serving Size: 6
per serving: Calories; 588

Amount/Serving % Daily Value

Carbs: 14 grams
Protein: 28 grams
Fat: 43 grams
Saturated Fat: 17 grams
Cholesterol: 108 milligrams
Sodium: 1062 milligrams
Fiber: 2 grams
Sugar: 7 grams

nut free

4 comments

Lizzi - Feb 29

★★★★★

★★★★★

fav recipe, 5 stars
Jack - Apr 01

★★★★★

★★★★★

This is okay, but needs a lot of help. I wouldn’t bother again.
Jack
Michael Grant - Oct 24

My go-to bolognese. I love the extra flavor kick the lamb and the Calabrian chili paste adds. This was the first recipe I made from “Giada’s Italy” and was alone worth the price of the book (though there are so many other good recipes in it as well).
Beth Henry - Jun 09

When do you add the 1 cup grated parmesan in ingredients to sauce?