Veal Bolognese Sauce

A plate of curly pasta with veal bolognese on top.

This simple veal bolognese sauce comes together in under 30 minutes and is bursting with rich, hearty flavor. Serve it over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles for a delicious and satisfying meal!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings servings

Calories 256kcal

Author Jessy Freimann

Equipment

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
½ cup onion, finely diced
½ cup carrots, finely diced
½ cup celery, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground veal (you can substitute with lean ground beef)
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or more if you want it spicy)
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
2 Tablespoons white wine
¼ cup whole milk
14.5 ounce petite diced tomatoes canned
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1 pinch baking soda
Zucchini noodles or the pasta of your choice
Romano or Parmesan cheese, for sprinkling

Instructions

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium high heat.
Add the onions, carrots and celery to the pan and sauté until softened stirring often, about 4-5 minutes.
Add garlic and sauté stirring often until fragrant, around 1 minute.
Add the ground veal and sauté using wooden spoon to break up the meat as it cooks until the veal is fully browned, around 5 minutes.
Add salt, crushed red pepper, dried basil, dried Italian seasoning, wine, milk, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and baking soda and stir until well combined.
Bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium.
Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes stirring periodically.
Serve immediately over zucchini noodles or pasta with a sprinkle of Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Video

Notes

Be careful not to burn the garlic. It can turn the dish bitter, and you’ll need to start over if that happens!

Taste as you go. Everyone’s taste buds are different, so be sure to taste your sauce while cooking and adjust the seasonings to your liking.

No sugar in my sauce. Grandma would never approve it! Instead, I use a pinch of baking soda to balance the acidity, allowing the natural sweetness of the tomatoes to come through.

If you decide to use fresh herbs, add them at the end of cooking for the best flavor.

For a little extra heat, simply add more crushed red pepper flakes or even a dash of cayenne pepper.

Ingredients to prep ahead- Chop the veggies and mince the garlic, then store them in airtight containers in the fridge.

Leftovers and storage- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition