Name: White Bolognese Sauce Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 15 min
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 4 oz pancetta, diced; 2 pounds ground pork; 4 cloves garlic, minced; Salt, to taste; 2 carrots, diced; 2 stalks celery, diced; 1 onion, diced; 1 cup dry white wine; 2 cups chicken broth; 1 cup whole milk; 2 bay leaves; 10 sprigs fresh thyme; 2 sprigs fresh rosemary; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 2-inch parmesan rind

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Introduction

White Bolognese Sauce is a rich and comforting Italian meat sauce made without tomatoes, featuring tender pork and aromatic herbs. It’s perfect for pairing with wide pasta like pappardelle or rigatoni for a flavorful, hearty meal.

A white bowl holds a dish with two main layers: the bottom layer is a nest of creamy, pale yellow fettuccine pasta with a smooth and slightly shiny texture, and the top layer is a thick, brownish ground meat sauce mixed with a light reddish-orange cream, sprinkled with small green parsley pieces and finely grated pale cheese. The sauce looks rich and chunky, spread evenly over the pasta, with some sauce visible at the bowl's edges. The background is a white marbled surface. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

4 oz pancetta, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground pork
Salt, to taste
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
10 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 tsp nutmeg
2-inch parmesan rind
1 cup whole milk

Instructions

Step 1: In a Dutch oven or large pot, cook the diced pancetta over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes until browned. Remove and set aside.
Step 2: Reduce heat to medium and add diced carrots, celery, and onion to the pot. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until softened.
Step 3: Increase heat to medium-high, add ground pork and minced garlic, breaking up the meat with a spatula. Cook for 5-8 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt.
Step 4: Pour in the white wine and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Simmer for 5 minutes until slightly reduced.
Step 5: Stir in chicken broth, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and the parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook over medium-low heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Step 6: Stir in the whole milk, cover, and cook for another 45-60 minutes until the sauce thickens. Uncover towards the end if you prefer a thicker consistency.
Step 7: Skim excess grease from the top, stir, taste, and adjust salt as needed. Serve tossed with pappardelle, spaghetti, or rigatoni.

Tips & Variations

Substitute ground veal or ground beef for pork to change up the flavor profile.
If you don’t have a parmesan rind, add ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese when stirring in the milk for similar depth.
Cooking the sauce low and slow helps develop rich flavors and tender meat texture.

Storage

Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally to preserve texture and flavor.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a white bowl filled with wide yellow pasta ribbons layered with creamy melted cheese that stretches upwards from the bowl, and a chunky light brown meat sauce mixed throughout. The dish is topped with finely chopped green herbs and small black pepper specks. A spoon lifts a portion of the pasta with cheese and meat sauce, capturing the gooey texture and details of each ingredient. The white bowl rests on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use ground beef instead of pork?

Yes, ground beef or veal can be used as a substitute for ground pork to create a different but still delicious white bolognese sauce.

What pasta works best with White Bolognese?

Wide, flat pastas like pappardelle or tubular shapes like rigatoni are ideal as they hold the creamy sauce well, but spaghetti also works if that’s what you have on hand.