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No tomatoes, no red sauce, just a rich, savory white Bolognese flavor loaded with beef, pork, bacon, white wine, and plenty of Parmesan. Tossed with noodles, it’s a fun and seriously delicious twist on classic Bolognese.
Why This is Pasta Perfection
- Rich Without Being Heavy: Cream and parmesan give the sauce a silky finish without overpowering all the savory flavors.
- Pasta Night, Upgraded: Pappardelle makes this feel a little fancy, but there’s no complicated technique or hard-to-find ingredients.
- Made For a Cozy Night In: No special occasion needed! Serve this dish with my favorite Caesar salad and plenty of crusty bread for soaking up every last bit of sauce.
Ingredients For White Bolognese
- Ground Beef & Pork: You can use all ground beef or all ground pork if you prefer.
- Bacon: I use thick-cut bacon, but pancetta is the traditional choice and works just as well.
- Heavy cream: You can use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream, but the sauce won’t be quite as rich or creamy.
- Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan melts best, but finely grated Parmesan from a container works too. I recommend avoiding pre-shredded Parmesan, which doesn’t melt as smoothly.
- Fresh herbs: If you’d like to use fresh herbs instead of dried, use 1 tablespoon of minced fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried herbs.
- White wine:Â Choose a dry white wine like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio. To make the recipe without wine, use apple juice, white grape juice, or additional chicken broth or beef stock.
How to Make White Bolognese Sauce
The secret to this pasta dish is really just giving the sauce a little time. Let it simmer, cook down, and get delicious while you go whip up some yummy garlic bread. Then comes the best part: tossing it all with pasta and plenty of Parmesan. For more pasta night inspiration, try my 5-ingredient miso pasta and dirty spaghetti next!
- Brown the Meat: Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the beef and pork, break them apart, and cook for about 5 minutes, until mostly browned. Remove the meat and set it aside.
- Cook the Bacon: Add the bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes, until crisp. Remove it and set it aside with the meat. Drain the pot, leaving about 2 tablespoons of fat.
- Cook the Vegetables: Add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent.
- Add the Wine and Herbs: Stir in the wine, rosemary, thyme, sage, salt, and pepper. Scrape up any brown bits from the bottom of the pot. Simmer for about 10 minutes, until most of the wine has reduced.
- Simmer the Sauce: Add the chicken broth, beef, pork, and bacon back to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Cook the Pasta: While the sauce simmers, cook the noodles according to the package directions. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water.
- Finish and Serve: Stir the cream and parmesan into the meat sauce. Simmer for 4-5 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the cooked pasta and toss to coat. Garnish white bolognese with fresh sage or rosemary, if desired, and serve right away.
Alyssa’s Pro Tip
Save the Pasta Water: Don’t pour it all out! The starch helps make the sauce smooth and creamy. It’s also great for leftovers. Add a few tablespoons when reheating to loosen the sauce and bring it back together.
Must Have Tools For This Recipe
- Large Skillet or Dutch Oven:Â Use a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven with enough room for the sauce and pasta.
- Large Pot: You’ll need a pot large enough to cook the pappardelle.
- Colander:Â For draining the pasta. Just don’t forget to reserve some pasta water first.
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White Bolognese
White bolognese is a rich, creamy meat sauce made with beef, pork, bacon, herbs, parmesan, and cream tossed with pasta.
Equipment
- 1 large, deep pot or Dutch oven
- 1 pot for cooking the pasta
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup chopped thick-cut bacon or pancetta
- 1 cup diced onion about half a large onion
- 1 cup diced carrots about 2 large carrots
- 1 cup diced celery about 3 medium ribs
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic about 6 cloves
- 1 ½ cups dry white wine
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon dried sage
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan
- 16 ounces uncooked pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta
Instructions
- Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then add 1 pound ground beef and 1 pound ground pork. Break apart the meat and cook until most of the pink is gone, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pot and reserve on the side.
- Add 1 cup chopped thick-cut bacon and cook for 3-4 minutes, until it is rendered and crispy. Remove to the side and reserve with the beef and pork. Drain off all of the fat except for 2 tablespoons.
- Add 1 cup diced onion, 1 cup diced carrots, 1 cup diced celery, and 2 tablespoons minced garlic and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, until the onion is translucent.
- Add 1 ½ cups dry white wine, 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon dried sage, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Stir everything together, scraping the bottom of the pan to get all the browned bits. Simmer for 10 minutes, until the wine is mostly reduced and the alcohol has been cooked out.
- Add 2 cups chicken broth and the pork, beef, and bacon back to the pot, then bring it back to a simmer for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook 16 ounces uncooked pappardelle or tagliatelle pasta according to the directions on the package. Once cooked, drain the water, being sure to reserve at least 1 cup of the water before draining it.
- Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and ½ cup shredded Parmesan into the meat mixture, then simmer for 4-5 minutes until thickened. Add the cooked pasta, garnish with fresh sage or rosemary, if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
Storage Instructions
- Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 7 days. Add a splash of pasta water when reheating to loosen the sauce.
- Freezer: Freeze the cooled sauce in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw, then reheat gently on the stove. Add pasta water as needed.
- Make Ahead: Make the sauce 1-2 days ahead for even more flavor. Reheat on the stove, add a splash of pasta water, then toss with freshly cooked pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 776kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 37gFat: 45gSaturated Fat: 19gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 184mgSodium: 1064mgPotassium: 742mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 3271IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 157mgIron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried this recipe?Mention @alyssa_therecipecritic or tag #therecipecritic!
