How to Make Slow Cooker Bolognese Sauce
Heat the olive oil., Add the onion, carrot, and celery, and cook until soft., Mix in the garlic and tomato paste, and cook briefly., Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until brown., Stir in the salt, pepper, and other spices., Mix in the milk...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Heat the olive oil.
Place a large skillet on the stove, and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
Turn the heat to medium, and allow the oil to heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until it starts to shimmer.You can substitute a dutch oven for the skillet if you prefer. -
Step 2: Add the onion
Add 1 finely chopped medium onion, 2 finely chopped celery stalks, and 1 finely chopped medium carrot to the skillet.
Allow the vegetables to cook until the onion is translucent and they’re all soft, which should take 8 to10 minutes.Stir the vegetables periodically to ensure that they cook evenly. , Once the vegetables are soft, add 2 to 3 minced cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons (33 g) of tomato paste, and stir to combine.
Cook the mixture for approximately 30 seconds or until you can smell the garlic.If you like, you can also mix in ½ cup (12 ½ g) of finely chopped parsley to the sauce base. , After you’ve cooked the garlic and tomato paste into the mixture, turn the heat up on the pan to medium-high.
Next, mix in 2 pounds (900 g) of ground beef.
Use a wooden spoon to break it apart, and allow the meat to cook until it is just browned, which should take 5 to 10 minutes.For the best results, use ground beef that has a 15 to 20 percent fat content., Once the ground beef is browned, add 2 teaspoons (11 g) of salt, ½ teaspoon (½ g) of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon (½ g) of dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon (1 g) of pepper to the skillet.
Stir until the spices are fully incorporated.You can add any other seasonings that you like, such as crushed red pepper flakes or dried basil. , When the spices are incorporated, pour 1 cup (240 ml) of milk into the skillet and stir well.
Allow the mixture to come to a rapid simmer, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.For a thick, rich sauce, use whole or 2% milk. , After you’ve brought the mixture to a simmer, allow it to continue cooking until the milk is reduced and there isn’t much liquid in the pan.
It should take approximately 10 minutes., Once the beef mixture has fully reduced, use a slotted spoon to place it in the bowl of your slow cooker.
Try to add as little liquid to the slow cooker as possible.For this recipe, your slow cooker must hold 6-quarts (5.7 l) or more. , Open 2 28-ounce (794 g) cans of whole, peeled tomatoes.
Use a strainer to remove the juice from the tomatoes, and reserve it for later., Transfer the whole tomatoes to the slow cooker bowl with the ground beef mixture.
Use a spoon to mash the tomatoes against the side of the slow cooker to break them into smaller pieces.If you prefer, you can mash the tomatoes with clean hands as you add them to the slow cooker. , Once you’ve added the tomatoes to the slow cooker, drop in a bay leaf.
Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
It should have a thick, sauce-like consistency.If the sauce appears too dry, add some of the reserved juice from the tomatoes.
If the sauce appears too liquidy, leave it as is.
You can evaporate the excess liquid can at the end of the cooking process. , Once all of the ingredients are mixed in the slow cooker, place the lid on it.
Turn the heat to low, and allow the sauce to cook for 8 hours.If you want your sauce to be ready sooner, cook it on high for 3 to 4 hours. , When you reach the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the lid from the sauce to determine its consistency.
If it’s too liquidy, leave the lid off for the final half hour so the excess liquid will evaporate.If the sauce appears too thick, mix in some of the reserved juice from the tomatoes to thin it out.
The sauce will be creamy and rich when it’s finished cooking. , When the sauce is finished cooking, toss it with your favorite pasta.
It typically pairs best with ribbon-like pasta or tube-like pasta.
Before serving the pasta and sauce, you may want to grate some parmesan cheese over the plate.If you prefer ribbon-like pastas, consider pairing the bolognese sauce with fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.
If you prefer tube-like pasta, consider pairing the bolognese sauce with rigatoni, penne, or macaroni. , -
Step 3: carrot
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Step 4: and celery
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Step 5: and cook until soft.
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Step 6: Mix in the garlic and tomato paste
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Step 7: and cook briefly.
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Step 8: Add the ground beef to the pan and cook until brown.
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Step 9: Stir in the salt
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Step 10: pepper
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Step 11: and other spices.
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Step 12: Mix in the milk and bring to a simmer.
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Step 13: Simmer the mixture until the milk reduces completely.
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Step 14: Transfer the beef mixture to the bowl of the slow cooker.
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Step 15: Strain the cans of tomatoes.
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Step 16: Place the tomatoes in the slow cooker and mash them.
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Step 17: Add the bay leaf and mix the sauce.
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Step 18: Set the slow cooker to low and cook the sauce for several hours.
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Step 19: Check the sauce in the last half hour of cooking.
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Step 20: Serve the sauce with pasta.
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Step 21: Finished.
Detailed Guide
Place a large skillet on the stove, and add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of olive oil.
Turn the heat to medium, and allow the oil to heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until it starts to shimmer.You can substitute a dutch oven for the skillet if you prefer.
Add 1 finely chopped medium onion, 2 finely chopped celery stalks, and 1 finely chopped medium carrot to the skillet.
Allow the vegetables to cook until the onion is translucent and they’re all soft, which should take 8 to10 minutes.Stir the vegetables periodically to ensure that they cook evenly. , Once the vegetables are soft, add 2 to 3 minced cloves of garlic and 2 tablespoons (33 g) of tomato paste, and stir to combine.
Cook the mixture for approximately 30 seconds or until you can smell the garlic.If you like, you can also mix in ½ cup (12 ½ g) of finely chopped parsley to the sauce base. , After you’ve cooked the garlic and tomato paste into the mixture, turn the heat up on the pan to medium-high.
Next, mix in 2 pounds (900 g) of ground beef.
Use a wooden spoon to break it apart, and allow the meat to cook until it is just browned, which should take 5 to 10 minutes.For the best results, use ground beef that has a 15 to 20 percent fat content., Once the ground beef is browned, add 2 teaspoons (11 g) of salt, ½ teaspoon (½ g) of dried thyme, ½ teaspoon (½ g) of dried oregano, and ½ teaspoon (1 g) of pepper to the skillet.
Stir until the spices are fully incorporated.You can add any other seasonings that you like, such as crushed red pepper flakes or dried basil. , When the spices are incorporated, pour 1 cup (240 ml) of milk into the skillet and stir well.
Allow the mixture to come to a rapid simmer, which should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes.For a thick, rich sauce, use whole or 2% milk. , After you’ve brought the mixture to a simmer, allow it to continue cooking until the milk is reduced and there isn’t much liquid in the pan.
It should take approximately 10 minutes., Once the beef mixture has fully reduced, use a slotted spoon to place it in the bowl of your slow cooker.
Try to add as little liquid to the slow cooker as possible.For this recipe, your slow cooker must hold 6-quarts (5.7 l) or more. , Open 2 28-ounce (794 g) cans of whole, peeled tomatoes.
Use a strainer to remove the juice from the tomatoes, and reserve it for later., Transfer the whole tomatoes to the slow cooker bowl with the ground beef mixture.
Use a spoon to mash the tomatoes against the side of the slow cooker to break them into smaller pieces.If you prefer, you can mash the tomatoes with clean hands as you add them to the slow cooker. , Once you’ve added the tomatoes to the slow cooker, drop in a bay leaf.
Use a wooden spoon to thoroughly mix the ingredients together.
It should have a thick, sauce-like consistency.If the sauce appears too dry, add some of the reserved juice from the tomatoes.
If the sauce appears too liquidy, leave it as is.
You can evaporate the excess liquid can at the end of the cooking process. , Once all of the ingredients are mixed in the slow cooker, place the lid on it.
Turn the heat to low, and allow the sauce to cook for 8 hours.If you want your sauce to be ready sooner, cook it on high for 3 to 4 hours. , When you reach the last 30 minutes or so of cooking, remove the lid from the sauce to determine its consistency.
If it’s too liquidy, leave the lid off for the final half hour so the excess liquid will evaporate.If the sauce appears too thick, mix in some of the reserved juice from the tomatoes to thin it out.
The sauce will be creamy and rich when it’s finished cooking. , When the sauce is finished cooking, toss it with your favorite pasta.
It typically pairs best with ribbon-like pasta or tube-like pasta.
Before serving the pasta and sauce, you may want to grate some parmesan cheese over the plate.If you prefer ribbon-like pastas, consider pairing the bolognese sauce with fettuccine, tagliatelle, or pappardelle.
If you prefer tube-like pasta, consider pairing the bolognese sauce with rigatoni, penne, or macaroni. ,
About the Author
Scott Thompson
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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