Lamb Bolognese is a twist on the classic Italian favorite. The sauce is simple and rustic and it’s made by slowly simmering carrots, onion, garlic, celery, tomato, herbs, and ground lamb in red wine stock. Look no further for a cozy, comforting dinner on weekends or during the holiday season.
If you are looking for a quick and easy pasta dinner, try 20 minutes creamy garlic pasta or this 30 minutes sun-dried tomato pasta.
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Why does this recipe work
- Flavorful twist to the classic Italian favorite.
- Rich Bolognese sauce tangling perfectly cooked rigatoni pasta.
- Cozy dinner that will become a family favorite.
- A perfect meal that is hearty, filling, comforting, and soothes your soul. Also, try our spiced ground lamb with potatoes.
- Great for family gatherings such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner.
Ingredients
- Pasta– uncooked pasta. I used rigatoni. You can use Tagliatelle or pappardelle too. Use any wide, flat-shaped pasta as it holds the sauce well.
- Ground lamb – the main ingredient for the lamb Bolognese sauce, use good quality ground lamb.
- Olive oil & butter – to brown ground lamb and saute veggies and aromats for the sauce.
- Celery, onion, and carrot – (mirepoix) most important trio that forms the base of a good Bolognese sauce. Ensure to finely dice the vegetables so it blends with the sauce well.
- Garlic – enhances the flavor of the sauce.
- Bay leaf
- Milk – a dash of full-fat milk to bring the Bolognese sauce together.
- Spices – I’m using pretty basic spices to enhance the flavor and taste of the sauce. Red chili flakes, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning (or use thyme, rosemary, and oregano mix).
- Stock – any stock of your choice, chicken stock or beef stock can be used. Feel free to use instant pot bone broth recipe to make your own.
- Dry red wine – use any cheap wine used for cooking. Dry red wine such as Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Merlot to add depth of flavor to the lamb Bolognese sauce.
- Tomatoes – I used tomato paste and a can of crushed tomatoes to add body to the Bolognese sauce. Tomato paste helps thicken the sauce and adds flavor, crushed tomatoes add texture and body to the sauce.
- Parmesan – finish off the dish with a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese to enrich flavor and taste.
- Parsley – fresh parsley for garnish.
Ingredients additions and substitutions
Ground lamb can be substituted with ground beef or ground pork.
Use half and half or whipping cream in place of milk for a richer, creamier sauce.
Use extra fresh herbs to enrich the flavor – fresh herbs such as fresh oregano and fresh rosemary.
For authentic Italian taste, consider adding anchovy paste for extra depth of flavor and umami.
Step-by-step Instructions
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or any heavy-duty pan. Add ground lamb and saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Lightly season meat with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to saute, breaking any lumps while cooking.
Step 3: Remove browned meat from the pan to the bowl, and set aside. Drain any excess fat left in the Dutch oven.
Step 4: Add butter to the pan. Saute celery, onion, and garlic (usually carrot, celery, and onion are cooked together). I added garlic first and then added carrots. Saute with constant stirring and cook until vegetables are softened, take about 4-5 minutes for vegetables to cook on medium heat.
Step 5: Add dried herbs (Italian seasoning), bay leaf, and finely diced carrots. Mix well and allow carrots to soften a little bit. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Step 6: Cook tomato pasta and crushed tomatoes. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan as you cook.
Step 7: Add the seasoning and spices – red chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
Step 8: Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
Step 9: Pour chicken stock or beef stock and dry red wine. Add back browned meat to the Bolognese sauce. Mix well, the alcohol content in the wine will get cooked and evaporated.
Step 10: Simmer heat, cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and let it cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
Step 11: After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, start prepping water to cook pasta. If pasta is cooked much before, it’ll sit and wait in a colander and begin to dry and clump to each other. Boil water in another large pot. When the water starts boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water.
Step 12: Cook pasta in boiling water until al-dente. I always cook pasta 2 minutes less than the time mentioned on the packet. Reserve a cup of pasta-cooked water.
Step 13: Stir a splash of milk or cream in the sauce.
Step 14: Drain pasta using a large slotted spoon and add it directly to the Bolognese sauce.
Step 15: Gently mix to coat pasta evenly in the sauce. Adjust the consistency of the sauce by pouring a little pasta-cooked water.
Step 16: Turn off the heat, and grate Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Mix well until the cheese is melted. Taste and check for seasoning, adjust if needed.
Serve hot garnished with fresh Parsley or fresh oregano leaves.
Tips For Success
- Finely diced veggies. Minced or finely diced veggies (onion, celery, carrot, and garlic) will blend with the sauce well.
- Cook pasta to al-dente. Be sure to cook pasta very al-dente. Pasta will continue to cook even after it’s removed from heat.
- Shred cheese. Pre-grated cheese has chemicals added to it that can prevent it from melting properly. Freshly grate cheese from a block.
Storage and Freezing Suggestions
Lamb Bolognese works well for leftovers. Store leftovers in airtight containers and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat in the microwave before serving.
If you plan to make a large batch and store it longer, you can freeze the sauce. If planning to freeze do not add milk to the sauce and hold the parmesan cheese and parsley. Once the sauce is cooked allow it to come to room temperature and then transfer to freezer-safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw frozen sauce under refrigeration, and reheat it on the stovetop. You can add a splash of milk or cream while reheating. Cook the pasta fresh and use some of the pasta’s cooked water to the sauce if needed. Stir cooked pasta with the sauce. Before serving grate parmesan cheese and sprinkle fresh parsley, serve hot.
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📋Lamb Bolognese
Ingredients
- 8 Oz Rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- 2 large stalks of celery finely diced
- 2 white onions finely diced
- 2 large carrots finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 bay leaf
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup crushed tomatoes
- ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup chicken stock
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 2 tablespoons milk full fat
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven or any heavy-duty pan. Add ground lamb and saute on medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Lightly season meat with a pinch of salt and pepper and continue to saute, breaking any lumps while cooking.
- Remove browned meat from the pan to the bowl, and set aside.
- Drain any excess fat left in the Dutch oven.
- Add butter to the pan. Saute celery, onion, and garlic (usually carrot, celery, and onion are cooked together). Saute with constant stirring and cook until vegetables are softened, take about 4-5 minutes for vegetables to cook on medium heat.
- Cook minced garlic along with carrot and onion for 2-3 minutes.
- Cook tomato pasta and crushed tomatoes. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan as you cook.
- Add dried herbs (Italian seasoning), bay leaf, and finely diced carrots. Mix well and allow carrots to soften a little bit.
- Add the seasoning and spices – red chili flakes, salt, and pepper.
- Pour chicken stock or beef stock and dry red wine. Add back browned meat to the Bolognese sauce.
- Mix well, the alcohol content in the wine will get cooked and evaporated. Stir a splash of milk or cream in the sauce.
- Simmer heat, cover the Dutch oven with a lid, and let it cook for 30 to 45 minutes. Keep stirring at regular intervals.
- After the sauce has simmered for 30 minutes, start prepping water to cook pasta. If pasta is cooked much before, it’ll sit and wait in a colander and begin to dry and clump to each other.
- Boil water in another large pot. When the water starts boiling, add a generous amount of salt to the water.
- Cook pasta in boiling water until al-dente. I always cook pasta 2 minutes less than the time mentioned on the packet.
- Reserve a cup of pasta-cooked water.
- Drain pasta using a large slotted spoon and add it directly to the Bolognese sauce.
- Gently mix to coat pasta evenly in the sauce. Adjust the consistency of the sauce by pouring a little pasta-cooked water.
- Turn off the heat, and grate Parmesan cheese over the pasta. Mix well until the cheese is melted. Taste and check for seasoning, adjust if needed.
- Serve hot garnished with fresh Parsley or fresh oregano leaves.
Video
Notes
- Finely diced veggies. Minced or finely diced veggies (onion, celery, carrot, and garlic) will blend with the sauce well.
- Cook pasta to al-dente. Be sure to cook pasta very al-dente. Pasta will continue to cook even after it’s removed from heat.
- Shred cheese. Pre-grated cheese has chemicals added to it that can prevent it from melting properly. Freshly grate cheese from a block.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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