White Bolognese Sauce

This delectable and creamy White Bolognese Sauce is a cousin to red Bolognese, just without the tomato element. Pancetta, aromatic veggies, ground pork and herbs simmer in white wine and broth until tender, then milk is added to give a velvety touch. Serve it with your favorite pasta for a dinner to remember!

To me, there’s just nothing like a good pasta sauce that cooks low and slow for hours. It’s the epitome of comfort food. In the past, we’ve presented you with conventional Bolognese, Lamb Ragu, and our super popular Italian-American Sunday Gravy.

This one is a bit different, but equally delicious.

What is White Bolognese?

White Bolognese is a variation on regular Bolognese, which is the version of ragù that they serve in Bologna, Italy. Ragù is basically an Italian meat sauce that is cooked for a long time and served with pasta.

When the sauce was first developed in the 18th century, all Bolognese was white. Tomato was not added until much later, though now it is considered standard. So, you could say that White Bolognese is actually the most traditional.

Ingredients

• Pancetta – Cut into small cubes. This adds the first layer of flavor.
• Onion, carrots and celery – Classic Italian Soffritto.
• Garlic – We can’t cook without it.
• Ground pork – I find this works better for white Bolognese than beef.
• Dry white wine – You can drink the leftovers while the sauce simmers.
• Chicken broth – I use Better then Bouillon chicken base.
• Herbs and spices – Bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg, and of course, salt.
• Parmesan rind – I understand if you don’t have it. But if you do, definitely add it in.
• Milk – This gives the sauce a creamy, velvety texture.

White Bolognese Sauce Recipe

I start by sautéing the pancetta in a Dutch oven for 5-10 minutes, until it browns up a bit, then remove it to a plate.

Next, I reduce the heat to medium and add diced carrots, celery and onion. I sauté the soffritto, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until soft and fragrant. I make sure it doesn’t caramelize, because this can change the flavor of the sauce.

Then, I return the stove to medium-high heat and add ground pork and garlic. I cook it, breaking the pork up with a spatula into a fairly fine texture, for 5-8 minutes. I also like to add a bit of salt to the pork while it cooks.

Once the pork is browned up, I add in the white wine, stirring to deglaze the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes. Then, I stir in chicken broth along with bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg and parmesan rind. I bring this all to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Occasionally, I give it a stir to ensure the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Next, I stir in the milk until well combined. Cover and continue cooking for 45-60 minutes. Some grease rises to the top of the sauce after cooking. I skim most of that off. Finally, I give it a good stir and taste and adjust for salt.

Jason’s Tips

• This sauce goes great with a variety of pastas. The top choice would be some wide, flat shape such as tagliatelle or pappardelle. Rigatoni is another good option. Though I’ve never tried it, I can see this sauce making an interesting twist on lasagna.
• Don’t rush the soffritto. The goal is to soften the vegetables, not brown them. For more details, see our Italian Soffritto post.
• You can certainly simmer it for longer before adding the milk. Sometimes I set the heat to low and just let it cook for 4 or 5 hours.
• Now for my favorite tip. Make it a day in advance. Yes, I’m serious. White Bolognese tastes better the next day after the flavors have had a chance to meld together. Just let it cool, then stick it in the fridge overnight. Reheat it the next day on stovetop with the lid on. If it has thickened up too much, very gradually stir in a little water or low sodium chicken broth until it has reached your desired consistency.

Try something new the next time you crave pasta. Yes, my White Bolognese takes some patience. But it’s well worth it.

If you try it, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.

White Bolognese, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!

Try these other classic Italian recipes
Steak Pizzaiola
Pasta alla Norma
Chicken Cacciatore
Eggplant Parmesan
Frutti di Mare
Arrabiata Sauce

White Bolognese Sauce

Yield: 6-8 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes

This delectable and creamy White Bolognese Sauce is a cousin to traditional Bolognese, just without the tomato element. Trust me, you don't want to miss it!

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Ingredients

• 4oz 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
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 2 inch parmesan rind
• 1 cup whole milk

Instructions

1. Sauté pancetta in a Dutch oven or large post over medium-high heat for 5-10 minutes, until browned. Remove to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to medium. Add diced carrots, celery and onion. Sauté, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until softened.
3. Return stove to medium-high heat. Add ground pork and garlic. Cook, breaking the pork up with a spatula into a fairly fine texture, for 5-8 minutes. Add a bit of salt to the pork while it cooks.
4. Add in white wine, stirring to deglaze the pan, and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. Stir in chicken broth along with bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg and parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 1 hour. Stir occasionally to ensure the sauce doesn't stick to the bottom.
6. Stir in the milk until well combined. Cover and continue cooking for 45-60 minutes, until the sauce has a nice thick consistency. You can uncover the pot towards the end to further thicken the sauce, based on preference.
7. Some grease will have risen to the top of the sauce after cooking, skim some off before serving. Then give it a good stir and taste and adjust for salt.
8. Serve tossed with or atop your favorite pasta. Some good choices are pappardelle, spaghetti or rigatoni.

Notes

1. You can certainly simmer it for longer before adding the milk. Sometimes I set the heat to low and just let it cook for 4 or 5 hours.
2. This is a very good make ahead sauce. Sometimes I cook it the day before, as the flavors deepen overnight in the fridge. It can be refrigerated for 3-4 days.
3. It also freezes very well in an airtight container for 2-3 months. Just thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition Information

Yield 8 Serving Size 1
Amount Per Serving Calories 474Total Fat 32gSaturated Fat 12gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 122mgSodium 432mgCarbohydrates 6gFiber 1gSugar 3gProtein 33g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Welcome to GypsyPlate! I'm Alpana, former wordwide tour manager and professional caterer, now full time blogger. I love exploring cuisines from around the world, and my recipes have been featured on sites such as MSN, Parade, Brit + Co, CNET and AOL. You can explore my entire collection of sortable recipes in my Recipe Index or learn more about me here.