This Bolognese Bake is total comfort food—rich, creamy and decadently delicious.
That weekend flew by. I spent most of it in my kitchen—my happy place—making old favorites and testing new ideas. Today’s Bolognese Bake is one of those favorites I know you’ll enjoy.
Years ago I shared my Bucatini Bolognese recipe, which remains a family favorite and a go-to for company. For this Bolognese Bake I used that same hearty sauce, and added a luscious béchamel to make it even more comforting.
The bolognese recipe below makes more sauce than you’ll need for the bake, but it freezes beautifully and is great to have on hand for another meal.
The plain bolognese is excellent on its own, but when folded with a creamy béchamel and baked with pasta it becomes next-level comfort food. Cook the pasta al dente, toss it with some of the bolognese, fold in the béchamel, transfer to a baking dish or individual skillets and bake until bubbly. Finish with freshly shredded Parmesan and a few basil leaves. Serve with a small salad and crusty bread for a satisfying meal any time of year.
Enjoy—and have a great week!
Bolognese Bake
30 minutes
1 hour
1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Bolognese Sauce:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups onions finely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup carrots finely chopped
- 2 cups celery finely chopped
- 6 garlic cloves chopped
- 3 ounces pancetta finely chopped
- 1 pound meatloaf mix beef/pork/veal
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 6 oz. can tomato paste
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. ground pepper
- Bechamel Sauce:
- 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
- 4 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 lb. cavatappi
- 1 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top
- basil leaves for garnish
Instructions
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Bolognese Sauce: Heat oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and sauté about 10 minutes until the vegetables begin to brown. Increase heat to high and add the pancetta; sauté 3 minutes. Add the meatloaf mix and ground pork, breaking the meat up with a fork, and cook until no longer pink. Add the milk and cook, stirring often, until most of the milk has reduced, about 15 minutes. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, chicken stock and white wine. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and cook 20 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.
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Béchamel Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 1–2 minutes. Gradually add the milk, whisking until the sauce thickens. Simmer, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick, about 8–10 minutes. Do not let it boil. Remove from heat and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
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Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
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Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente according to package directions. Drain and return to the pot. Add about 4 cups of the bolognese sauce and toss to coat. Gently fold in all of the béchamel until the pasta is evenly coated.
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Transfer the pasta to a 9×13 baking dish or individual skillets sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through and bubbling. Sprinkle with freshly shredded Parmesan and garnish with basil leaves before serving.
