The roots of Bolognese sauce can be traced back to the city of Bologna, nestled in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. Bolognese is a hearty meat sauce most often made with finely ground beef, veal, and/or pork, along with chopped vegetables, simmered for hours in a rich tomato sauce. The rich meat sauce is most often served with handmade pasta, such as fettucine or pappardelle.
This recipe is a lighter version of the traditional Bolognese, using ground chicken and a shortcut of prepared Italian pasta sauce. Much easier to make and to enjoy on a weeknight.
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
- 1 medium leek, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely chopped, about 3/4 cup
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 pound ground chicken
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 2 cups prepared Carfagna’s Italian pasta sauce
- 1 pound fresh tagliatelle, fettucine, or pappardelle
- 1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- Additional olive oil for serving
Place a large Dutch oven pan over medium heat, adding in the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add in the chopped onion, leeks, and carrots, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook until the vegetables are softened but have no brown color, about 5 minutes.
Add in the ground chicken, plus 1 teaspoon salt, breaking up the chicken stirring to mix in with the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring and breaking up the chicken into small bits combining with the vegetables. Stir in the tomato paste, cooking for 2minutes. Add in the wine, cooking and stirring until the wine is mostly evaporated. Add in the milk plus 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring to combine. Stir in the pasta sauce, heating through, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese.
While the Bolognese sauce is simmering, prepare the pasta according to package directions. Before draining, reserve 1 cup of pasta water setting aside. Add the drained pasta to the Bolognese sauce, plus a few tablespoons of pasta water, tossing to coat the pasta with the meat sauce. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, fresh basil,and olive oil.
Featured Market Ingredients
- Carfagna’s Olive Oil
- Carfagna’s Pomodoro Basilico Pasta Sauce
- Fresh Fettucine Pasta
- Ground Chicken
- Parmesan Cheese