Easy Ragu Bianco (delicious white bolognese sauce)

5 from 31 votes

This easy Ragu Bianco recipe will actually blow your mind. You might even permanently swap your beloved tomato based bolognese for it. A white bolognese sauce truly is one of my favorite things, it is so rich and flavorsome. The meat is slow cooked in white wine, milk and stock with pancetta, herbs and lemon to give it max flavour and deliciousness. Don't let the cook time put you off, it's mostly hands off!

White plate with spaghetti in a white bolognese sauce. Grated parmesan and fresh rosemary leaves on top and a fork twirling spaghetti resting.

Hi! I am so excited for you to try this one! IT'S SO GOOD!! If you have followed me on instagram you know that my White Pork Ragu is one of my personal favorite recipes. This is an ode to that but instead of using a pork shoulder it uses ground meat which is much more accessible and easy to use.

It is very similar to my Best Bolognese Sauce but has absolutely no tomato in it at all. It is slowly cooked for maximum flavor with white wine, milk and stock. Cooking meat with milk is actually really traditional and helps create a luscious meat sauce unlike any other. If you would like to try something a little lighter make sure you check out my Incredible Vegetarian Bolognese Recipe!

Main Ingredients

Ingredients on a bench top. From top, white wine, pancetta, herbs, a bowl of soffritto, a bowl of ground meat, cup of milk, fennel seeds, stock, garlic and a lemon.

Pancetta - Usually comes in a vacuum sealed chunk that you cut up. Don't cut the fat off, that is what gives flavor! Substitute for bacon if you need.

Ground meat - I use a combination of ground meats, which is quite traditional for a bolognese. I use pork and beef but you could use all pork or all beef or any other ground meat you prefer.

Fresh herbs - I use rosemary and sage, you could also use thyme if you like.

Soffritto - This is the classic trio of finely diced celery stalk, carrot and onion which is the base to any good ragu.

Fennel seeds - As in my white pork ragu, I think fennel adds the most perfect flavor to this dish.

Whole Milk - This might seem strange if you haven't made a white bolognese before but it actually helps tenderise the meat.

White Wine - I used a Sauvignon Blanc but a Pinot Grigio would also work, any dry white wine.

Stock - I prefer chicken stock for this recipe and it's definitely what I recommend.

Lemon - Finishing this sauce with a squeeze of lemon juice freshens it up so much. I also top the finished pasta with lemon zest

How to make this ragu

The full ingredient list, method and short video are in the recipe card below.

The first step is to brown the ground beef and pork in a large skillet on a medium-high heat (or spread across two and set aside). To cut down on time I brown the meat and get the pancetta going at the same time.

Pancetta pieces sizzling in a Dutch oven.

ONE: On a medium heat fry the pancetta in olive oil in a dutch oven or large heavy bottomed pot until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and leave the fat behind.

Diced carrot, onion and carrot in the dutch oven with herbs.

TWO: Gently fry the soffritto mixture and fennel seeds for 10 minutes, scraping all the brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Add the herbs and garlic half way through.

Cooked ground meat mixed through the onion mixture.

THREE: Add the meat and pancetta back in and mix well.

FOUR: Add the wine and let it reduce slightly for 3-4 minutes before adding the stock and milk. Bring to a simmer.

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Finished bolognese sauce with a wooden spoon resting in.

FIVE: Lower the heat so the liquid is barely bubbling and cook for 2.5 - 3 hours until most of the liquid is absorbed. It might take a shorter time if your stove top can't do a really low heat.

Cooked spaghetti mixed through the white bolognese sauce.

SIX: If serving straight away, add the lemon juice and cream and let it gently bubble away while you cook the pasta. Add the pasta straight in and let it bubble away for a good 3-4 minutes. Finish with fresh rosemary, lemon zest and parmesan.

Expert tips

Good prep. With a recipe like this, I can't stress enough the importance of taking the time to prep all the ingredients before starting to cook. It might take more time but will make the experience much more enjoyable and streamlined.
Finely dice the onion mixture. I personally don't like big vegetable chunks in a bolognese sauce so I use a food processor to chop them really finely.
Take the time cooking the ragu down. Slow cooking is key to intensify the flavor here, plus it's all hands off so the time it takes is almost irrelevant to me. You want a very low heat, it should barely be bubbling.
Undercook your pasta. I always undercook dried pasta by 1 minute from package directions so it can finish cooking in the sauce and still be al dente.

Why you should make this the day before

If you can, plan to make this the day before you plan to serve it. The flavor will intensify overnight and I find any meat sauce just tastes so much better the next day. Plus if you are having guests over for a dinner party, all the hard work is done and you just need to cook some pasta!

Tips for re-heating and serving

It will solidify in the fridge so re-heat very gently on the stove.
Cook your pasta at the same time and add a splash of pasta water to the ragu to loosen.
Make sure you add your cooked pasta straight into the sauce and let it bubble for a good 3 - 4 minutes.
I allow about 1 cup of sauce per person and 100 grams of dried pasta per person. If using something like a fresh pappardelle you'll need 150 grams per person.

White plate with spaghetti in a white bolognese sauce. A fork resting in with noodles twirled around it.

Some other uses for a bolognese sauce

Ravioli - I love using meat sauces for a filling in my Homemade Ravioli.

Lasagne - This would be a luscious substitution for the traditional bolognese in my amazing Lasagne Bolognese recipe.

Baked bolognese - You could use this as the sauce in my Sausage Pasta Bake which is a seriously amazing pasta dish.

Leftovers - This freezes really well, so store any leftovers in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. You could make a double batch solely for this reason.

Recipe FAQs

Can I double the recipe?

Yes! It has quite a bit of liquid to start so you will either need one really big pot or spread it over two. If using one pot it might take longer to reduce down.

Can I cook it in the oven instead of stove top?

You could but I find it easier on the stove so I can give it the odd stir and see it isn't bubbling up to much. You could put it in the oven at 150c (300f) and check it/stir every half hour.

What should I serve with a bolognese?

You could serve it with my Iceberg Wedge Salad or a side of green beans or roasted broccolini. Some garlic bread or other crusty bread is always a welcome addition!

Some other dishes to try?

If you loved this ragu bianco then check out my recipe section for all kinds of delicious pasta recipes. For another comforting meaty dish try my Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu with Olives or my classic Beef Cheek Ragu both with a classic red wine and tomato base. One of my personal favorites is my Sausage Pasta Bake, it tastes like a lasagne but with much less work.

Pappardelle in a lamb ragu sauce with grated parmesan on top and a fork resting in. — Lamb ragu with olives

Pappardelle in a beef cheek ragu with fresh parsley scattered on top and a fork resting. — Lamb ragu with olives

Did you make this recipe?

I would LOVE it if you could leave a review and star rating down below. Also please tag me on Instagram if you share a photo of the dish!

Recipe

Easy Ragu Bianco (delicious white bolognese sauce)

5 from 31 votes

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep time:15

Cook Time:3

Servings: 4 - 6 people

Print Recipe Pin Rate

A rich and insanely flavor packed and delicious white bolognese sauce. This is the pasta dish to wow your family and friends with. Your house will smell the best it's ever smelt I promise.

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Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil divided
300 grams ground pork
300 grams ground beef
120 grams pancetta chopped into small pieces
1 onion finely diced (my onion weighed 185g)
1 carrot finely diced
1 stalk celery finely diced
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
5 garlic cloves finely diced
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary finely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh sage finely chopped
1.5 cups white wine I used a Sauvignon Blanc
1 cup whole milk
2 cups chicken stock
½ tablespoon lemon juice plus zest to finish
¼ cup cream optional
Parmesan to finish
Fresh rosemary to finish

Instructions

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil over a medium high heat and add the ground meat. Don't worry too much about breaking it all up, I prefer to leave it alone to get some good colour on it. It doesn't need to be cooked all the way through.
When it has some nice colour on it, but still some pink in the middle, remove from pan and set aside.
Heat the other 1 tbsp of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan/casserole pot/Dutch oven over medium heat and fry the pancetta for 10 minutes until nicely browned. Lift out with a slotted spoon, leaving the fat behind.
Add the onion, celery, carrot mixture and fennel seeds to the pancetta fat with a good pinch of salt and pepper and gently fry until soft, about 10 mins. Lower heat if it starts to brown and add more oil if it dries out too much.
After 5 minutes add the garlic and herbs and continue cooking.
Add the ground meat and pancetta back into pot and mix through.
Add the wine and let it cook off, reducing slightly for 3 - 4 mins. The meat should be completely broken up at this stage.
Add the stock and milk and bring to a simmer.
Taste the liquid for seasoning and add a good pinch of salt and pepper if it needs. Remember it will intensify when cooked down.
Lower the heat right down and cook uncovered for 2.5 - 3 hours. It should barely be bubbling. Stir it occasionally. If your stove top isn't able to have a really low heat, it might not take that long.
It's ready when the liquid is mostly reduced and it tastes rich and delicious! Watch the video below to see how it should look when done.
Add the lemon juice and cream if serving straight away. Leave the cream out if not using straight away and add it when you reheat.
I like to add the cooked pasta straight into the bolognese and let it gently bubble for a good 3-4 minutes. Add a splash of pasta water when adding pasta in. Optional step is to sprinkle a handful of finely grated parmesan on top of the pasta in the sauce and gently toss so it melts in.
Serve with plenty of parmesan and some lemon zest and fresh rosemary on top.

Video

Notes

Portion size - it really depends if people are big eaters. I allow about a cup per person of sauce, that is probably on the bigger side so you can stretch this to 6 people if you need. For pasta I allow 100 grams per person dried or 150 grams fresh.

A note on seasoning: Salt can be what turns an average sauce into a brilliant one. I like to season along the way rather than relying on it at the end. Add a really good pinch of salt and pepper to the onions, then again before you leave it to simmer. Don't be afraid of seasoning!

Author: Emilie Pullar

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 3

Course: Meat Sauces

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: ragu bianco, white bolognese, white ragu

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