Take yourself on a trip to Italy with Lamb Bolognese. Rich and tomatoey, hearty, and savory, this tender meat sauce is quintessential comfort food. You'll love that you can enjoy a bowl of this Northern Italy-inspired comfort food in less than an hour with simple cooking steps. Try it today!
Table of contents
Discover a new twist on a classic Italian recipe with this lamb bolognese recipe. With robust lamb, jammy tomato, umami-rich parmesan cheese, and perfectly tender al dente pasta, there's no way you can go wrong with this dish! With a 60-minute cooking time, this comfort food recipe is easier to make than you may expect. Perfect for lazy Sundays, snow days, and any day you need a little pick me up.
What is Lamb Bolognese?
Bolognese is a type of ragú that originated in Bologna, Italy. Traditional bolognese sauce is made with beef and pork, red wine, and minced vegetables and is slow-cooked for hours to achieve a deep, rich, tomato-y, and meaty sauce. It is traditionally served on thick-cut egg noodles such as tagliatelle or pappardelle.
This lamb bolognese ragú is an interpretation of bolognese that uses ground lamb but otherwise is as luxurious and comforting as the classic recipes. The sauce is finished off with a quick and vigorous cook with al dente rigatoni and its cooking water, creating a luscious tomato-meat sauce that clings to the pasta and is great for family dinners, dinner parties, or simply just because.
Why You'll Love This Lamb Bolognese Recipe
- Comforting: If there was ever a recipe to make after a rough day, be it weather, family, work, or other life stressors, this bolognese is it. Just one bite and your mind will be transported away to better days.
- Quick: Rather than stewing on the stovetop for hours, this ground lamb ragú is ready in just an hour. The flavor is developed through strategically layering the ingredients on as they cook and using quality wine, butter, and herbs.
- Simple, Quality Ingredients: Approaching this recipe with an Italian-informed mindset, I kept the ingredients simple but effective, quality but not extensive or rare. Just stick to fresh vegetables, quality wine, flavorful stock, and real parmesan cheese and the ingredients will speak for themselves.
- Impressive: Place down a serving bowl of this ground lamb with pasta and you'll be hearing "oohs and ahhs," guaranteed.
Ingredients
- Ground Lamb: Find this ground meat at most well-stocked grocery stores, Whole Foods, and your local butcher.
- Tomato Paste: If possible, choose triple-concentrated tomato paste, such as the tomato paste tubes found at Trader Joe's. Alternatively, classic canned tomato paste is also a great option.
- Celery, Carrots, & Onions: Also known as soffrito in Italian, this classic vegetable blend forms a savory and mellowy sweet base to the lamb pasta sauce.
- Red Wine: Choose a quality dry red wine like Pinot Noir or a red blend for the best flavor. Even a low-quality drinking wine is a better pick than using cooking wine, as you will taste the wine in the recipe!
- Chicken or Beef Stock: Chicken stock will add lighter flavor notes whereas beef notes will add more depth and umami to the lamb meat sauce. If you cannot find stock, chicken or beef broth can work in its place.
- Unsalted Butter: Finishes off the sauce with a richness that tones down the acidic tomato paste in the sauce.
- Olive Oil: For sauteing the ground lamb. If possible, use virgin olive oil.
- Dried Thyme: Or, 1 ½ teaspoons of fresh thyme.
For Serving:
- Rigatoni: or your other favorite pasta shape or thick-cut egg pasta like pappardelle or tagliatelle.
- Grated Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated for the best
- Chopped Parsley (Optional): To garnish, if desired.
How to Make Lamb Bolognese
For the complete recipe and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: In a large pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
Step 2: Once hot, add in the ground lamb with a heavy hand of salt and pepper, and stir occasionally, until it is crispy and brown. Remove from pot and drain excess fat.
Step 3: Add half of the butter, and the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper and cook covered for 3-5 minutes.
Step 4: Stir in the tomato sauce and dried thyme. Cook until the tomato paste gets slightly brown, about 5 minutes.
Step 5: Stir in the red wine and stock. Add the lamb back into the pan and cook for 20 more minutes on medium heat, stirring the lamb occasionally.
Step 6: Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the package directions in heavily salted water, reserving one cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
Step 7: Stir the remaining butter, al dente rigatoni, and a cup of pasta water into the bolognese. Stir vigorously while cooking for 3 minutes to activate the starch from the pasta, creating a luxurious sauce.
Step 8: Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste.
Step 9: Serve the bolognese garnished with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Cook the Pasta In Heavily Salted Water: Doing so brings out the flavor of the pasta, taking this recipe to new heights. Stir in at least 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of the cooking water, or until the water tastes like the sea.
- Cook the Pasta Until Just Al Dente: The pasta should still have some good chew to it when drained. Cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes short of the suggested cooking time, or until it is tender but still firm.
- Vigorously Stir in the Pasta and Pasta Water: Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Stir the pasta into the lamb sauce very vigorously, for 3 minutes, as it cooks so the starch can release from the pasta, creating a rich and sumptuous sauce.
- A Chopping Shortcut: To save time chopping, you can also use a food processor to mince the vegetables. Be sure to process the vegetables individually, however, as the onion will release its water and create a paste otherwise.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Lamb Bolognese: For a spicy interpretation of this recipe, add ½ - 1 teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes with the tomato paste and thyme. Follow the rest of the recipe directions as listed.
- Beef or Pork Bolognese: The same amount of ground beef or pork can be substituted for lamb, producing a more classic bolognese.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the bolognese with rigatoni hot with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley to garnish. Classes of dry red wine, freshly tossed green salad, and toasted baguettes or ciabatta bread make great accompaniments.
You can also make this ground lamb pasta recipe with thick-cut egg pasta such as tagliatelle or pappardelle in place of the rigatoni. Furthermore, the sauce can be made without the addition of the pasta, serving it over classic egg noodles, polenta, or even risotto.
Dietary Adaptations
To make dairy-free lamb bolognese, use vegan butter instead of unsalted dairy butter and either omit the parmesan cheese or substitute vegan parmesan in its place.
You can also make gluten-free bolognese by using gluten-free pasta, such as garbanzo bean, brown rice, or quinoa pasta.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration: Leftover lamb bolognese keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze lamb bolognese in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Defrost leftovers in the refrigerator for 12 hours or until mostly thawed through.
- Reheating: Reheat thawed sauce on medium heat in the microwave until warmed through. If the sauce was stored separately from the pasta, it can also be reheated in a saucepan on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring until it is heated through.
Recipe FAQs
If making a slow-cooking bolognese, well-marbled cuts of meat that are suited for low and long heat such as beef chuck or pork shoulder are ideal. If you are making a quicker cooking bolognese like this one, almost any higher-fat ground meat works, as it can cook down quickly yet still remain tender and moist.
Bolognese is a type of ragú. Ragús are usually made with shredded stewed meat, whereas bolognese is often made with ground meat. Additionally, bolognese calls for less tomato sauce or paste. Ragú, on the other hand, is usually more saucy and tomato-forward.
Tools Needed to Make This Recipe
- Cutting Board
- Chef Knife
- Measuring Cups & Spoons
- Large Skillet with a Lid or Dutch Oven
- Heat Safe Spatula
- Cheese Grater
- Stock Pot
- Colander
More Italian-Inspired Recipes
Thank you for making Ground Lamb Bolognese! If you enjoyed it, please follow me on Instagram @mindfulcooks and tag your recipe creations with #mindfulcooks!
Recipe Card
Lamb Bolognese
Ingredients
Ground Lamb Bolognese
- 1 tablespoon olive oil virgin or extra virgin
- 1 lb ground lamb
- salt and pepper
- 2 large celery stalks finely chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 2 large white onions finely chopped
- ¼ cup tomato paste
- ½ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken or beef stock
- 8 oz rigatoni
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 tablespoon unsalted butter divided
To Serve
- freshly grated parmesan cheese
- parsley chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot with a lid or a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add in the ground lamb with a heavy hand of salt and pepper, and stir occasionally, until it is crispy and brown. Remove from pot and drain excess fat.
- Add half of the butter, and the onions, celery, and carrots to the pot. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper and cook covered for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the tomato sauce and dried thyme. Cook until the tomato paste gets slightly brown, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the red wine and stock. Add the lamb back into the pan and cook for 20 more minutes on medium heat, stirring the lamb occasionally.
- Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to the package directions in heavily salted water, reserving one cup of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- Stir the remaining butter, al dente rigatoni, and a cup of pasta water into the bolognese. Stir vigorously while cooking for 3 minutes to activate the starch from the pasta, creating a luxurious sauce
- Remove from heat and stir in freshly grated parmesan cheese to taste.
- Serve the bolognese garnished with parmesan cheese and chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Refrigeration: Leftover lamb bolognese keeps covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days.
- Freezing: Freeze lamb bolognese in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Defrost leftovers in the refrigerator for 12 hours or reheat on low heat in the microwave until warmed through.
- Cook the Pasta In Heavily Salted Water: Doing so brings out the flavor of the pasta, taking this recipe to new heights. Stir in at least 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 quarts of the cooking water, or until the water tastes like the sea.
- Cook the Pasta Until Just Al Dente: The pasta should still have some good chew to it when drained. Cook the pasta for 1-2 minutes short of the suggested cooking time, or until it is tender but still firm.
- Vigorously Stir in the Pasta and Pasta Water: Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water. Stir the pasta into the lamb sauce very vigorously, for 3 minutes, as it cooks so the starch can release from the pasta, creating a rich and sumptuous sauce.
- Chopping Shortcut: To save time chopping, you can also use a food processor to mince the vegetables. Be sure to process the vegetables individually, however, as the onion will release its water and create a paste otherwise.
- Spicy Lamb Bolognese: For a spicy interpretation of this recipe, add ½ - 1 teaspoon of red pepper chili flakes with the tomato paste and thyme. Follow the rest of the recipe directions as listed.
Michaeli Reefe says
So delicious but I feel like the recipe should really specify how much salt to add, mine came out almost perfect but was a little on the salty side.
Nichole Bryant says
Hey Michaeli! Thanks so much for making this! Truly means a lot. I thought about including salt measurements, but depending on the kind of salt, you could open up a whole can of worms. Different flake sizes = different amounts. I always advocate for salting with your heart. Sorry this was a bit salty for you! I hope you make it again with just a little less salt :)