Bolognese as it should be, but better
Everyone has their own bolognese. Some swear by a splash of red wine, others by a spoonful of mascarpone, and grandma’s trick with milk is often passed down. But there is one addition that really makes a difference — and that is bone broth instead of water or a regular stock cube.
By simmering your ground meat in the broth, you get a sauce that tastes fuller, deeper, and creamier. No more watery tomato sauce, but something closer to an Italian ragù alla bolognese — precisely because they always use brodo in Italy.
Why use HANT bone broth and marrow fat?
Our bone broth is slow-cooked for 32 hours from halal beef bones and contains no additives. No salt, no E-numbers, no flavor enhancers — just pure flavor and collagen that naturally make your sauce creamy without needing to add cream.
The marrow fat (tallow) in which you sauté the vegetables gives your sofrito a rich, nutty base that carries the entire sauce. Moreover, it is stable at high temperatures — ideal for frying without oxidizing.
Ingredients (4 people)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 carrot
- 1 celery stalk
- 100 g mushrooms
- 1 tsp HANT marrow fat + a little butter or HANT olive oil
- 500 g ground beef or veal
- 8 to 12 tbsp HANT bone broth (2-3 tbsp per person)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (400 g)
- 200 ml passata
- Oregano, thyme, rosemary, pepper, salt
- Optional: ½ red chili, finely chopped
- Optional: 1 square of dark chocolate (min. 70%) for extra depth
- Pasta of your choice
- HANT olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese for finishing
Preparation
- Sauté the onion, garlic, carrot, celery, and mushrooms in a mix of marrow fat and butter (or olive oil) until soft — about 8 minutes on low heat.
- Add the minced meat and cook until crumbly. Make sure all moisture has evaporated before continuing.
- Pour in the bone broth — 2 to 3 tablespoons per person.
- Add the diced tomatoes and passata, followed by oregano, thyme, rosemary, pepper, and salt.
- Let it simmer gently for at least 20 minutes on low heat, preferably longer if you have time — the longer, the richer the flavor.
- Prefer some heat? Add finely chopped red pepper in the last 5 minutes.
- Secret trick: melt a square of dark chocolate into the sauce in the last 5 minutes for extra depth and a rounder flavor.
- Serve with your favorite pasta, finish with a drizzle of HANT olive oil and grated Parmesan cheese.
Tips & variations
- More depth? Add a spoonful of tomato paste along with the diced tomatoes — sauté them briefly for extra umami.
- Creamier? A splash of whole milk or a spoonful of mascarpone at the end makes the sauce silky smooth.
- Lasagna version — this sauce is perfect for lasagna, just let it simmer for a quarter of an hour longer.
- For children — leave out the red pepper and optionally puree the vegetables more finely.
Storage
The sauce keeps for 2-3 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it — divide into portions so you can always prepare a quick pasta dish. The flavor even improves after a day or two.
Did you make it?
Tag us on Instagram @hant.be or send your photo to hello@hant.be — we really love it.