This recipe for the Olive Garden Bolognese has been on the Internet for years.  It is rumored to be their actual recipe.  I haven’t seen this recipe on their menu for a long time.  This isn’t the typical meat sauce that you get there.  This one is packed full of fresh vegetables, and it should be on their menu.  I thought that adding the carrots to this sauce sounded, a bit strange, but actually it was quite good.  Surprisingly good.  I think this recipe could lend itself to whatever you have in your refrigerator and you want to use up. This is a very flavorful sauce that goes well on many different types of pasta. 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 celery, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 lb ground beef
6 ounces Italian sausage, skinned
1 cup red wine (Merlot or Pinot Nior recommended)
28 ounces crushed tomatoes, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped (or 1/4 tsp dry)
1 teaspoon fresh sage

Heat oil in a large pan. Add celery, carrot, onion, and garlic and cook about 5 minutes.  Add meat and cook 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  De-glaze pan with wine, let it reduce.  Add tomatoes and remaining ingredients and stir, simmer for about 1 hour.  Serve over fresh, hot pasta.
I happened to have some extra red and yellow bell peppers and I added those into the initial step of satueeing the garlic, onions, celery, and carrots and they turned out well.

TAGS | Italian, Olive Garden

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