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Plate of spaghetti topped with Ragù alla Bolognese and a mound of grated cheese on a wooden table

Authentic Gluten-Free Ragù alla Bolognese (Based on the Official 2023 Recipe)

This is our gluten-free serving of the updated (2023) Ragù alla Bolognese of the Accademia Italiana della Cucina, scaled to 500 g (1.1 lb) of beef. The original recipe serves 6 with 400 g of beef, and every amount here is multiplied by 1.25.
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Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 385
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 500 g coarsely ground beef 1.1 lb. Preferably marbled cuts such as shoulder, brisket or belly
  • 190 g fresh pork belly (pancetta fresca) 6.7 oz, cut into fine cubes or strips
  • 75 g onions 2.6 oz, cut small, as you like
  • 75 g carrots 2.6 oz, cut small, as you like
  • 75 g celery stalks 2.6 oz, cut small, as you like
  • 190 ml wine, red or white about ¾ cup, roughly 1.25 glasses
  • 250 g passata (strained tomatoes) about 1 cup
  • 1.25 tbsp double-concentrated tomato paste
  • 190 ml whole milk optional, about ¾ cup. Declared optional in 2023, but it helps make the meat tender
  • 3.75 tbsp extra virgin olive oil the 2023 version often uses olive oil instead of butter
  • 0.5 to 0.75 l light meat or vegetable broth 2 to 3 cups, for topping up
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • freshly grated nutmeg optional, a pinch is allowed
  • Barilla gluten-free spaghetti, to serve Check your pack for the size. Gluten-free tagliatelle works too
  • Parmesan (Parmigiano Reggiano), freshly grated, to serve check the label: pre-grated cheese can contain anti-caking agents

Method
 

  1. Make the soffritto: heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or wide pan. Add the diced pork belly and render it until the fat melts. Add the onion, carrot and celery, cut small as you like, and cook gently over medium heat until soft.
    Diced pancetta, red onion, carrot and celery cooking in a wide pan for the soffritto
  2. Add the beef: put the coarsely ground beef into the pot. Turn up the heat and sear it firmly until it is well browned and all the water has evaporated.
  3. Deglaze: pour in the wine and let it reduce gently until the smell of alcohol has completely gone.
  4. Add the tomatoes and simmer: stir in the passata and tomato paste and mix well. Cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat so that it only bubbles lightly.
  5. Simmer and add broth: let the ragù simmer for at least 2 to 3 hours. Stir regularly and add the broth a little at a time whenever the sauce reduces too much.
    Ragù alla Bolognese simmering in a wide pan with ground beef, pancetta, carrot and celery pieces
  6. Finish (optional): about 30 minutes before the end, stir in the milk to soften the acidity of the tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper, and a little nutmeg if you like.
  7. To serve: cook the gluten-free spaghetti in plenty of salted boiling water, following the package directions. Gluten-free pasta needs more water than regular pasta. Start checking at 10 minutes, every 30 seconds, and drain it the moment it is al dente: the right moment is easy to miss. Serve topped with the ragù and freshly grated Parmesan.
    Plate of spaghetti topped with Ragù alla Bolognese and a mound of grated cheese on a wooden table

Notes

No garlic and no herbs: that is how the official recipe is written.
Ribbon pasta such as tagliatelle is a classic pairing for ragù. The photo shows Barilla gluten-free spaghetti.
To keep it gluten-free, check the labels on the broth, tomato paste, passata, pancetta and the Parmesan, and use gluten-free pasta.
Nutrition values are an estimate calculated from the ingredient list (sauce only, including the optional milk, without pasta or Parmesan), not a lab analysis.
Cross-contact: use a clean pot, a separate colander and fresh pasta water; do not reuse water, colander or utensils from regular pasta.