This rich and meaty Lamb Bolognese with Linguine is not only exceptionally delicious but also extremely easy to prepare, making it the perfect family meal for special occasions.
You can cook this delicious Italian sauce in batches and freeze it for later, ensuring a convenient option for quick weekday meals or unexpected guests.
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This Lamb Bolognese sauce pairs perfectly with linguini pasta.
However, you can use spaghetti, rigatoni, or any shape of pasta you have in hand.
If you find yourself with leftover roast lamb from your Sunday lunch and you don't know what to do with it, this lamb bolognese sauce is the perfect way to use it.
You don't need a long list of expensive ingredients to make this Lamb Bolognese Sauce.
What you need is to properly brown the meat and simmer the sauce slowly to achieve the ideal thick and velvety texture.
It takes between 1 to 1.5 hours for the sauce to develop its flavor and become the most delicious Lamb Bolognese sauce.
However, if you're looking for a quick and easy weekday meal, you can speed things up by cooking the sauce for just 30 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works?
- This lamb bolognese recipe is very easy to make yet extremely delicious.
- Everybody loves a good Bolognese sauce over pasta, perfect for entertaining a crowd including kids.
- You can freeze the leftovers and keep them for up to 3 months.
- This Lamb Bolognese With Linguine recipe is the perfect way to use up your leftover roast lamb.
- You can prepare the meat sauce up to three days in advance, perfect for meal prep. Simply reheat it on low heat while cooking the pasta!
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
- Ground lamb - I use high-fat content lamb mince for flavor. Also, it releases enough fat for cooking the onions and vegetables without needing any olive oil. You can substitute it with your favorite mince or leftover roast lamb.
- Tinned tomatoes - You can use fresh tomatoes in the summer when juicy and ripened ones are in season.
- Mirepoix - It is a mixture of diced onions, celery, and carrots. It is the seasoning and flavoring base for meat-based dishes such as bolognese, ragout, or Bourguignon.
- Tomato paste - It adds extra red color to the sauce as well as an umami taste. You can find tomato puree in Turkish or Middle Eastern shops or buy it online from Amazon.
- Red wine - It is the traditional ingredient for bolognese to add some extra flavor but you can skip it if you are cooking for kids. Use a good quality wine that you would be happy to drink.
- Chilli - It is optional and should be adjusted to your taste. You can substitute it with flaked chilies.
- Stock - The best choice is to use lamb stock but Homemade Beef Stock would work as well as a good quality shop-bought stock or stock cubes.
- Seasoning - Make sure you add the seasoning at the end of the cooking and check before you add any salt. Always be careful when adding the salt if using store-bought beef stock or stock cubes as they contain salt already.
- Herbs - Fresh thyme sprig and bay leaf are traditional herbs for bolognese. Remove the bay leaves from the sauce before serving it.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this lamb bolognese sauce is very easy.
However, to achieve the best results, you need to follow a few tips and simple steps:
Prepare the Flavor Base
To make the meat sauce, put a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat and brown the mince.
Stir occasionally and break the mince down into small pieces with a wooden spoon to achieve a smooth sauce.
After browning the mince, lower the heat and add olive oil if necessary.
Sauté the onions and garlic until translucent.
Add the carrots along with celery and then sauté for another five minutes.
Simmer the Sauce
The secret to the best bolognese sauce is cooking it low and slow.
When the vegetables are softened enough, deglaze the pan with red wine.
Let the alcohol evaporate then add the tomato paste.
Add chili (optional) along with chopped tomatoes, black pepper, a pinch of sugar, stock, and fresh herbs.
Stir well until combined.
Bring the tomato sauce to a boil and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably for up to 2 hours on low heat with a lid on.
If you want to thicken the sauce, cook it without the lid until it has the desired consistency.
Stir occasionally while cooking to make sure there is enough liquid and it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
Check the seasoning and add salt if needed.
Cook the Pasta
Start cooking the pasta in a large pot of salted water 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, following the cooking instructions on the packaging.
To serve, place a portion of cooked pasta on a plate and top it with bolognese sauce.
Or simply toss the pasta with the rich sauce.
Garnish with plenty of grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Opt for high-quality ground lamb or leftover roast lamb for the best flavor and texture in your Bolognese sauce.
- Browning the mince on high heat produces the rich, deep meaty colors, flavors, and aromas we love.
- I always prefer minced meat with a minimum of 15% fat as it releases enough fat for me to cook the onions without needing any extra oil.
- Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat for an extended period. This slow cooking process helps meld the flavors and achieve the perfect consistency.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Lamb Bolognese - Spice things up by adding red pepper flakes, chili powder, or diced jalapeños for a fiery kick. Adjust the spice level to your preference.
- Lamb and Lentil Bolognese - Incorporate cooked lentils into the sauce to add protein and heartiness. It's a great option for a meatless or reduced-meat version.
- Lamb Bolognese Lasagna - Layer the Lamb Bolognese sauce between sheets of lasagna noodles and ricotta cheese, then bake it for a hearty and comforting lasagna dish.
- Lamb Bolognese Tacos - Use the Lamb Bolognese as a flavorful filling for soft tacos or tortillas. Top with fresh salsa, lettuce, and cheese for a unique taco night.
- Mushroom and Lamb Bolognese - Sauté mushrooms separately and then combine them with the Lamb Bolognese sauce. The earthy flavor of mushrooms pairs well with lamb.
Serving Suggestions
While Bolognese sauce is traditionally served with linguini, spaghetti, or rigatoni pasta, feel free to use your favorite pasta from your pantry
Cook your sauce, choose your pasta, and serve it with a slice of Homemade Sandwich Bread, Fluffy Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bread, or Little Caesars Italian Cheese Bread for mopping the sauce.
Add a bowl of green salad such as Rocket Salad With Parmesan, Indian Chickpea Salad, or Greek Cucumber Salad for a family feast.
Alternatively, you can serve this delicious lamb bolognese sauce with jacket potatoes, steamed vegetables, or on top of some fries.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
Storage
Allow the Lamb Bolognese Sauce to cool to room temperature before storing it.
Transfer the sauce to an airtight container and store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating
Thaw the frozen Lamb Bolognese Sauce in the refrigerator overnight if it was frozen.
Transfer the sauce to a saucepan and reheat it over low to medium heat.
Stir occasionally to ensure even heating.
If reheating from the refrigerator, you can also use a microwave.
Heat it in a microwave-safe container in short intervals, stirring between each interval, until it's heated through
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this easy bolognese sauce or ragu alla bolognese is great for the Lasagna Recipe without Ricotta Cheese or any flat-shaped pasta as it blends much better.
You can make Lamb Bolognese Sauce up to 3 days ahead and gently reheat it before serving.
It tastes better a day after as the flavors develop overnight.
Yes, you can substitute other types of ground meat such as ground beef, pork, or even a combination of meats to create variations of Bolognese sauce. Each meat will impart its unique flavor.
Related Recipes
Love Pasta? For other great pasta recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this quick and easy yet extremely tasty Lamb Bolognese With Linguine as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet Olsun!
Lamb Bolognese With Linguine
Equipment
Ingredients
Bolognese Sauce
- 500 g lamb mince
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
- 2 medium onions (finely chopped)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 large carrot (finely diced)
- 2 sticks celery (finely diced)
- 120 ml red wine (optional)
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 red chilli (optional) (finely chopped)
- 400 g chopped tomatoes (use fresh or tinned) (1 tin chopped tomato)
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 cup lamb stock (240 ml)
- 3 bay leaves
- 5 sprigs thyme (only leaves and finely chopped)
- salt to taste
- 400 g linguine
- 50 g grated parmesan cheese (to serve)
Instructions
- Put a large pan or a dutch oven on medium heat and brown the mince, stirring occasionally to make sure there are no lumps left.
- Add olive oil if necessary, the mince will release some fat so you might not need to add any.
- Add the onions and garlic, sauté until soft and translucent.
- When the onions are softened, add celery and carrots, sauté for another 5 minutes.
- Add the red wine, deglaze the pan and let it totally evaporate.
- Stir in the tomato paste, chili (optional), chopped tomatoes, black pepper, sugar, stock, bay leaves, and thyme.
- Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for a minimum of 30 minutes, preferably for up to 2 hours on low heat with a lid on. If you want to thicken the sauce, cook it without the lid until it has the desired consistency.
- Stir occasionally while cooking to make sure there is enough liquid and it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Check the seasoning and add salt if needed.
- Start cooking the pasta 15 minute before the sauce is ready, following the cooking instructions on the packaging.
- To serve, place a portion of cooked pasta on a plate and top it with bolognese sauce. Or simply toss the pasta with the sauce.
- Garnish with plenty of grated parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.
Notes
- You can freeze the leftovers and keep them for up to 3 months.
- Opt for high-quality ground lamb or leftover roast lamb for the best flavor and texture in your Bolognese sauce.
- Make this delicious Lamb Bolognese Sauce up to 3 days ahead and gently reheat it before serving. It tastes better a day after as the flavors develop overnight.
- Browning the mince on high heat produces the rich, deep meaty colors, flavors, and aromas we love.
- Stir occasionally and break the mince down into small pieces with a wooden spoon to achieve a smooth sauce.
- I always prefer minced meat with a minimum of 15% fat as it releases enough fat for me to cook the onions without needing any extra oil.
- Stir the sauce occasionally while cooking to make sure there is enough liquid and it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat for an extended period. This slow cooking process helps meld the flavors and achieve the perfect consistency.
Nutrition
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Beth
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this recipe.