GEEZ did I just write “Instant Pot Bolognese”? I’m actually scared my grandmother is going to come back from the dead to slap me… Not just for using the instant pot, but because my bolognese is dairy free and I add herbs to it (EEK!). It’s a very non-traditional sauce (and if you want to keep traditional, I’ve mentioned the ways to do it in the recipe). PS - it tasted great and cut my cook time in half. 

There are parts of bolognese you cannot rush, and I didn’t even try, but since I usually simmer my sauce for something like two hours before we eat it, I thought pressure cooking in the instant pot would be a great alternative. And since you can sauté things in it, you don’t miss out on all those yummy brown bits that stick to the bottom like you would in a slow cooker (I am not a crockpot fan, at all). 

So why is my bolognese a-traditional? Well...sadly, we have dairy issues in this house, and traditional bolognese has like two cups of milk in it. I had to figure out a way to do without it that still gives you that “wow, this took forever to make and tastes so meaty and creamy and amazing” flavor. I also chose to use tomato paste instead of chopped tomatoes - really, I’m either/or on this one. The tomato paste creates a really dark sauce with a heavy, tomato scent and color. The chopped tomatoes make the sauce a bit brighter, so it’s really up to you. 

Now…can I make this using a dairy alternative like coconut milk or soy? I don’t know. Probably? I’m usually down for trying stuff like that, and I use coconut milk all the time in my cooking, but I think the generations of tradition behind my Italian cooking gives me pause here. I feel like that would be wrong. Kind of like making seafood with cheese. That’s a big nope from us Italians. (Seriously, ew, just stop it.)

Actually, while we’re on this subject, let’s talk about cheese. I use grana padano in this (at the end, on top of the pasta, duh), but you can use parmigiano reggiano, if you prefer it. What’s the difference? Region—grana padano is made in the Po River Valley and parmigiano reggiano is typically made in Parma, Modena, and Reggio Emilia. Also, grana padano uses partially skimmed milk, while parmigiano reggiano uses a combination of both whole and skimmed. So why do they taste so different (parmigiano is nuttier)? Because the cows are eating different types of grass. Seriously, that’s it. Now you can go impress people at a dinner party (or come off as that annoying hipster that knows regional cheeses from Italy). 

Back to sauce…if you don’t have an instant pot, follow the directions below by using a heavy bottomed pan set to medium heat (I usually make bolognese in a dutch oven on my stove top), and when I say to pressure cook it, just simmer the sauce for about 2 hours. 

Ingredients:

• 1 pound of ground beef (I used 85/15)
• 1/2 large yellow onion
• 2 shallots
• 2-3 carrots (depending on size)
• 6 cloves of garlic
• 2/3 cup tomato paste or one can, 12-15 oz., of diced tomatoes (the diced tomatoes are traditional)
• 2 cups red wine
• 2 cups low sodium or salt free beef stock
• Red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• Herb bundle, tied with twice, of rosemary, thyme, and oregano
• Kosher salt
• Olive oil
• Grana Padano (or Parmigiano, your choice)

Directions:

*For traditional sauce, you’ll want to add a few celery stalks and omit the shallots, and reduce the stock and wine to 1 cup with the addition of 2 cups of whole milk. Could you use a dairy alternative like coconut milk? Again, probably, but every Italian on the planet (including this one) will roll their eyes at you and make some kind of hand gesture. 

Prep your ingredients: Finely chop the onion, shallot, and carrots, making sure that the pieces are even sizes. You can also use a food processor to grate these ingredients - I’ve done that in the past and it works really well. Finely dice the garlic and set aside in a separate bowl. Tie the herb bundle together with twine, and measure out the wine, stock, and tomato paste if that’s what you’re using. 

Set the instant pot to sauté, add a good splash of olive oil, and when hot, add the ground beef with a good pinch of sea salt and red pepper flakes (black pepper if we’re sticking traditional). You’ll want to break this up very small, and cook until well browned. This will take time—do not rush this part! The whole point of a good bolognese is to develop these amazing flavors from the slow, caramelization of the ingredients. It’ll take about 15-20 minutes. 

When the meat has browned, place it in a bowl lined with paper towels to soak up excess fat, and drain the fat from the instant pot. 

Add a fresh tablespoon or so of olive oil and add the onions, carrots, and celery. Season the vegetables with salt, and cook until they start caramelizing and turning brown. Again, do not rush this - these first few steps take a good amount of time and are well worth it. This part takes another 15-20 minutes. 

When the vegetables have caramelized, add the garlic and sauté another 2 minutes, and then add the tomato paste. Cook until it’s starting to really stick to the bottom of the pot. If you’re going traditional, you will add the wine before the tomatoes.

Let’s talk about wine and bolognese: you need a really good, bold wine for this sauce. Don’t use an overly sweet red like malbec or red zin for this, because it won’t hold up at all. I’m using a Spanish tempranillo blend today, but I have also used cabernet, merlot, grenache, mourvedre, or a blend of similar varietals. Chianti also works well. You want something that has a fruit forwardness, but is also bold in flavor with a drier/spicier finish. 

Back to cooking—when your tomato paste is really sticking to the bottom, add the wine and scrape all that yumminess off the bottom. Let the wine reduce by half before adding in the stock. Bring the stock to a boil, add the herb bundle, and give it a final taste to check seasoning levels and adjust if necessary.

Lock the lid in place, turn the instant pot off, and then select manual high pressure and set it to 40 minutes. Double check that your seal is flipped up. 

If you’re going traditional and you’ve decided to add milk, here’s what I know: when I make this on the stove using 2 cups of milk, I add 1 cup of the milk before I simmer it for about 90 minutes. This is to check that I’m not over-cooking the milk, because I don’t want to scald it. After 90 minutes, I add the final cup of milk, and let that simmer for another half hour, then I taste it and adjust seasonings. If you’re going use milk and the instant pot, I would probably do the same as on the stovetop—add half the milk, and only use 1 cup of beef stock before pressure cooking. Then, when it’s done, taste it, and add the additional cup of milk if you want to. 

When the time is up, allow it to naturally release for ten minutes before flipping the steam valve. When you open it up, you’ll notice that all the fat is collected and floating at the top. Some of this fat is good, and you want to keep it in the recipe, but if it’s too much, you can skim some off the top. I usually take off a few tablespoons, depending on what's there. Stir everything together so it’s well incorporated, remove the herb bundle, and give it a final taste test before serving. 

Time to eat! Traditionally, bolognese is served over tagliatelle pasta, but I used bucatini. It’s my favorite, because it’s a really hearty, long pasta that compliments the sauce well, and it has a tiny hole in the middle of the long strand.  

If you’re gluten free or looking for a pasta alternative, I’ve served this over polenta and it is amazing. I also think zoodles would be good if you’re grain free, but I worry about the sauce overpowering the zucchini. If you try that one, let me know!

Enjoy!