I hesitated to call this the “best” bolognese sauce, because bolognese is a loaded word. Swoop over regions of Italy and kitchens of cooks and restaurants of chefs and you’ll get a clustereff of opinions and ingredients. This thick, meaty sauce is typically made from a variety of meats, aromatics, maybe some garlic, maybe some herbs, maybe some extra cured pig product, maybe a little white or red wine. It can be fussy and take becoming a slave to the pot on your stove. There is a time and place for this, of course. It’s crazy traditional to do so. But frankly, sometimes I’m not in the mood. What I’m always in the mood for is easy and good.

This is my most requested dish from my clients, which have called it the best bolognese they’ve ever had. Just saying. It has just a few ingredients, and you might wonder where some of the usual suspects went, and I thought the same; but their absence has never once been noticed.

My favorite easy bolognese sauce

2 tablespoons cooking fat

1 carrot, minced

1 onion, minced

1 stalk celery, minced

Kosher salt and pepper

1 pound meat (turkey, beef, pork, or veal, or a mix – usually it’s a combo of beef + pork + veal)

1 cup coconut milk (or regular milk if you tolerate dairy)

1 cup white wine (or 1 cup broth + 2 tablespoons vinegar if on Whole30)

1 (15-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

In a large Dutch oven or skillet, melt the cooking fat over medium heat. Add the carrot, onion, and celery, and saute for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are beautiful and caramelized. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meat to the pan, and saute until cooked through. Add the coconut milk, and cook over low heat until it has evaporated, about 30 minutes. Add the white wine, and cook until it has evaporated, about another 30 minutes, and lastly, add the tomatoes and yup, again, cook over low heat until a portion of the liquid has evaporated and the flavors have melded together, about another 15 minutes.

Serve this over spaghetti squash, zoodles, or roasted vegetables. If you tolerate pasta, duh, serve it over that.