Best Gluten Free Beef Bolognese

This classic gluten free beef bolognese is a family favorite! It comes together in about 20 minutes of active cook/prep time, then simmers for another 30 minutes for a deep and rich flavor.

Bolognese is a type of meat sauce, but is often creamier than a traditional meat sauce because has milk added to it in addition to the tomato. It’s thicker than a traditional spaghetti sauce but has a rich flavor and is made in just one pot.

It’s a slowly cooked sauce – I suggest letting it simmer for at least 30 minutes, but you can let it simmer for a few hours to create a really rich and deep flavor.

This recipe is an absolute classic and one you will keep coming back to. Traditional bolognese is already naturally gluten free, so we’re just using gluten free pasta to make this a completely gluten free dish! If you love this recipe, try my gluten free turkey meatballs or gluten free pizza crust next.

Before we get started…

• I went the traditional route and used ground beef here, but you can use any kind of ground meet you like. Or just try my gluten free chicken bolognese.
• Make this recipe dairy free by swapping the butter for olive oil, using a dairy free cream (or my cashew cream) and my cashew parmesan in place of regular parmesan.
• I opted for red wine because it has more depth of flavor and pairs well with a red sauce, but if you only have white, that will work! I used pinot noir.

How to make gluten free beef bolgonese

Heat a large pot or dutch oven with the butter. Once melted, add in the diced onion and carrot. Saute for about 5-7 minutes or until softened, then add in the minced garlic and ground beef.

Cook until the beef is browned and mostly cooked through. A little pink is ok because it will continue cooking when it simmers.

Pour in the red wine and simmer until the wine has cooked off, about 3-5 minutes.

Add in the tomato paste and cook down for 1-2 minutes. This will help deepen the tomato flavor! Add in all remaining ingredients aside from the parmesan.

Bring to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, longer if desired. Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook your pasta according to package instructions.

Discard the bay leave and stir in the parmesan.

This part is totally optional, but I like to take an immersion blender and slightly pulse in the sauce to break it up a little bit. May sound odd to do that to meat, but I prefer a very ground texture.

Taste and adjust flavors as desired. Serve with your pasta, fresh basil and more parmesan on top. Enjoy!

How to store and freeze

This gluten free bolognese stores well in the fridge, but is also freezer friendly! I like to portion out the sauce into smaller containers so I can defrost only what I need at a time.

It’ll keep in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let it defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat and serve as usual. For best results, I suggest storing/freezing the sauce without the pasta.

Serving suggestions

I love serving this gluten free bolognese with pasta of course! You can use spaghetti and go the traditional route, but I opted for gluten free rigatoni here.

As far as sides go, I love a side of my massaged kale salad, or gluten free caesar salad. If you aren’t in the mood for veggies, my gluten free focaccia is great on the side to help soak up all that sauce!

Make it in the slow cooker!

You can definitely make this gluten free bolognese sauce in the slow cooker! I still suggest browning the onion, carrot and beef before adding everything else. This will deepen the flavor and ensure the beef doesn’t get mushy.

Then, just add all ingredients and let it cook on high for 3-4 hours or low for 6-8 hours.

More gluten free dinner recipes!

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