Rich, hearty and oh-so-cozy, this dreamy dairy free bolognese is absolute perfection tossed with swirls of your favorite pasta. With incredible depth of flavor, this slow cooked Italian meat sauce is the ultimate comfort food. And you’ll never be able to tell there’s no milk involved. Egg free, nut free and soy free with a gluten free option.

Are you ready for the most luxurious pasta sauce? One that’s deep, rich and oh-so-flavorful?

Then say hello to this dreamy dairy free bolognese. 

Between the soffrito (a combination of onion, carrots + celery), the ground meat, red wine, tomatoes and a hint of creamy oat milk, this dreamy sauce will have you coming back for more.

It’s slow-simmered for hours to create the most amazing depth of flavor … and while it’s not hard at all to make, it does take some patience and time. 

But I promise you the end result is totally worth it. 

And the best part? There’s no dairy involved. {Unfortunately, classic bolognese sauce typically contains dairy thanks to regular milk and wine.}

Tips & Tricks

1. I prefer to use red wine in this sauce for the extra body and flavor (cabernet is my go-to), but if you only have dry white wine on hand that will work in a pinch. Just make sure that whatever you are using is dairy free. 
2. Now, if you don’t want to use any wine, you can substitute it out for additional broth. With that said, the wine really does add excellent flavor to the finished dish. 
3. When slow cooking your sauce – the amount of water you’ll need to add will really depend on your burners. All of mine are the same size and are fairly hot even on the very lowest setting … so I need to add a decent amount of water throughout the cooking process as the sauce reduces too quickly (I’d estimate probably around 1 to 1 ½ cups). But this may vary widely for you.
4. Please don’t try to rush this sauce. I know it takes time but the end result and flavor is really worth it. 
5. And finally, I find that 1 pound of pasta is the perfect amount for tossing – but this may vary for you depending on how saucy you like things.

How To Store

Fridge: Let the sauce cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. It will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

{This is one of those dishes that I think tastes even better the following day – making it perfect for leftovers.}

Freezer: Alternatively, store the sauce in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. 

When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge then rewarm gently and toss with your favorite pasta.

Additional Dairy Free Dinner Recipes:

• Dairy Free Baked Ziti
• Dairy Free Vodka Sauce
• Dairy Free Alfredo Sauce
• Dairy Free Salmon Pasta
• Dairy Free Chicken Alfredo
• Dairy Free Stuffed Peppers

Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.

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Dairy Free Bolognese

Yield: about 8 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes

Rich, hearty and oh-so-cozy, this dreamy dairy free bolognese is absolute perfection tossed with swirls of your favorite pasta. With incredible depth of flavor, this slow cooked Italian meat sauce is the ultimate comfort food. And you’ll never be able to tell there’s no milk involved.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium stalk celery, finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots, finely chopped (peeled if desired)
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 pound ground beef (I use 85/15)
• 1 pound ground pork
• ½ cup dry dairy free red wine
• 1 cup oat milk (regular or extra creamy)
• 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• wide pasta noodles of choice, for serving

Instructions

1. Add the olive oil to a large stockpot or dutch oven set over medium heat. When hot, add in the onion, celery and carrots and cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, until tender. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
2. Add the ground beef and pork to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat apart as it cooks, until it is no longer pink. 
3. Pour in the wine and cook until the liquid has almost all evaporated, about 7 to 10 minutes, using the wooden spoon to scrape up any brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Next, add in the oat milk and cook until it has also mostly evaporated, about 10 to 15 additional minutes. 
4. Add in the crusted tomatoes (with their juices), broth, salt, thyme, oregano, pepper and nutmeg. Bring the mixture to a simmer then reduce the heat all the way to low, so that it’s barely simmering at all (just a few small bubbles at a time - you may have to transfer the pot to a smaller burner at this point).
5. Continue to cook for about 2 ½ to 3 hours, until the sauce has thickened and is rich in color. If the sauce ever starts to look dry or it reduces too quickly, add ¼ cup of water at a time as needed. Be sure to check on the sauce every 20 to 30 minutes and give it a good stir to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn.
6. Toward the end of the cook time, a layer of oil may rise to the top of the sauce. You can skim it off or fold it back into the sauce - whatever your preference (I personally stir it back in). 
7. Once the sauce is done cooking, add additional salt to taste (I usually add a little under ½ teaspoon or so). 
8. Serve tossed with your favorite pasta. If you want to thin out the sauce, stir in some reserved pasta water as desired. 

Notes

To keep this egg free - be sure that your noodles and wine are both egg free (egg whites can be used in the fining process of wine).

To keep this gluten free - use your favorite gluten free noodles. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 406Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 458mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 5gProtein: 32g

Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice. Nutritional information is for the sauce only and does not include a pasta of choice.