Why start with soppressata in this bolognese?

Crisping the soppressata renders its fat and develops savory depth that seasons the entire sauce, adding umami from the start.

Can I make this bolognese ahead?

Yes. Make it fully, cool, and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stove, adding pasta water to loosen.

What do I do if the sauce is too thin after simmering?

Increase heat slightly and simmer uncovered for another 10–15 minutes to reduce and concentrate, stirring occasionally.

Can I substitute the ground meat?

You can use all beef or all pork, but the pork-beef blend adds richness. Ground veal is also traditional in bolognese.

Should I brown the vegetables before adding them?

No; this recipe uses finely processed raw vegetables added to the soppressata fat to soften and release flavor during the long simmer.

Spaghetti Bolognese With Soppressata

Name: Spaghetti Bolognese With Soppressata
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 25 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 8 oz soppressata salami; 2 tbsp olive oil; 3 carrots; 1/2 fennel bulb; 1 red onion; 3 cloves garlic; 1/2 lb ground pork; 1/2 lb ground beef; 3 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes; 1/4 cup red wine; 28 oz crushed tomatoes; 1/2 cup water; 1 tsp chicken broth concentrate; 1 bay leaf; 1 lb spaghetti; Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnish; Fresh parsley, for garnish

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Spaghetti Bolognese With Soppressata | CookOS

Ingredients

8 oz soppressata salami
2 tbsp olive oil
3 carrots
1/2 fennel bulb
1 red onion
3 cloves garlic
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup red wine
28 oz crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
1 tsp chicken broth concentrate
1 bay leaf
1 lb spaghetti
Shaved Parmesan cheese, for garnishoptional
Fresh parsley, for garnishoptional

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Instructions

1
Remove the casing from the soppressata salami, roughly chop it, and add it to a food processor. Blend until it resembles ground meat.
2
Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the ground salami and cook, stirring occasionally, until it becomes nice and crispy.
3
While the salami is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Add the peeled carrots, half a fennel bulb, a red onion, and garlic cloves to the food processor.
4
Blend the vegetables until they form a very fine paste, or soffritto.
5
Once the salami is crispy, add the ground pork and ground beef to the pot. Break up the meat and cook until browned and crisped up.
6
Add the vegetable paste to the pot with the cooked meats. Stir and continue to cook until the mixture is 'bone dry' and most of the moisture has evaporated.
7
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for one minute until it darkens slightly.
8
Add the crushed red pepper flakes, then pour in the red wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
9
Add the crushed tomatoes, water, chicken broth concentrate, and the bay leaf. Stir everything together until well combined.
10
Bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it cook for 1 hour.
11
After an hour, remove the bay leaf. The sauce should be thick and flavorful.
12
Serve the bolognese sauce over a bowl of cooked spaghetti.
13
Garnish with shaved Parmesan cheese and freshly chopped parsley before serving.