Ragu vs Bolognese: What’s it alla-bout?

I have several fond childhood memories. Still, nothing is quite as delicious as heading to our local Italian restaurant in the hope of ending my evening with bright orange lips, skipping gaily down the street, anticipating the moment I can order.  

My order? Spaghetti Bolognese, every time - smothered in grated parmesan cheese. The steaming bowl arrives, a large plate of pasta with a mound of saucy red meat waiting to be devoured. Licking my lips as the waiter adds heaps of parmesan, side-eying me and waiting for me to say, “That’ll do”, but it never comes. Spag Bol.

But I don’t eat Spaghetti Bolognese anymore. Just typing Spaghetti Bolognese feels like I’m doing the people of Italy a disservice. As I’ve grown to appreciate cuisine and culture in its many forms, I’ve liked the more traditional dish from its home in Italy. 

It’s the age-old argument, similar to the nationwide disagreement of where chicken tikka masala came from; this is the feud of spag bol vs tagliatelle al ragu. 

What is Spaghetti Bolognese?

A survey conducted in 2021, revealed that Spaghetti Bolognese ranked number 4 as the UK's favourite family meal, not far behind roast dinners and fish and chips.  

Don’t take my word as gospel, just search the internet, and you’ll find a plethora of spaghetti bolognese recipes that are simple and tasty. But where did Spaghetti Bolognese come from? At first instance, you might think of Bologna, Italy, right? You’d be dumbfounded to discover that Bologna is incorrect.

Bolognese sauce, also known as "Ragù alla Bolognese," is a specific type of ragu with a well-defined traditional recipe. Many historians argue that the sauce was first produced in a small town west of Bologna known as Imola. 

So what is the difference between a Ragu and a Bolognese?

Ragu is a broad Italian word that refers to a meat-based sauce that typically includes tomatoes, vegetables, and sometimes wine. It is not specific to any particular region and can vary in ingredients and preparation across Italy. 

However, you’ll have seen that many chefs and Italian eateries will sell ragu alla tagliatelle, deemed the more widely accepted Italy-wide choice of dish, which the Brits have appropriated to be Spaghetti Bolognese. But what are we doing wrong? Simply, it’s the choice of pasta we serve it with. 

You’ll be hard-pushed to find Bolognese sauce served with spaghetti anywhere in Italy. That's because Bolognese sauce is most famously served with tagliatelle pasta in Italy. The thick and hearty texture of the sauce complements the wide, flat pasta noodles, allowing the flavours to coat the pasta beautifully.

What’s more, spaghetti is usually associated with Southern Italy or coastal cities, and, with Bologna sitting nicely in the North - you may struggle to find any spaghetti there. 

How are the two sauces made?

Ragu is a general term in Italy for a sauce consisting of various meats like beef, pork, veal, or even game meats. The sauce may or may not contain tomatoes, and the choice of vegetables, herbs, and spices can vary from region to region.

Bolognese, however, is a much more stripped-back dish. 

As Antonio Carluccio said: “You should do this. Oil, onion, two types of meat – beef and pork – and you brown this then put in a bit of wine, including tomato paste and cook it. That is it. Bob’s your uncle.”

Typically, it contains finely chopped onions, carrots, and celery (known as mirepoix), ground beef, pork, or a mixture of both, tomato paste, milk or cream, white or red wine, and a small amount of broth or water. It does not include garlic or herbs like basil.

Last but not least, consistency

Everybody has a different preference when it comes to the consistency of their pasta sauces. Whilst some might like a runnier sauce to attack with bread at the end of the meal, others may prefer a thick sauce for their pasta shells to cling to. 

Ragu, again, is a varying factor; however, a traditional Bolognese sauce is simmered for a long time over low heat to develop a rich flavour and create a thick, luscious, creamy, irresistible consistency. 

So, next time you set out to make a Bolognese, put the spaghetti down and grab a bag of fresh tagliatelle. You’ll be doing yourself a favour.