This post is sponsored by the Missouri Pork Association. However, as always, all opinions are our own.

When the weather starts to change in the fall, we turn to easy, comforting dishes. Bolognese has always been one of our go-to recipes. We love this dish using ground pork. You can let it simmer all day or make it in the afternoon for a family dinner. 

Combine the vegetables in a food processor and blend until everything is finely chopped. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and cook the seasoned vegetables until all the water is cooked out and color is developing. 

Add in the ground pork, season generously with salt, and break up the meat with a wooden spatula. Add in the tomato paste and seasoning and stir to combine. 

Next, add in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock, stir, and scrape the bottom of the pan to release the developed fond.

Reduce heat to low and simmer the sauce partially covered for about 2 hours. 

It’s time to plate. Add cooked pasta of choice and top with a generous ladle of the sauce. Top with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Pork Bolognese

Prep time: 5 minutes Cook time: 2 hours, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, quartered

1 cup celery, rough chop

1 cup carrot, rough chop

14 oz can crushed tomatoes

3 oz tomato paste

1 lb ground pork

2 cups vegetable stock

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

2 tablespoons olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Combine the onion, celery and carrot in a food processor and blend until the vegetables are finely puréed. In a Dutch oven, heat the olive oil on medium high heat and add in the vegetable puree. Season generously with salt and some cracked black pepper and stir occasionally for 10-15 minutes until all of the water is cooked out and the vegetables are showing some color. Add in the ground pork, season with salt, and continue to sauté. Gradually break the ground pork into small bits with a wooden spatula. After 5-7 minutes the mixture should look homogenous and browned. Add in the tomato paste and Italian seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder and stir to combine. Add in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable stock and continue to stir and scrape the bottom of the Dutch oven. Reduce the heat to low and simmer with the lid partially covered for two hours stirring occasionally. 

Towards the end of the cook, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta of your choice according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta. In a bowl, add in a serving of pasta topped with a generous helping of the sauce. Top with finely grated Parmesan and enjoy.