What is a Bolognese Spice Blend? Italian Comfort Food.

The flavour or an authentic ragù alla Bolognese is one of the most recognisable on the planet. Everyone loves Bolognese, and we’ve grown to treat it like our own. Bolognese is part of everyone’s cooking traditions, and it’s often the first thing we learn how to cook.

The famous Italian meat-based sauce known as ragù or just Bolognese is one of the most popular sauces for pasta, but there are many other uses for such vibrant and comfortable treat. In fact, the condiments that bring Bolognese to life are amongst the most versatile in the world.

Let us tell you all about Spice Master’s Bolognese spices, the heart and soul behind the prettiest tomato sauces and the tastiest Italian-inspired meals. Forget about store-bought Italian sauces; make your own with authentic flavours that just taste like Italy. It comes without saying flavour like this can only be homemade.

The History of Bolognese

The meaty, tomato-based sauce we know as Bolognese is called ragù in Italy, but the preparation is actually from France. The French term ragoûter, meaning “to revive the taste”, consists of slow cooking a stew to concentrate its flavours, just like you would do with a Bolognese sauce.

The cooking method was prevalent in the 18th century, but it was in Italy, mainly in Bologna, where a meat stew was first served with pasta. In 1981, a recipe for Maccheroni alla Bolognese was printed, and it called for a sauce with veal fillet, pancetta, butter, onion, carrots and broth. The dish became an instant classic.

Bolognese has evolved, though. Beef ultimately replaced veal, and tomato was incorporated into the sauce. What never changed were the herbs and spices that make this sauce special. The seasonings are what make Bolognese so immensely popular!

Tagliatelle soon became the pasta of choice for Bolognese ragù, but the sauce soon found its way to other dishes, including lasagna and chicken parmesan.

How to use Bolognese Spices?

The most straightforward way of using Bolognese spices is making Bolognese ragù. Use the spices to flavour ground beef and tomato paste and toss it with your favourite pasta.

Once you’re comfortable using Bolognese spices, add them to more adventurous dishes. Lasagna is lovely with a pinch of Bolognese condiments, and so is pizza sauce. Add Bolognese spices to any tomato-based sauce. Meat, chicken and even fish, come to live with the most authentic Italian flavours.

There’s no doubt this is one of our easiest spice blends to use. It’s intuitive and noble; the results are always fantastic!

What Goes into Bolognese Spices?

Although they’re all attractively familiar, Bolognese complexly combines herbs and spices. The right proportions matter — a balanced sauce is all about the right ingredients added to the blend in the precise amount. These are the seasonings, herbs and spices that make Spice Master’s Bolognese blend special.

1. Oregano

Oregano just tastes like Italy. The Mediterranean herb has been part of the “big boot” for centuries, and it blesses everything from salad dressings to tomato sauces. Dried oregano is much more aromatic than the fresh herb.

2. Basil

Sweet Italian basil gives Italian food its personality despite being a North African and Southeast Asian herb. There are many varieties of basil, but the finest, the most fragrant and refreshing, is now only found in Italy.

3. Celery Salt

Celery salt is both a flavour enhancer and an aromatic. Ground celery seeds, together with premium salt, this element brings our Bolognese blend together. You need not add any more salt to your food after adding our condiment.

4. Cracked Black Pepper

Black pepper is a universal spice that adds depth and the subtlest astringency to your food. Along with salt, black pepper is a must in every preparation, especially if Italian.

5. Tomato Flakes

Tomato flakes give colour and a lovely tang to your tomato sauces. Not entirely a substitute for tomato paste or sauce, these flakes provide a richer tomato flavour to your Italian sauces.

6. Minced Onion

Sweet, dehydrated onions are intensely aromatic but not overwhelming; they help balance the other elements in our Bolognese spice blend.

7. Garlic Granules

What is Italian food without garlic? It’s definitely not the real deal. Garlic is attractively fragrant and warm, and it builds a flavour base for any dish.

8. Thyme

Thyme is uniquely Mediterranean, and it was already cherished by Ancient Greek and Romans alike. A little goes a long way with this fragrant herb, which adds the most comforting flavour to any Bolognese sauce.

9. Rosemary

Rosemary is the perfect partner for thyme; together, they paint a picture on your palate, one that reflects the flavours of the Mediterranean. Rosemary’s almost sweet, herbal flavour is incredibly attractive.

Bolognese is more than Pasta

Bolognese herbs and spices are more than a quick and easy way of making authentic Italian pasta. We’re talking about meat, chicken and veggies, too, all enhanced with that grandma’s seasoning Italians are known for.

Enjoy Spice Master’s Bolognese Spices and give authenticity to your Italian cooking. After all, Italian food is the most popular cuisine on the planet, and now you can cook it just like they do in Italy.

From pizza and pasta to chicken parmesan, the unique, all-natural spices in our Bolognese blend will make you fall back in love with Italian food.