Elk Bolognese Pasta Recipe

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This elk Bolognese pasta recipe is a hearty and flavorful take on a classic Italian dish with game meat. With aromatic garlic, fresh basil, lean ground elk meat, in a rich and creamy tomato-based sauce.

There’s nothing more comforting than a big bowl of delicious pasta to serve to family and friends.  This salt-free version is great to serve alongside garlic knots and a antipasto chopped side salad.

If you’re looking for a hearty, flavorful pasta sauce with elk meat, this easy Bolognese sauce is delicious! Bolognese sauce is an Italian meat ragu sauce, which originates from Bologna, Italy – and don’t worry, there is no sliced bologna in it. It’s traditionally made with ground pork or beef, although for my version I used lean ground elk meat.

You can serve this elk Bolognese any noodle you like for this dish – it’s great with a thick pasta like fettucine or tagliatelle. It’s loaded with vegetables and slow simmered on the stove for an hour, making it a great hands-off dish that you can cook for company.

This Elk Bolognese Sauce Is:

• Rich
• Bright
• Garlicky
• Made without Salt
• Easy to batch cook and freeze for later
• Great for company

Viral Pasta Recipes For Everyone

This elk pasta sauce recipe is a fantastic way to try something different in your meal rotation! Pastas and noodles have been around for centuries – but they are a great vehicle for enjoying with a modern sauce recipe made with ground elk meat.

We love using noodles and pasta in our kitchen because they are inexpensive, versatile, and they cook quickly. Browse all our modern pasta recipes to find your next favorite fork-twirler!

Ingredients You’ll Need

Be sure to visit the recipe card below for full ingredient amounts and recipe instructions!

• Ground elk– I got some great lean ground elk from our Misfits Market box, which was great to try in new recipes!
• Garlic
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: I like to use a fruity olive oil which has a fantastic flavor and deep color- it’s inexpensive so I keep a few liters stocked up in my pantry.
• Balsamic vinegar – to give this sauce some great flavor and acidity.
• Salt
• Diced Tomatoes
• Carrots
• Fresh Basil
• Half & Half – or light cream, to give this recipe a little richness at the end!

How To Make This Recipe

1. In a Dutch oven or large pot, begin by browning the ground elk meat on low heat.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until elk is cooked all the way through.  Remove from heat and transfer cooked elk to a bowl.
2. In the same Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat.  Add the garlic and onion, and sauté on low from 5 or 6 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
3. Add the carrots, salt, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock. Add the cooked ground elk back to Dutch oven and reduce on low heat for 45 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
4. Finish off the sauce with the half & half and fresh basil, and stir.
5. Garnish with extra fresh basil and black pepper, and enjoy!

Make Ahead Ground Elk Bolognese Pasta Sauce

This easy Elk pasta sauce is a great dish to make ahead of time. Prep this the day or night before, and simply heat before serving.

Make ahead meals are a great option if you want to get some prepping done beforehand. Browse all our modern make ahead meals to find your next favorite.

More Modern Pasta & Sauce Recipes

• Ground Elk Meatballs
• Goat Cheese Pesto Pasta
• Cottage Cheese Alfredo Pasta Sauce
• Creamy Tomato Soup with Gnocchi
• Roasted Delicata Squash Pasta

If you made this recipe, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Elk Bolognese Pasta Sauce

By: Kelly Jensen

This elk Bolognese pasta sauce recipe is a hearty and flavorful take on a classic Italian dish with game meat. With aromatic garlic, fresh basil, lean ground elk meat, and no-salt-added tomatoes, you won’t miss the salt in this pasta sauce.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Sauce

Cuisine American

Servings 8 1-cup servings

Calories 290 kcal

Equipment

• Large Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1.5 lbs ground elk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 2 sweet onion diced
• 3 carrots chopped
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 32 ounces diced tomatoes
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 3/4 cup half & half
• 1 cup fresh basil chopped, plus more if desired
• 1/2 teaspoon each salt & pepper

Instructions

 

• In a Dutch oven or large pot, begin by browning the ground elk meat on low heat.  Cook for 10 to 15 minutes until elk is cooked all the way through.  Remove from heat and transfer cooked elk to a bowl.
• In the same Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over low heat.  Add the garlic and onion, and sauté on low from 5 or 6 minutes until the veggies begin to soften.
• Add the carrots, salt, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar and vegetable stock. Add the cooked ground elk back to Dutch oven and reduce on low heat for 45 minutes until sauce begins to thicken.
• Finish off the sauce with the half & half and fresh basil, and stir.
• Garnish with extra fresh basil and black pepper, and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcalCarbohydrates: 20gProtein: 22gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 519mgPotassium: 927mgFiber: 3gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 4643IUVitamin C: 22mgCalcium: 112mgIron: 5mg

Did you make this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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