If you’re looking for a classic Italian pasta dish that’s both comforting and satisfying, then rigatoni bolognese is definitely worth a try. This recipe features al dente rigatoni pasta tossed in a rich and hearty meat sauce that’s simmered low and slow with aromatic vegetables and herbs.
The end result is a deeply flavorful and hearty pasta dish that’s perfect for any day of the week. If you’re craving a quicker pasta dish than rigatoni bolognese then this fried pasta would be a great choice.
Whether you’re cooking for a crowd or just want a satisfying meal for yourself, this rigatoni bolognese recipe is sure to please. So, grab your favorite pasta pot, and let’s get started!
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients for the bolognese sauce:
- Olive oil – Used for frying the mirepoix vegetables.
- Pancetta – Pancetta is a salt-cured pork meat that adds depth and flavor to the bolognese. It’s the Italian version of streaky bacon, which you can also use as a substitute. Dice 4 oz of pancetta.
- Carrots, onion, celery – Cleaned and diced, then fried in the fat rendered from the pancetta to get the sauce started.
- Ground beef – Buy 1½ lbs of ground beef. I always savor the robust meatiness of beef in my bolognese sauce.
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Herbs – I use roughly chopped fresh thyme, 1 bay leaf, and ⅛ tsp of nutmeg. Nutmeg is subtle but gives a distinct aroma to the sauce.
- Tomato paste – Measure ⅓ cup of tomato paste.
- Whole peeled tomatoes – Also grab a can of San Marzano whole peeled tomatoes. These are grown in Italy and are sweet and mildly tarty.
- White wine – I use chardonnay but any dry white wine is okay.
- Whole milk – Milk helps the meat tenderize and also adds depth to the bolognese.
- Chicken stock – I use Knorr liquid chicken stock concentrate. If using powdered stock, dissolve it in water first to prevent clumps of powder.
- Parmesan rind – Optional, but adds a distinct, rich, savory flavor.
Ingredients for the pasta and toppings:
- Rigatoni pasta – Cook 1 lb rigatoni to al dente.
- Kosher salt – For the pasta water.
- Olive oil – Added to the pasta water to prevent the pasta from sticking to each other.
- Parmesan – I like to grate my parmesan fresh. It’s much better than store-bought, shredded cheese.
- Fresh basil – Get ¾ oz of fresh basil and chiffonade (slice into long, thin ribbons).
How To Make Rigatoni Bolognese
Making the Bolognese Sauce:
Step 1: Heat a large stock pot over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil and the pancetta. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until it begins to brown.
Step 2: Add the carrots, onion, and celery. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until veggies begin to soften and onion becomes translucent.
Step 3: Add the ground beef and season with salt and pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks. Drain ¾ of the grease.
Step 4: Once the ground beef is fully cooked (no more pink bits), add the thyme, nutmeg, and bay leaf. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: Pour in the white wine, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half.
Step 6: Add whole peeled tomatoes, chicken stock, and parmesan rind if using. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half again.
Step 7: Stir in milk then let simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Making the Rigatoni Pasta:
Step 8: Boil 4 quarts of water with salt and oil then cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta.
Step 9: Drain the pasta, toss with Bolognese sauce then top with freshly grated parmesan and basil.
Enjoy your rigatoni alla bolognese. Buon Appetito!
Frequently Asked Questions
Theoretically, the best pasta noodles for bolognese are those that can hold the thickness of the sauce. Besides rigatoni, it is recommended to enjoy bolognese with tagliatelle, gnocchi, or tortellini. But hey, if it makes life easy for you, go ahead and use any kind of pasta! You can even cook up a batch of kids’ pasta, and I mean those animal-shaped ones.
Sometimes spaghetti sauce and bolognese sauce are used interchangeably. But they represent very different things. Both have tomato as a base, but if your sauce has only tomato, basil, and other herbs, it’s spaghetti sauce. If it’s a chunky sauce that has meat, white wine and milk in it, then it’s bolognese.
Fresh tomatoes will work incredibly well in this rigatoni bolognese recipe! Puree Roma tomatoes to make tomato paste and peel some San Marzano tomatoes. It will take more time to cook, soften, and release its flavors, so do expect to be watching the pot for a while.
Recipe Variations
With a few ingredient substitutions, you can change this rigatoni bolognese to fit various palates! Here are some ideas to upgrade this classic dish:
- Vegetarian rigatoni bolognese – To keep the same robust flavor minus the meat, finely chop some softened shiitake mushrooms or portabellos. Mushrooms are known for their umami qualities.
- Creamy bolognese – A rich, velvety bolognese is just a cup of heavy cream away. Add heavy cream just before turning off the heat and stir until well combined.
- Spicy bolognese – For those who love bold and fiery flavors, stir in a calabrian chili oil or paste, hot sauce (like tabasco or sriracha) or sprinkle red pepper flakes liberally when sautéing the veggies. If you like making this Rigatoni Bolognese spicy then you’d love this Gigi Hadid pasta recipe. It’s a creamy tomato vodka sauce with a kick.
Expert Tips
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the bolognese sauce. This will ensure that the sauce cooks evenly and doesn’t burn with the long cooking time.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Rigatoni pasta should be cooked al dente, which means it should still have a slight firmness to it. Al dente is described in more depth here.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta. This starchy water can be added to the sauce to help thicken it and create a more cohesive sauce.
- Bolognese sauce is traditionally cooked low and slow for several hours to allow the flavors to develop and the meat to become tender. So, take your time!
Storage & Reheating
To store extra rigatoni bolognese, transfer the sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. You can then reheat it in a microwave or in a pot again, adding milk or chicken stock if needed.
Rigatoni Bolognese
Equipment
- 2 stock pots
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 colander
Ingredients
Bolognese Sauce
- 1 drizzle olive oil
- 4 oz pancetta small dice
- 2 carrots peeled, small dice
- 1 medium onion small dice
- 1 stalk celery small dice
- 1½ lbs ground beef
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp fresh thyme off stem, rough chop
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 1 bay leaf
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1 cup dry white wine I use chardonnay
- 15 oz san marzano whole peeled tomatoes
- 2 cups chicken stock I use Knorr liquid stock concentrate
- 1 parmesan rind optional
- 1 cup whole milk
Pasta + Toppings
- 1 lb rigatoni cooked al dente
- tt kosher salt for pasta water
- 1 drizzle olive oil for pasta water
- 2 oz parmesan grated ( I like to grate mine fresh)
- ¾ oz fresh basil chiffonade
Instructions
Making the Bolognese
- Heat a large stock pot over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil and the pancetta. Cook 3-4 minutes until it begins to brown
- Add the carrots, onion and celery. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until veggies begin to soften
- Add the ground beef, season with salt and pepper. Break up the meat as it cooks. Drain ¾ of the grease
- Once ground beef is fully cooked, add thyme, nutmeg and bay leaf. Stir in tomato paste and let cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Pour in the white wine, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. Let the wine reduce by half
- Add tomatoes and chicken stock and parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer and reduce by half again
- Stir in milk then let simmer another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally
Making the Rigatoni
- Boil 4 quarts of water with salt and oil then cook pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta
- Drain pasta, toss with Bolognese sauce then top with freshly grated parmesan and basil
Notes
- Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to cook the bolognese sauce. This will ensure that the sauce cooks evenly and doesn’t burn with the long cooking time.
- Don’t overcook the pasta. Rigatoni pasta should be cooked al dente.
- Reserve some pasta water before draining the pasta. This starchy water can be added to the sauce to help thicken it and create a more cohesive sauce.
- Bolognese sauce is traditionally cooked low and slow for several hours to allow the flavors to develop and the meat to become tender. So, take your time!
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