Best Italian Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe

This great make-ahead sauce that gets caught in all the nooks and crannies of each pasta noodle makes this rigatoni bolognese an excellent dish for a midweek meal but also for a dinner party. Although the cooking time may seem long, most of it is hands-off, with the ground beef lightly simmering in the background in its rich tomato sauce. Don't forget to sprinkle a little Parmesan cheese on top before serving. It's a must at an Italian table. Buon appetito!

Although every Italian speaks about their nonna cooking [so have I], for me, as I have been living abroad for well over a decade, it's my mom's cooking I miss the most.

Her bolognese sauce is made of dreams!

Growing up, both my parents worked, so a couple of evenings per week we had pasta, be it with tuna, arrabbiata, amatriciana, puttanesca, carbonara, you name it, we had it. My favorite pasta dish [at home] always was rigatoni bolognese.

So, here's how to make Bolognese sauce the tastiest way without needing a million ingredients. You can also use it for beef cannelloni with white sauce!

🛒 Ingredients

• Ground Beef: This is the main ingredient for this meat sauce. Mix it with ground pork or ground Italian sausage for extra flavor. Some butchers prepare packs of mixed ground meat ready to sell, often half ground beef and half pork. Personally, I am not a fan of ground turkey or ground chicken for this recipe, although they seem to be popular lower-calorie alternatives.
• Pasta: Tubular shapes like rigatoni hold onto the sauce; however, other shapes, like penne, fusilli, or ziti, and long pasta, like tagliatelle, pappardelle, or linguine, work wonders. The brands I tend to prefer are Voiello or Rummo.
• Olive Oil: Use extra virgin olive oil if you have it. This is needed only to cook the sauce, as you should never add oil to the water for the pasta. TOP TIP: Adding oil to pasta water makes the pasta slippery, making it hard for the Bolognese sauce to grip it.
• Tomato Sauce: Good quality canned tomato sauce is essential for Bolognese! I like to use Cirio Passata Rustica, however, plain passata or canned diced tomatoes will work too. Avoid pre-flavored sauces like marinara sauce or spaghetti sauce. These are packed with sugars and flavors that take away the control you have over what you put in your dish. You can use freshly crushed tomatoes too, with San Marzano tomatoes being the greatest of all choices.
• Garlic, Onion, Carrot, and Celery: Minced garlic plus the holy trinity of Italian cooking [the soffritto, which is made of finely chopped onion, celery, and carrots], give flavor and body to this Italian meat sauce.

🎯 Substitutions and Variations

• Herbs and Spices: This is up to you and what you like! Dry or fresh herbs in bolognese work well, and my favorite options are [dry or fresh] chopped parsley, fresh basil, or a few sprigs of rosemary. To add heat, opt for a little red pepper flakes or paprika. Many recipes call for Italian seasoning, which, in Italy, we don't have. However, bear in mind, that those pre-mixed seasonings tend to have added salt, so adjust that if using this.
• Broth: Although I add plain water in this recipe to let it simmer down, my mother would use some broth when available, and I would suggest using some, too, if you have it! The best options are Beef broth or vegetable broth. You can use chicken broth if the other two aren't available. You may need less salt if using broth or stock.
• Milk: Pellegrino Artusi wrote a recipe book in 1891 and in his Bolognese recipe he adds some cream to the sauce before serving. Back then, they used this trick to mellow down the 'wild' taste of meat and break down the fat. Now, if following my recipe, you can add half a cup of whole milk 15 minutes before the ragu Bolognese has finished cooking; add it a bit at a time, incorporating it well before adding more.
• Wine: In my bolognese sauce recipe you can find how and when to add wine to the recipe. Although I occasionally like to add red wine [great options are Sangiovese, Chianti, Lambrusco, Cabernet Sauvignon, Barolo, and Shiraz], you can also use a little white wine or beer [lager] for a different twist. White wine and beer are great additions especially if mixing the beef with pork.
• Grated Cheese: Sprinkle a little cheese on top of your rigatoni bolognese before serving! Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano are the best for the job! There's no better garnish than cheese!

👩🏻‍🍳 How to Make Cake (step-by-step)

1. Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom or large Dutch oven over low to medium heat.
2. Once warm, add the chopped garlic, onion, carrot, and celery and season with a little salt and pepper. [Picture 1] Mix well and allow to cook until the vegetables are soft and the onion transparent.
3. Next, add the ground beef [or ground meat of choice] and increase the flame to medium-high heat. [Picture 2]

4. Using a wooden spoon, break down the meat and mix it until all of its sides change color [start to cook], and all the ingredients are well mixed together. This step will take approximately 5 minutes.
5. OPTIONAL: Should you decide to use wine, add it at this stage and allow it to simmer away until it fully evaporates. You won't need much wine. Less than a glass will suffice.
6. OPTIONAL: At this stage, add your herbs of choice, and mix them well with the meat.
7. Once ready, add the tomato passata [Picture 3] and the same amount of water.
8. Mix well the meat sauce and allow it to come to a light simmer. [Picture 4]
9. OPTIONAL: If using broth or stock instead of water, ensure you use less salt while seasoning.

10. Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the flame to low.
11. The sauce will need to simmer lightly for a minimum of an hour. However, ideally, two and a half hours would be best. The longer you cook it, the more the flavor will blend together, and the meat pieces will break down to create a thick and meaty texture. Bolognese sauce is ready once the fats can be seen gathering at the sides of the pan, and you can see little crates form in the center of the sauce.
12. OPTIONAL: If adding milk, 15 minutes before the sauce is ready, add a little milk at a time, incorporating it well into the sauce before adding more.
13. Once the sauce is ready, taste for seasoning. [Picture 5]
14. Before serving, in a large pan of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta according to package directions. Before draining the pasta, save a cup of cooking water on the side.
15. Heat up the portion of bolognese sauce in a large skillet. Once warm, add the al dente pasta to the sauce and a couple of spoons of the cooking water. Stit well and add more pasta cooking water if necessary.
16. Serve the rigatoni and meat sauce with some grated parmesan cheese and a nice slice of bread [or warm garlic bread for a little extra on the side!]

🙋 People Also Ask [FAQs]

🥡 Storing & Reheating

• In the fridge: Store Bolognese sauce on its own in the fridge for up to four days. I would not recommend storing ready-cooked pasta, however, you can store leftovers in the fridge overnight. Thoroughly reheat your rigatoni alla bolognese in the microwave or in a saucepan with a little added water. Once reheated, the consistency of the pasta will not be the same as freshly cooked rigatoni pasta.
• In the freezer: The homemade bolognese sauce can be frozen for up to three months on its own. If freezing the meat sauce with the cooked pasta, thaw overnight in the fridge. When reheating, it is best to turn it into a baked dish by adding some mozzarella cheese on top and baking until thoroughly hot.

🍴 More Delicious Pasta Recipes to Try

🍽️ Recipe

Best Italian Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe

Elle John

The traditional Italian meat sauce made with simple ingredients with a full hearty flavor.

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Sauces

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 portions

Calories 532 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ 3 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ 1 Medium Onion Finely Chopped Any Color
• ▢ 1 Medium Carrot Peeled and Chopped
• ▢ 1 Celery Stick Washed and Chopped
• ▢ 2 Cloves of Garlic Peeled and Minced
• ▢ 450-500 g Ground Beef
• ▢ 700 ml Passata Smooth or Chunky
• ▢ Salt and Pepper to Taste
• ▢ 450 g Rigatoni

Instructions

 

• Heat up the olive oil in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom [or a large dutch oven] over low to medium heat.
• Once warm, add the chopped garlic, onion, carrot, and celery and season with a little salt and pepper. Mix well and allow to cook until the vegetables are soft and the onion transparent. This will take about 5 minutes.
• Next, add the ground beef [or ground meat of choice] and increase the flame to medium high heat. Using a wooden spoon, break down the meat and mix it until all of its sides change color [start to cook] and all the ingredients are well mixed together. This step will take approximately 5 minutes.
• OPTIONAL: Should you decide to use wine, add it at this stage and allow it to simmer away until it fully evaporates. You won't need much wine, less than a glass will suffice.
• OPTIONAL: At this stage add your herbs of choice, and mix them well to the meat. Should the tomatoes you choose to use watery, add also a tablespoon of tomato paste at this stage and allow it to fry for a minute.
• Once ready, add the tomato passata and the same amount of water. Mix well the meat sauce and allow it to come to a light simmer.
• OPTIONAL: If using broth or stock instead of water, ensure you use less salt while seasoning.
• Cover the saucepan with a lid and reduce the flame to low. The sauce will need to simmer lightly for a minimum of an hour, however, ideally two and a half hours would be best, as the longer this is cooked for the more the flavor will blend together and the meat pieces break down to create a thick and meaty texture. Bolognese sauce is ready once the fats can be seen gathering at the sides of the pan and you can see little crates form in the centre of the Bolognese. Remember to keep on stirring occasionally.
• OPTIONAL: If adding milk, 15 minutes before the Bolognese is ready, start adding a little milk at a time, incorporating it well to the sauce before adding more.
• Once ready, taste for seasoning.
• Before serving, in a large pan of boiling salted water, cook the rigatoni pasta according to package directions. Before driving the pasta, save a cup of cooking water on the side.
• Heat up the bolognese sauce in a large skillet and, once warm, add the al dente pasta to the Bolognese and a couple of spoons of the cooking water. Add more pasta cooking water if necessary.
• Serve the pasta with some grated parmesan cheese and a nice slice of bread [or warm garlic bread for a little extra on the side!]

Notes

Optional Ingredients

• Herbs and Spices: Dry or fresh herbs work well, good options are dry or fresh chopped parsley, fresh basil, or a few sprigs of rosemary. To add heat, opt for a little red pepper flakes or paprika.
• Broth: Beef, Chicken, or Vegetable Broths or Stock all work well. Make sure to reduce the salt used for seasoning if using this instead of water.
• Milk: If following this recipe, you can add half a cup of whole milk 15 minutes before the sauce has finished cooking; add it a bit at a time, incorporating it well to the sauce before adding more. 
• Wine: In my bolognese sauce recipe you can find how and when to add wine to the recipe.
• Grated Cheese: Grated Parmesan cheese, Pecorino Romano, and Grana Padano are the best for the job!
• Tomato Sauce: Should the tomatoes you use be too watery, add some tomato paste to the Bolognese to give it that missing richness. Add one tablespoon once the meat has browned [mix it well and fry the paste for a minute before continuing with the next step].

How to store rigatoni bolognese?

• In the fridge: Bolognese sauce on its own can be stored in the fridge for up to four days. I would not recommend storing ready-cooked pasta, however, leftovers can be stored in the fridge overnight and thoroughly reheated in the microwave or in a saucepan with a little added water, although the consistency of the pasta will not be the same as freshly cooked rigatoni pasta.
• In the freezer: The homemade bolognese sauce can be frozen for up to three months on its own. If freezing the pasta sauce with the cooked pasta in it, when reheating it is best to turn it into a baked dish by adding some mozzarella cheese on top and baking until thoroughly hot.

Nutrition

Calories: 532kcalCarbohydrates: 70gProtein: 27gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 97mgPotassium: 1014mgFiber: 5gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 2331IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 57mgIron: 5mg

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