Rigatoni Bolognese

4.43 from 7 votes

Rigatoni bolognese is a simple, yet elegant dish made with homemade bolognese sauce, rigatoni, fresh herbs, and a dollop of ricotta or mascarpone cheese.

Prep Time15

Cook Time2

Total Time2 15

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Shawn Williams

Ingredients

1 pound rigatoni pappardelle, gnocchi or linguini
1/2 pound 85% lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground sweet Italian sausage
4 ounces pancetta, diced optional
28 ounce can San Marzano Tomatoes juices included
1 cup whole milk
1 cup beef stock or broth
1 medium yellow onion finely diced
2 celery stalks finely diced
1 large carrot finely diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
8-10 fresh basil leaves chopped
2-3 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh grated parmesan cheese for topping
Olive oil drizzle

Instructions

Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large pan or Dutch oven. Add garlic, onion, celery, and carrots. (I like to use a food processor to quickly finely dice). Simmer for 3-4 minutes until softened.
Increase heat to medium and add ground beef/sausage. Season all over with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and no longer pink. About 5 minutes. Use the tip of a wooden spoon to break up the beef and pork into the smallest chunks possible.
Add the wine to deglaze the pan, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Simmer until evaporated/mixture is dry, about 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, crushing with a wooden spoon/spatula into smaller chunks. Add beef broth, milk, and chopped basil. Mix until incorporated and reduce heat to low.
Let simmer on the lowest heat setting so the sauce is just simmering. Simmer for 2-3 hours, uncovered, stirring every 30 minutes, until the sauce has thickened. You can use a spoon to skim some of the fat off the top if desired, but I recommend you leave it. Salt to taste. The sauce is ready when you can run a spoon through it and the bottom remains clean. If it collapses on itself or pools with liquid, simmer longer.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rigatoni and cook al dente. Strain, reserving pasta water. Add pasta and sauce to a large bowl or separate pan on low heat with a splash of reserved pasta water (about 1/2 a cup for 2-3 servings.
Toss to mix until pasta is completely coated and slightly creamy. Plate topped with fresh basil and freshly grated parmesan cheese. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

Notes

I typically make bolognese in a large Dutch oven. It's best for cooking beef and simmering large quantities of sauce. You can also use a large high-rimmed saucepan.

It's important to very finely dice the celery, carrots, and onions. It improves the flavor and overall texture. If you have a food processor, you can quickly dice the veggies along with the garlic in seconds.

If the sauce feels too greasy or oily, optionally skim out some of the fat for better texture.

The sauce should simmer for about 2-2.5 hours. This tenderizes the meat, thickens the sauce, and allows the flavors to meld together. Bolognese should not be runny or loose, but the consistency of a sloppy joe.

The meat should be very finely broken down and almost granular. Use the top of a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the meat as much as possible. A beef and pork combo is my favorite.

If you can't find ground Italian sausage, use Italian sausage in the casing and squeeze it out.

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