There’s nothing better than this homemade rigatoni bolognese for dinner! It’s so comforting and cozy, and hearty!
You’ll love the delicious bolognese sauce, which is a wonderful meat-based tomato sauce simmered until perfection, tossed with tender rigatoni and, of course, served with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan!
A satisfying bowl of pasta is perfect for any meal, and this hearty rigatoni bolognese always hits the spot. Every single time.
You’ll love this hearty Rigatoni Bolognese! It’s the kind of dish that I love to serve on any occasion. On cold winter days, it’s perfect to keep our tummies warm and happy. It’s also great for date nights, potlucks, or just because. I can never say no to a cozy bowl of pasta!
The homemade bolognese sauce is deep, rich, and incredibly flavorful. I use the same sauce (with a few minor tweaks) in my Bolognese Lasagna with No-Boil Noodles recipe.
Why you’ll love making rigatoni bolognese at home:
- Balanced and rich, but not heavy at all.
- Incredibly delicious. The bolognese sauce has so much flavor, it’s insane! Rigatoni pasta pairs really well with the sauce, but you can use any pasta you like.
- It’s very easy to make. There’s nothing complicated here and the sauce only needs to simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Make-ahead and freezer-friendly, so make a big batch and save for later! Yummy!
The great thing about rigatoni bolognese is that it’s make-ahead and freezer-friendly. In fact, it only gets better and better with time, as the flavors have extra time to develop.
If you like comforting pastas, give this Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells, Skillet Lasagna, and Italian Sausage Pasta Bake a try!
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The Hearty Bolognese Sauce
First things first: the hearty Bolognese sauce!
Bolognese sauce is a rich meat-based tomato sauce commonly used in pastas or lasagna. It originates from the city of Bologna, Italy. Bolognese sauce is one of my favorite sauces of all time. I use it in my lasagna recipe too.
The sauce starts with a mirepoix base (diced onions, carrots, and celery), which softens and melts into the sauce, giving it that added richness and flavor. The sauce is simmered with red wine, ground beef, other aromatics, and canned crushed tomatoes until fragrant.
The classic way to finish bolognese sauce is with a generous splash of whole milk, which gives it perfect flavor balance and a deeper flavor while also lightening it up a bit.
Ingredient Notes
Below are a few helpful ingredient notes from when I tested this rigatoni bolognese recipe. As always, for the full ingredient list with quantities, scroll all the way down to the recipe card.
- Ground beef and Italian sausage: I mix 1 pound of beef and ½ pound Italian sausage. The ground beef keeps it hearty, while the sausage adds extra flavor.
- Onions, carrots, and celery: With these veggies, we’re making what’s called a mirepoix. It’s like the foundation for the sauce. These should be diced very small so it all melts into the sauce.
- Garlic: Finely minced. Adds lots of flavor.
- Diced pancetta: It’s packed with flavor, and the fat rendered adds richness and even more flavor to the bolognese sauce. If you can’t find it, use thick-cut bacon.
- Fresh thyme or dried Italian seasoning: For added aromatic flavors.
- Bay leaves: They will infuse the sauce for even more flavor.
- Red wine: For richer, deeper flavor. Trust me, adding red wine elevates this rigatoni bolognese. Try Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. If you don’t have red wine, white wine will work too.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: Because the tomatoes are such a central part of the sauce, it’s important to use good quality crushed tomatoes.
- Whole milk: Just a little is added at the end. Do not use heavy cream, skim milk, or 2 perfect milk.
- Rigatoni: You need about 0.75 pounds of dried rigatoni pasta or similar shapes.
- Grated parmesan cheese and basil for garnish
- Salt and pepper, olive oil
Step-by-Step Tutorial
Here’s a quick tutorial and overview on how to make this delicious rigatoni bolognese at home. It comes together in just a few simple steps. Nothing complicated.
Step 1 | Cook the beef and Italian sausage
In a large pot or Dutch oven, brown the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat. Remove from the pot and set aside. Remove any excess fat from the pot, but do not wipe it clean (the brown bits are packed with flavor).
Step 2 | Cook the veggies, pancetta, and add wine
To the same pot, heat a few drizzles of olive oil and add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes until softened, deglazing the brown bits. Then, add in the garlic and pancetta, and saute for another 2 or 3 minutes until fragrant.
Add the wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer over low heat for 3-4 minutes, until about halfway reduced.
Step 3 | Add tomatoes, meat, and simmer
Next, add the canned crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked meat into the pot and stir to combine evenly. Simmer over low heat, with the lid partially covered, for about 30 to 35 minutes, until thickened into a sauce.
While the sauce is simmering, cook the rigatoni pasta in a pot with generously salted water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Step 4 | Stir in milk
Finish the sauce with whole milk to balance out all the flavors.
Step 5 | Toss in cooked rigatoni and serve
Finally, toss the cooked rigatoni with the bolognese sauce until nicely coated. Don’t forget to serve with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top. Seriously, this rigatoni bolognese is so incredibly delicious!
Rigatoni Bolognese Variations
What I love about this rigatoni bolognese is that it’s pretty versatile. Here are some ideas:
- Meat: Instead of beef, try ground turkey, chicken, or lamb. For a kick, use spicy Italian sausage.
- Pasta: This recipe works with really any pasta shape.
- Add more veggies to the sauce: Try zucchini, yellow squash, or mushrooms.
- Make a rigatoni bolognese bake! If you love cheese, you’ll love this. Spread the prepared dish over a baking dish and top with mozzarella and parmesan cheeses on top. Bake at 375 degrees F, uncovered, for about 10 to 12 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Shortcuts: Instead of crushed tomatoes, use your favorite store-bought marinara sauce. You only need to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Make Ahead and Freezing
There are so many ways to make rigatoni bolognese in advance. You can make the sauce and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. In fact, the flavors develop even more overnight. When ready to serve, cook the pasta separately and simmer with the sauce over the stovetop until warm.
You can also make the entire dish and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The only thing is that the rigatoni may get softer than ideal, but if you don’t mind that, then go ahead.
As for freezing, either freeze the sauce only or the entire pasta dish. Freeze in resealable freezer-friendly bags or containers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat in a pot.
Pairing and Serving Ideas
Pair this hearty rigatoni bolognese with a good glass (or bottle!) of wine. I’d recommend a red wine, such as Pinot Noir or Merlot (not a big fan of Cabernet Sauvignon here). White wines are also great! Sauvignon Blanc is my favorite.
As for side dishes, my favorite is this Cheesy Garlic Bread or any garlic bread. It’s a classic combination. A good simple house salad, a Caesar salad, or this Shaved Brussels Sprouts Salad are also great options. If peaches are in season, try this incredible Grilled Peach Salad!
Other hearty pasta dishes you will love:
- Baked Spinach Stuffed Shells
- Easy Skillet Lasagna
- Easy Lasagna Bolognese with No-Boil Noodles
- Baked Italian Sausage Pasta
- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
- Creamy Salmon Pasta
Recipe FAQs
No. Heavy cream would make the bolognese too heavy. I’d recommend using whole milk, which is intended to balance out flavors and make it lighter. Don’t use skim or 2 percent milk (too diluted) either.
Yes, absolutely! Try rotini, penne, bowties, or even pappardelle, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
Yes. Simply skip the wine. Wine adds richness and flavor, but it can be omitted.
Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the three, Pinot Noir is my favorite.
Tips for Success
- Use good quality canned tomatoes, as this is a central ingredient in the bolognese sauce.
- Make sure the veggies are small-diced so they can integrate and melt into the sauce as it softens. You don’t want big chunks of veggies in there.
- I’d recommend using whole milk to finish the bolognese sauce. Heavy cream would make it too thick, and skim or 2 percent milk would dilute it too much. If you can’t find whole milk, half-and-half works too.
- If you prefer not to use wine, simply omit it. If for some reason, the sauce thickens too much (which is unlikely), add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it up.
- Simmer the bolognese sauce with the lid partially covered. This allows the steam to escape for the sauce to thicken nicely without letting it dry out.
- Prep ahead tips: The veggies can be diced in advance for easier prep. You can even use a vegetable chopper or a food processor to dice them.
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Hearty Rigatoni Bolognese
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven with lid
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground beef
- ½ pound Italian sausage - casings removed
- Olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, very small-diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and very small-diced
- 1 stalk celery, very small-diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 ounces pancetta, small-diced - or thick-cut bacon
- 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves - or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
- ¾ cup red wine - plus more as needed
- 3 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 2 dried bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup whole milk, plus more to taste
- 0.75 pound rigatoni pasta
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
- Basil for garnish
Instructions
- In a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook and brown the ground beef, breaking it up, for about 6 minutes. Remove from the pot, and set aside. Then, cook the ground Italian sausage the same way, remove from the pot, and set aside. Note: If your pot is large enough to cook both at the same time without overcrowding, go for it. Also, if it starts releasing too much moisture, absorb it with a paper towel.
- Reduce to medium heat. To the same pot (don’t wipe it clean), add a few drizzles of olive oil and cook the diced onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for about 6-8 minutes until softened, scraping the brown bits from the pot with a wooden spoon. If the brown bits are burning too fast, add a splash of wine and deglaze.
- Add the garlic, pancetta, and thyme and cook for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Then, add the ¾ cup of red wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer it down for 2 to 3 minutes over low heat or until about half-reduced.
- Add the canned crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked ground beef and sausage, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes, with the lid partially covered.
- Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in generously salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
- Once the bolognese sauce is done, finish it off with ½ cup whole milk or to taste. Toss the cooked rigatoni with the bolognese sauce until evenly combined.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese and fresh basil on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- It’s important that the veggies are diced very small so that they can soften and melt into the sauce. You don’t want big chunks of veggies in your bolognese.
- If you don’t want to use wine, simply omit it. If for some reason, the sauce thickens too much (which is unlikely), add a splash of chicken broth to loosen it up.
- Simmer the bolognese sauce with the lid partially covered. This allows the steam to escape for the sauce to thicken nicely without letting it dry out.
- Make ahead: You can either make the bolognese sauce ahead and toss with pasta later, or the entire pasta dish and reheat later. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Freezing: Freeze the prepared bolognese for up to 3 months, or freeze the entire dish for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and reheat over the stovetop.
- Ground beef: Ground turkey, lamb, or spicy Italian sausage.
- Whole milk: Half-and-half works too, but I think whole milk is best. Do not use heavy cream (too thick) or skim or 2 percent milk.
- Rigatoni: Substitute with your favorite pasta. Try penne, ziti, rotini, bowties, cavatappi, or even fettuccine, spaghetti, or pappardelle.
- Pancetta: Thick-cut bacon
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