A satisfying bowl of pasta is perfect for any meal, and this hearty rigatoni bolognese always hits the spot. Every single time.
This pasta recipe is comforting, cozy and hearty! And the best part is that the bolognese sauce gets even better the next day, so it’s a wonderful make-ahead recipe!
This rigatoni bolognese is the kind of dish that I love to serve on any occasion, but especially on cold winter days. In fact, I can’t think of a cozier and more comforting meal right now!
The homemade bolognese sauce is deep, rich, and incredibly flavorful. I use the same sauce (with a just few minor tweaks) in my Lasagna Bolognese recipe. So good!
The great thing about rigatoni bolognese is that it’s make-ahead and also freezer-friendly. In fact, this is the kind of dish that only gets better the next day, as the flavors have extra time to develop. Same with my Short Rib Ragu!
If you like comforting pastas, give this Spinach Stuffed Shells, Skillet Lasagna, and Italian Sausage Pasta Bake a try!
Why I love this rigatoni bolognese recipe:
- Incredibly delicious. It’s insane how much flavor is in this bolognese sauce! Rigatoni pasta pairs really well, but you can use any pasta you like.
- Balanced and rich sauce, not heavy at all!
- Easy recipe: 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.
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The Hearty Bolognese Sauce
Bolognese sauce, also known as ragù a la bolognese, is a rich meat-based tomato sauce. It originates from the city of Bologna, Italy.
The sauce starts with a mirepoix base (finely diced onions, carrots, and celery), which softens and melts into the sauce for richness and flavor. Then, red wine is added for even more flavor and body, and is then simmered with ground beef, sausage, aromatics, and crushed tomatoes until perfection.
The classic way to finish bolognese sauce is with a generous splash of whole milk, which gives it balance and a deeper flavor while also lightening it up. Sounds incredible, doesn’t it?
Ingredient Notes
Below are a few ingredient notes, which I hope are helpful when picking up the ingredients at the grocery store. As always, the quantities are listed in the recipe card down below.
- 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 is for 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 finely so it all melts into the sauce.
- Garlic: Adds lots of flavor.
- Diced pancetta: A flavor booster typically used to make bolognese sauce. You can also use thick-cut bacon.
- Fresh thyme (or dried Italian seasoning) and bay leaves: For aromatic tones.
- Red wine: For richness and body. It makes a huge difference. Try Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. White wine will work too, but red is preferred.
- Canned crushed tomatoes: This ingredient is such a central part of the sauce, so it’s important to use good quality crushed tomatoes. You can also get canned whole peeled tomatoes and pulse using a blender.
- Whole milk: Added at the end to lighten up the bolognese. You can also use half-and-half.
- Rigatoni: You need about 0.75 pounds.
- Grated parmesan cheese for garnish
- Olive oil, salt and pepper
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!
Step 1 | Cook the meat
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 | Make the sauce base
To the same pot, add a few drizzles of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 6 to 8 minutes until softened, scraping to deglaze the brown bits. If the brown bits are burning, add a small splash of wine to deglaze. Then, stir in the garlic, pancetta, and thyme (or Italian seasoning). Sauté for another 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add the red wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer over low heat until about halfway reduced.
Step 3 | Add tomatoes and meat, and simmer
Next, add the canned crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked meat into the pot and stir to combine evenly. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer over low heat, with the lid partially covered, for about 30 to 35 minutes, until thickened into a sauce.
Meanwhile, 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 and the cooked pasta
Finish the sauce with a splash of whole milk to balance out all the flavors. Finally, toss the cooked rigatoni with the bolognese sauce until nicely coated.
Serve the rigatoni bolognese with a generous amount of freshly grated parmesan cheese on top! Yummy!
Make Ahead and Freezing
This rigatoni bolognese tastes amazing freshly made, but even better the next day because the flavors develop more overnight. Here’s how I like to make it ahead:
- Make the bolognese sauce and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. When ready to serve, cook the pasta separately and simmer with the sauce over the stovetop until warm. Reserve some pasta water to loosen up the sauce (it will continue to thicken when stored).
- You can also make the entire dish, with the pasta and all, and refrigerate for up to 3 days. The pasta may not stay al dente, but if you don’t mind that, then go ahead.
Freezing: Either freeze the sauce only or the entire pasta dish. Freeze in resealable freezer-friendly bags or containers for up to 3 months. I love using my Souper Cubes to freeze in individual portions. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat over the stovetop, or reheat from frozen in a skillet.
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 or this Lemon Arugula Salad are also great options.
Other hearty pasta dishes you will love:
Recipe FAQs
Preferably not. Heavy cream would make the bolognese too heavy. I’d recommend using whole or 2 percent milk. Half-and-half works too.
Yes, absolutely! Try rotini, penne, bowties, or even pappardelle, spaghetti, or fettuccine.
Yes. Simply skip the wine. Wine adds richness, but it can be omitted.
Pinot Noir, Merlot, or Cabernet Sauvignon. Of the three, Pinot Noir is my favorite. White wine works too, but red is preferred for richness and body.
You can use canned whole plum tomatoes, and pulse in the blender or using your immersion blender.
Tips for Success
- Use good quality canned crushed tomatoes, as this is a central ingredient in the bolognese sauce.
- Make sure the vegetables are finely diced, so they can integrate and melt into the sauce. You don’t want big chunks of veggies in there.
- For ease, use a food processor to finely chop the vegetables.
- If you prefer not to use wine, omit it. If for some reason the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen it up as needed.
- 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.
- I’d recommend using whole milk to finish the sauce. Half-and-half works too. Heavy cream would make it too thick.
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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, finely diced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
- 1 large stalk celery, finely 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
- 1 cup red wine - plus more as needed
- 3 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
- 3 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
Instructions
- In a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, cook and brown the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for about 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside. Note: If your pot is not large enough, cook in batches. If it starts to release too much moisture, absorb it excess with paper towel.
- To the same pot (don’t wipe it clean), add a few drizzles of olive oil and cook the finely 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 to deglaze.
- Add the garlic, pancetta, and thyme and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, add the 1 cup of red wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer it down until the wine is about half reduced.
- Add the canned crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked meat 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. Reserve some pasta water for later just in case. Drain and set aside.
- Once the bolognese sauce is done, finish with ½ cup whole milk or to taste. Toss the cooked rigatoni into bolognese sauce until evenly combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed.
- Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese 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 or in the oven. You can also reheat from frozen over the stovetop.
- Meat: Ground turkey or spicy Italian sausage work great too.
- Whole milk: Half-and-half works as well, but I think whole milk is best. Do not use heavy cream (too thick) or skim milk (too diluted).
- Rigatoni: Substitute with your favorite pasta.
- Pancetta: Thick-cut bacon or prosciutto.
- Crushed tomatoes: Buy canned whole tomatoes and then use a blender to crush them.
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