Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe

Rigatoni Bolognese is a make-ahead marvel that requires no tedious vegetable chopping. Both kids and adults will love this easy but elegant restaurant-quality dish.

Rigatoni bolognese is a hearty and comforting dish I learned to make in culinary school. It’s a classic Italian dish that never fails to satisfy your taste buds.

Patience is key for this long-simmered meat sauce, but your patience will be rewarded with a depth of flavor that is worth the wait.

Today, I’m sharing tips for how to choose the best ingredients and the perfect noodle shape, as well as how to make rigatoni alla bolognese ahead of time, and refrigerate it or freeze it for future meals.

What is rigatoni bolognese?

Bolognese is a meat-based Italian pasta sauce, named for the city of Bologna. It is also known as ragu alla bolognese or simply ragu.

It can be used to prepare lasagna, or just stirred together with cooked pasta like rigatoni (or other options, discussed below).

I think making bolognese is relatively easy – if a little time consuming – but worth it. There’s some time spent up front getting a good brown on the beef, then the vegetables, then breaking up the meat into little bits.

But then, you get to the most important (and hands off) part of this rigatoni alla bolognese – the two hour SIMMER.

This is where you can go take a walk around the block, because you only need to stir every 30 minutes or so.

After the simmer, you’ll just need to cook some pasta and then stir it together with the bolognese before serving.

What is the difference between bolognese sauce and spaghetti sauce?

In the United States, “spaghetti sauce” is typically very tomato-heavy. It may sometimes have ground meat like beef or sausage in it. And it’s always served with, of course, spaghetti!

Bolognese sauce is meat-forward. It may or may not have some type of tomato product in it (in this recipe, there’s just a smidge of tomato paste). It’s thicker and richer than spaghetti sauce.

Bolognese also typically includes milk, which tenderizes the meat.

Ingredients for Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

• ground beef – the star ingredient that provides the rich and meaty flavor synonymous with bolognese sauce.
• celery – adds a subtle earthy flavor to the sauce.
• carrots – adds a touch of natural sweetness and color to the sauce.
• onion – serves as an aromatic base for the sauce.
• olive oil – for cooking the beef and vegetables.
• red wine – adds complexity and depth of flavor to the sauce as it a simmers.
• tomato paste – provides a concentrated rich tomato flavor.
• bay leaf – infuses the sauce with a subtle herbal fragrance.
• thyme – a versatile herb that adds to the well-rounded flavor profile of the dish.
• whole milk – this may seem unconventional, but it’s a classic component of bolognese sauce that breaks down the meat and tempers the acidity of the tomato paste.
• dry rigatoni – with its ridged shape and hollow center, it’s the ideal pasta for bolognese.
• salt – critical for any well-seasoned pasta dinner.
• Parmesan cheese and parsley – these are optional but encouraged garnishes for serving.

Best Pasta for Rigatoni Alla Bolognese

While in Italy, it is traditional to serve bolognese with freshly made tagliatelle, that’s not something that I can typically get my hands on.

Making fresh homemade pasta for fettuccine bolognese is not my favorite thing to do, and I don’t always have access to freshly made pasta to buy.

So, as evidenced by the name of this recipe, I’m partial to rigatoni! Both the tube shape of the noodle, and the ridges on the outside, make this the ideal pasta shape for the meaty sauce to cling to.

Penne is another great tube shaped pasta with ridges that works well with this sauce.

Best Red Wine for Rigatoni Meat Sauce

I typically use cabernet sauvignon in this bolognese recipe, but pinot noir would also be great in this rigatoni alla bolognese.

As long as it’s not too sweet, just about any red wine will be just fine for rigatoni with meat sauce.

How to make Meat Sauce Rigatoni

1. CHOP. Pulse the mirepoix in a food processor.
2. BROWN. Brown the beef, then transfer it to a bowl.
3. MIREPOIX AND WINE. Brown the mirepoix, and then add the beef back to the pan along with the wine. Cook until the wine evaporates.
4. TOMATO. Add the tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme, and cook a bit longer until the tomato paste browns.
5. SIMMER. Stir in the water, milk and salt and cook on low for 2 hours or until the meat is very tender. Remove the thyme and bay leaf.
6. PASTA. Cook the pasta and then toss the cooked pasta together with the sauce.
7. SERVE. Serve garnished with Parmesan and parsley.

Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe Variations

• Rigatoni Bolognese with Sausage – replace half or all of the ground beef in this recipe with ground Italian sausage (either mild or spicy).
• Rigatoni Bolognese with Ricotta– dollop a spoonful of ricotta cheese on top of each bowl when you serve!
• Baked Rigatoni Bolognese – this works great for making the bolognese ahead of time and reheating, or with leftovers. Prepare the recipe through step 8, then transfer pasta to a baking dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees F until warmed through and bubbly.
• Rigatoni Bolognese with Peas – stir thawed frozen peas in at Step 8 in the recipe below to add an extra serving of vegetables to this dish.
• Rigatoni Meat Sauce with Cream – to make a creamy rigatoni bolognese, stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream at Step 8.
• Lamb Bolognese – swap out the beef for lamb using my lamb bolognese recipe!

Storing Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

Tips for freezing Meat Sauce Rigatoni

Bolognese sauce itself freezes great! I recommend that you make and freeze the sauce on it’s own (make the recipe through step 6, then freeze).

Then, when you’re ready to eat, simply thaw and warm the sauce, and cook the pasta at that point. Then, stir it all together and eat (steps 7 through 9).

How long does Rigatoni Alla Bolognese last in the fridge?

Rigatoni Bolognese will keep in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

What to serve with Rigatoni Bolognese

Nothing pairs with a rich, meaty pasta like a salad with a bright, acidic dressing.

Some of my favorites are green salad with miso dressing or citrus vinaigrette, or my best Thanksgiving salad (which is great any time of year).

Parmesan broccoli is another one of my favorite side dishes to serve with this meat sauce rigatoni.