Rigatoni with meat sauce is a labour of love. This slow-simmered Bolognese bubbles away for a couple of hours until it transforms into a rich, thick sauce. The best part? Every ridge and hollow of the rigatoni catches those hearty flavors, making each bite feel like home.
This meat sauce is my rendition of an authentic Bolognese. I make this when I have a few hours ahead of me or on a lazy Sunday afternoon. There is nothing better than the aroma of a slow-simmered sauce filling the house.
But when time is of the essence, and pasta is what I'm craving, I like to make my baked rigatoni or my baked ravioli (a one-pot meal).
A few more of my pasta favorites include my marinara with Italian sausage, my authentic Italian rosé sauce, and of course, my pasta with broccoli, garlic, and olive oil, which comes together in under 30 minutes.
Finally, no Italian meal is complete without a great salad. My spinach and arugula salad is one you'll enjoy.
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✨ Recipe Highlights
- Good source of protein: a mix of ground beef and pork
- Freezer-friendly: batch cook once, enjoy multiple times
- Hearty: slow-simmered equals rich flavor
- Versatile: makes a great lasagna sauce
- Make-ahead: tastes better the next day
🛒 Ingredients in Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
The base of this Bolognese sauce is ground beef and pork for rich flavor. The tomatoes add depth, and of course, no meat sauce is complete without the savoriness of the sofritto; onions, carrots, and celery.
Notes & Substitutions
- Tomato sauce: The Italian equivalent is passata, which is strained tomato purée. Look for tomato sauce/passata, preferably with only two ingredients: tomatoes and salt.
- Red onion: A yellow onion, white onion, or even shallots are a perfect substitute.
- Ground meat: I use a mix of both ground beef and pork. They complement each other well. I use 80/20 beef because it has just enough fat to lend a rich taste, without being so fatty that the sauce becomes greasy. If you're looking for a pork substitute, consider veal, or omit the pork and just use beef.
- Rigatoni: I love tubular pasta with a hearty meat sauce. The rigatoni catch the sauce in their little hollows. Substitute with penne rigate (slimmer but tubular) or rotini (corkscrew-shaped).
Variations
- For a northern Italian vibe, stir in a splash of heavy cream to the finished sauce.
- Instead of water to deglaze the bottom of the pot, use red or white wine.
👩🏻🍳 How to Make Rigatoni with Meat Sauce
Heat Oil & Sauté Vegetables
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just starting to turn golden, about 8-10 minutes. This is your soffritto base, which adds a lot of flavor.
Add Meat & Garlic
Add the ground beef and ground pork. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it browns. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and all the liquid has evaporated, about 15-20 minutes. Once the liquid has evaporated, keep cooking until the meat starts to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pot, about 10 minutes. Caramelization equals LOTS of flavor. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.
✨Tip
Always wash utensils that touched raw meat before using them on cooked food, or grab a fresh one. Safety first!
Add Tomatoes & Water
Pour in the crushed tomatoes, passata or tomato sauce, and ½ cup of water. Stir well to combine and scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to unstick the brown bits.
✨ Tip
To "clean out" the bottle of passata, getting every last drop, I add the ½ cup of water called for in the recipe, to the bottle, put the cap back on, shake, and pour it into the pot.
Add Herbs & Simmer
Add the bay leaves and fresh basil sprigs. (No need to chop the basil-you'll remove it later). Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook with the lid on for 90 minutes, stirring often. Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, with the lid slightly ajar, stirring frequently. If the sauce starts to look too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.
Adjust Seasoning
When the sauce has finished cooking, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and adjust accordingly. Remove the bay leaves and basil sprigs.
Cook Rigatoni
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.
Serve & Enjoy
Add several ladles of sauce to the rigatoni, toss, and add more or less according to your taste. Dust with a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.
🌟 Tips & Tricks
- I keep Parmigiano-Reggiano rinds in the freezer and drop one into soup, stews, or meat sauces while they simmer-it adds a rich, savory flavor.
- Take the time to sauté the meat. It's okay for it to stick to the bottom of the pot (so long as it doesn't burn). Those brown bits (called fond) are caramelized sugars and proteins. And when deglazed (adding liquid to the pan, in this case with tomato sauce), that flavor melts right into the sauce for extra depth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Refrigerator: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I don't recommend freezing the pasta.
Technically no. Ragù alla Bolognese is a dish coming from Bologna, Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region of northern Italy. An authentic Bolognese, as registered by the Accademia Italiana della Cucina in 1982 with Bologna's Chamber of Commerce, should include the following ingredients: extra-virgin olive oil, ground beef, pancetta, onion, carrot, celery, red or white wine, strained tomatoes, tomato paste, whole milk, broth, salt, and pepper.
A meat sauce, as we typically know it in North America, is heavier on the tomato compared to an authentic ragù alla Bolognese, which is a meat-based sauce with the tomato base in the background.
I ♥️ Hearing from You
If you enjoy this recipe, let me know by leaving a comment. I love knowing about any fun tweaks or clever swaps you make.
-Donna
Recipe
Rigatoni with Meat Sauce: Slow-Simmered Hearty Bolognese
Equipment
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- measuring cups and spoons
- Dutch oven
- wooden spoon
- large saucepan, to cook pasta
- collander
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 medium carrots, finely diced
- 2 ribs of celery, finely diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 pound ground beef, 80% lean/20% fat
- 1 pound lean ground pork
- 4 garlic cloves, peeled and coarsely chopped
- 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
- 1 (23-fluid ounce) bottle of passata or tomato sauce, about 3 cups or 680 milliliters
- ½ cup water
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 5 sprigs fresh basil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, adjust to your taste
- 12 ounces rigatoni, 340 grams
Optional
- finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Instructions
- Heat Oil & Sauté Vegetables: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and just starting to turn golden, about 8-10 minutes. This is your soffritto base, which adds a lot of flavor.3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 medium carrots, 2 ribs of celery, 1 red onion
- Add Meat & Garlic: Add the ground beef and ground pork. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to break up the meat as it browns. Cook until the meat is no longer pink and all the liquid has evaporated, about 15-20 minutes. Once the liquid has evaporated, keep cooking until the meat starts to caramelize and stick to the bottom of the pot, about 10 minutes. Caramelization equals LOTS of flavor. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.1 pound ground beef, 1 pound lean ground pork, 4 garlic cloves
- Add Tomatoes & Water: Pour in the crushed tomatoes, passata or tomato sauce, and ½ cup of water. Stir well to combine and scrape the bottom of the pot with your wooden spoon to unstick the brown bits.1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, 1 (23-fluid ounce) bottle of passata or tomato sauce, ½ cup water
- Add Herbs & Simmer: Add the bay leaves and fresh basil sprigs. (No need to chop the basil-you'll remove it later). Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook with the lid on for 90 minutes, stirring often. Remove the lid and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, with the lid slightly ajar, stirring frequently. If the sauce starts to look too thick, add a splash of water to thin it out.2 dried bay leaves, 5 sprigs fresh basil
- Adjust Seasoning: When the sauce has finished cooking, add 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and adjust accordingly. Remove the bay leaves and basil sprigs.1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Cook Rigatoni: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the rigatoni according to the package directions. Drain and return to the pot.12 ounces rigatoni
- Serve & Enjoy: Add several ladles of sauce to the rigatoni, toss, and add more or less according to your taste. Dust with a generous amount of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and serve.finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Notes
Freezer: Freeze the sauce in an airtight container for up to 3 months. I don't recommend freezing the pasta.
Frank says
Amazing with a nice glass of Chianti 🙂
Donna says
This sauce is perfect with spaghetti, but our favorite is rigatoni. We love it as is with pasta, and I use it as a base for my lasagna. Enjoy 🙂