The flavor in this dish is incredible and the pasta comes out perfectly cooked every time. This easy weeknight dinner is packed with flavor and can be on your table in under an hour.
Easy Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe
Do you know you can enjoy a good bolognese sauce without the endless simmering over the stove? Although the economy has been struggling as of late, that doesn’t mean we have to skimp on flavor. If you love food that is rich and flavourful then this easy rigatoni bolognese recipe is for you. It is a one-pot dish, that is easy and quick with easy cleanup. This recipe is also dairy free as the creaminess in this dish is achieved by cooking the pasta in the sauce. Today’s recipe is hands-down one of the best one-pot pasta recipes I have ever made and tasted. The flavor in this dish is incredibly rich, hearty, and satisfying. It is packed with melt-in-mouth, flavorful ground beef, tender rigatoni pasta, and a robust tomato sauce. This recipe is so good, your friends and family will be asking you to make it again and again. This recipe starts with making the Italian best meat sauce every pasta or spaghetti dish needs. To do this, you’ll need some ground beef or a mixture of beef and pork, mirepoix, tomato sauce, herbs and spices, and sugar. The sugar helps to balance out the acidity in the tomatoes and makes the sauce even more delicious. Don’t worry, you only need a little about a tablespoon.
What Ingredients are in rigatoni bolognese
To make the best, easy, and most flavorful rigatoni bolognese that will become a family favorite, you will need the following ingredients Rigatoni pasta: use any other pasta of choice Olive oil Onion Carrot Celery Garlic Lean ground beef Passata: this is just strained tomatoes sub with chopped tomatoes or diced fire-roasted tomatoes Worcestershire sauce Tomato paste Italian seasoning Beef stock cube Brown sugar Chili flakes Salt and pepper, to taste Grated parmesan cheese to serve
How to make rigatoni bolognese
Place a large dutch pot over medium-high heat and add in the olive oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the mirepoix- chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened for about 5 minutes. Next, add in the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the ground beef, break it up, and cook until browned. Add tomato paste, beef stock cube, Italian seasoning, chili flakes, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce, stir and cook until combined about 2-3 minutes. Stir in the passata, add dried rigatoni, pour water over it ( just enough to cover it), and stir to combine. Check for salt and adjust accordingly. Cook the rigatoni in the meat sauce for about 10-12 minutes or until the pasta is done to your liking stirring it often so that it doesn’t burn or stick to the bottom of the pan. Allow it to simmer on medium heat until the sauce is reduced, and thickens nicely. Take it off the heat and serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan cheese and a side of garlic bread.
How to store and reheat
This dish can be stored in an airtight container and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days or frozen for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, simply reheat it on the stove over medium heat until warmed through. You may need to add a splash of water if the sauce has become too thick. Alternatively, reheat in the microwave. If reheating from frozen then it is best to reheat from frozen in the oven at 180C/365F. Make sure that the food is in an oven-safe dish.
Watch how to make it
Can i make rigatoni bolognese with sausage
Yes, substitute ground beef for sausage meat if that is what you have at1¹ hand. sausage meat is basically seasoned pork meat that has been ground up, so it will work perfectly in this recipe.
Can I make this ahead?
Yes, the meat sauce can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for 3-4 days. It can also be stored in the freezer for up to 6 months in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag. Make sure that the meat sauce is completely cooled before storing it. Thaw in the fridge overnight for the best result and reheat over the stovetop until piping hot. When you are ready to make the pasta, simply cook the rigatoni in the sauce according to the recipe instructions. Alternatively, cook the pasta separately and stir it into the sauce.
What can I serve with rigatoni bolognese
Rigatoni bolognese is a complete meal on its own, but if you want to add a side dish, a green salad, roasted or sauteed vegetables would be a great option. Garlic bread is also a delicious way to mop up all that delicious sauce. You will love it with any of the following Sauteed broccolini or stovetop broccoli Cheesy pesto garlic bread Cucumber tomato mozzarella salad And there you have it, a simple and easy rigatoni bolognese recipe that you can make at home under 40 minutes. As always, if you made this recipe, I would love to hear from you! Kindly rate the recipe 5 star and leave me feedback in the comment section below. Tag me @thedinnerbite on Instagram and save it away to your Pinterest. Please subscribe to the blog if you haven’t for free new recipes in your inbox
