The Best Rigatoni Bolognese Recipes

RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Make the soffrito. Finely chopped onion, carrot, and celery. Yes, you can do this in a food processor. No, we don't generally. We like the soffrito to have some texture, not turn into pulp.
• Sweat the veggies. Heat olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven over medium-low to medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes until translucent. Raise the heat to medium, then add the carrot and celery. Cook for an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Brown the meat. Increase the heat to medium-high, then add the ground beef and ground pork. Season the meat immediately with 2 tsp Kosher salt and ½ tsp black pepper. Let this cook about 8-10 minutes, stirring often and breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon or spatula.
• Deglaze the pan. Pour in red wine, allowing it to reduce and evaporate, about 3-4 minutes. Don't worry, all the flavor stays behind!
• Skim the fat. Once the wine reduces, you'll see excess fat float to the top of the pan. Use a spoon to skim the fat, then discard. This will yield about ¾ - 1 cup of fat. Removing this makes the bolognese sauce less greasy.
• Add remaining liquid. Pour in the whole milk and chicken stock. Next, crush the tomatoes with your hands directly into the pot. Add two bay leaves and -- the most important part of the recipe! -- ½ lb finely chopped chicken livers.
• Simmer low and slow. Allow the sauce to simmer over low heat for 3 hours, checking on it and stirring every 30 minutes or so. If the heat is at a proper simmer, you shouldn't need to add any additional liquid at all.
• Finish the sauce. Remove the bay leaves, then add freshly chopped rosemary and thyme. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
• When ready to serve, cook pasta. Cook rigatoni or other pasta according to package directions for al dente, meaning just slightly undercooked by 1-2 minutes. This is important! Before draining, reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta, do NOT rinse, and set aside.
• Cook with pasta in the sauce. Transfer as much bolognese as you want to a large skillet. Heat over medium high heat until bubbly. Add al dente rigatoni or other pasta shape directly to the pan. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan often, so that each piece of pasta is completely coated with sauce. The final step: add a couple tablespoons (more, if making a lot of pasta) of the reserved pasta cooking water to help bind the sauce together. The starch from cooking the pasta will thicken the sauce and bring it to life!
• To serve. Add a couple tablespoons (more, if making a lot of pasta) of the reserved pasta cooking water to help bind the sauce together. Divide pasta between bowls, then serve with grated lemon zest and freshly grated Parmesan!

RIGATONI WITH SUMMER BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente, about 12 minutes. Reserve 3/4 cup cooking water, then drain.
• Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ground beef, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, breaking up the meat, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook until evenly combined, 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer until almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking water, the tomatoes and half the basil. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the tomatoes start to burst and the mixture is saucy, 4 to 7 minutes.
• Add the cheese to the sauce, then add the rigatoni; season with salt and pepper and toss, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen. Divide among bowls and top with the remaining basil and more parmesan.

THE BEST RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Peel and finely chop the garlic and the onion. Sautee in 3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Add the ground meat and brown for 7 minutes on high flame. Always stir
• Deglaze the meat with the red wine, let simmer until the wine evaporates
• Chop and add the bacon. Cook until the fat melts
• Add the canned tomatoes, the tomato sauce, and season up
• Mix and cook for 1 hour. Halfway through cooking, add a little hot water
• Cook the pasta al dente according to the package instructions
• Drain the water and mix with the sauce
• Sprinkle some chopped parsley and grated parmesan on top and serve immediately

RIGATONI WITH VEGETABLE BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with 1 1/2 cups very hot water. Set aside and let the mushrooms soften.
• Place the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse the vegetables until finely chopped but still chunky. Place the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped vegetables, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Strain the porcini mushrooms, reserving the porcini mushroom liquid. Add the porcini mushrooms, fresh mushrooms, and tomato paste and continue cooking, stirring to dissolve the tomato paste, until the mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the porcini mushroom liquid and red wine. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and let the mixture simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add mascarpone cheese and stir just until the cheese is incorporated.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and add to the vegetable mixture. Add some of the reserved pasta cooking liquid, if necessary, to moisten the sauce. Toss with Parmesan and serve.

AUTHENTIC RIGATONI BOLOGNESE

Steps:

• Put the olive oil into a pan. Add the chopped veggies and saute until the celery softens.
• Add ground beef or veal and saute until meat browns.
• Add your favorite red wine (the alcohol will be absorbed during cooking process).
• Add the crushed tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste and allow this to simmer over low heat for at least an hour until sauce thickens.
• Boil rigatoni in hot, salted water.
• To plate the dish, put the rigatoni in a bowl, pour some sauce on top and garnish with some fresh parsley.

FRESH RIGATONI WITH BOLOGNESE SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add carrot, celery, and onion; cook for two minutes. Add beef and pork; cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is nicely browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and 1/4 cup water; season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring a 6-quart pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Generously salt water and return to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, 5 to 7 minutes; drain.
• Add heavy cream, if using, to sauce; stir to combine. Serve immediately over pasta.