Rigatoni Bolognese
This comforting Rigatoni Bolognese is a quick version that's full of veggies and ground beef, with a splash of milk for that signature richness, ready in under an hour. It scales up and freezes well, so it's perfect for batch cooking or meal prep, too!
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1-2 medium carrots finely diced
- 2 celery sticks finely diced
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- 30 ounces crushed tomatoes 2- 15.oz cans
- 1 cup tomato passata
- 12 ounces rigatoni pasta
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus more for serving
Instructions
- Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large rimmed skillet over medium heat. Sauté the 1 medium onion (finely chopped), 1-2 medium carrots (finely diced), and 2 celery sticks (finely diced) for 6-7 minutes. Add the 1 pound lean ground beef, 4 cloves garlic2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, and a pinch each of Kosher salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and breaking up the meat clumps.
- Once the meat starts to brown, add the 30 ounces crushed tomatoes and 1 cup tomato passata. Stir well to combine and reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer the sauce for 15 -20 minutes, until it thickens.
- Now it's time to cook the pasta. Boil the 12 ounces rigatoni pasta in salted water according to package directions to al dente. When ready, drain and set aside.
- Once the sauce is thick, remove from the heat and slowly pour in the 1/2 cup whole milk while stirring. The milk will add richness to your bolognese sauce, but you can omit it if you prefer.
- Add the rigatoni to the skillet with the sauce and stir well to coat. Season with 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes
Storage & Reheating:
- Fridge: Allow the leftover pasta to cool, then transfer to an airtight container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days
- Freezer: It's best to freeze the sauce without pasta in it (as the pasta can become mushy when it defrosts). Allow the sauce to cool, then transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, then reheat and serve with freshly cooked pasta.
- Reheating: Microwave the pasta in a covered microwave-safe bowl until piping hot throughout. Alternatively, stir the pasta with a splash of water in a pot over a medium-low heat until piping hot.
Variations & Tips:
- As there's a lot of chopping to do for the sofrito base of onions, celery, and carrot, feel free to use a food processor to pulse large chunks of the veggies until they're finely diced. This speeds up prep extensively!
- This sauce is even better the day after making it, as all the flavors have time to mingle together.
- You can use this ragu to make lasagna by layering it up in a baking dish with a few alternating layers of lasagna sheets, grated parmesan, and bechamel, then baking until golden and bubbling.
- Try adding a couple of bay leaves to the bolognese while it's simmering for an aromatic flavor boost.
- If you want to get more veggies into this dish, try adding some diced cremini mushrooms to the onion/celery/carrots as they're sauteing.
Nutrition
Calories: 721kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1205mg | Potassium: 1680mg | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 3523IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 294mg | Iron: 8mg