Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe
Rigatoni Bolognese is a make-ahead marvel that skips tedious vegetable chopping. This easy yet elegant, restaurant-quality dish is loved by both kids and adults.
Ingredients
- 2 celery stalks roughly chopped
- 2 small carrots peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- ¾ cup red wine
- ⅓ cup tomato paste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 large sprig thyme
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup whole milk
- 12 ounces dry rigatoni
- Parmesan cheese, finely chopped fresh parsley and/or torn fresh basil for serving
Instructions
- In bowl of food processor fitted with knife blade attachment, pulse celery, carrots and onion until very finely chopped.
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Break ground beef into about 8 chunks and add to pot. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally but not breaking up meat, 6 to 8 minutes or until outside of beef chunks are browned. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to medium bowl.
- Add celery mixture to pot and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until all moisture has evaporated and vegetables begin to lightly stick to bottom of pot, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in wine and reserved beef. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook 8 to 10 minutes or until wine is evaporated, using spoon to break beef into small bits as it cooks.
- Add tomato paste, bay leaf and thyme and cook 5 minutes or until tomato paste is slightly browned, continuing to break beef up as it cooks.
- Stir in water, milk, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, 2 hours or until mixture has reduced to a sauce consistency and meat is very tender, stirring about every 30 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf and thyme sprig. Taste sauce and season with additional salt if necessary.
- Heat large pot of salted water to boiling over high heat. Add rigatoni and cook for 2 minutes less than package directions for al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water. Drain pasta and transfer to pot with bolognese. Add 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water. Increase heat to medium, and cook, while stirring pasta and sauce together, 2 minutes or until pasta is al dente and everything is combined. Add additional pasta water if necessary, to keep things saucy!
- Serve topped with Parmesan cheese, parsley and/or basil.
Notes
Adapted from Bon Appetit.
Calories: 780kcal, Carbohydrates: 77g, Protein: 34g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 16g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 88mg, Sodium: 886mg, Potassium: 993mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 4632IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 145mg, Iron: 4mg
This website provides estimated nutrition information as a courtesy only. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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