Rigatoni Bolognese

This hearty rigatoni bolognese is a comforting and cozy meal. Made with a delicious bolognese sauce that is simmered until perfection, and tossed with tender rigatoni pasta.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (casings removed)
• Olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
• 1 large carrot, peeled and finely diced
• 1 large stalk celery, finely diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 ounces pancetta, small-diced (or thick-cut bacon)
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning)
• 1 cup red wine (plus more as needed)
• 3 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
• 3 dried bay leaves
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup whole milk (plus more to taste)
• 0.75 pound rigatoni pasta
• Grated parmesan cheese for garnish

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1In a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, cook and brown the ground beef and Italian sausage over medium-high heat, breaking it up, for about 6 minutes. Remove from the pot and set aside. Note: If your pot is not large enough, cook in batches. If it starts to release too much moisture, absorb it excess with paper towel.
2. 2To the same pot (don’t wipe it clean), add a few drizzles of olive oil and cook the finely diced onions, carrots, and celery over medium-heat for about 6-8 minutes until softened, scraping the brown bits from the pot with a wooden spoon. If the brown bits are burning too fast, add a splash of wine to deglaze.
3. 3Add the garlic, pancetta, and thyme and cook for about 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, add the 1 cup of red wine, scraping any leftover brown bits. Simmer it down until the wine is about half reduced.
4. 4Add the canned crushed tomatoes and bay leaves. Return the cooked meat and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer over low heat for 30-35 minutes, with the lid partially covered.
5. 5Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in generously salted water according to package directions. Reserve some pasta water for later just in case. Drain and set aside.
6. 6Once the bolognese sauce is done, finish with ½ cup whole milk or to taste. Toss the cooked rigatoni into bolognese sauce until evenly combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a splash of the reserved pasta water as needed.
7. 7Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!