Rigatoni Bolognese
Updated Sep 15, 2026
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Rigatoni Bolognese is a stick-to-your-ribs pasta dinner made with ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, and plenty of fresh basil simmered into a rich, meaty sauce. It’s one of my favorite ways to serve rigatoni, right up there with my spicy rigatoni vodka. Add some warm garlic breadsticks on the side, and dinner is done.
Easy Rigatoni Bolognese Recipe
Rigatoni Bolognese is one of my favorite ways to turn a batch of homemade Bolognese into dinner. The thick pasta holds onto the meaty tomato sauce really well, so you get plenty of sauce in every bite. Add freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano on top, and you’ve got one seriously good Italian dinner.
The Bolognese is also easy to make ahead since the sauce keeps and reheats well. I’ll sometimes make it a day or two in advance, then boil the rigatoni and toss everything together when we’re ready to eat. And if you have extra sauce, save it for my Bolognese stuffed peppers. They’re another favorite around here and such a good way to use Bolognese without making another pasta dinner.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You don’t need anything fancy to make this Rigatoni Bolognese. It starts with ground beef, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, plus a few pantry staples. Here are some quick ingredient notes before you get started.
- Rigatoni: I use rigatoni because all those ridges are great for holding onto the Bolognese sauce. Penne also works.
- Olive Oil: For sautéing the vegetables and garlic.
- Onion, Celery, and Carrots: This trio of finely chopped vegetables makes up the base of the sauce.
- Garlic: Fresh minced garlic gives the best flavor, but garlic powder works, too.
- Ground Beef: I usually use lean ground beef. Ground chuck is also a great choice, but you may need to drain excess fat after browning. You can also make Bolognese with ground turkey, ground chicken, pork as I use in my pork ragu recipe, Italian sausage, or a combination of meats.
- Crushed Tomatoes: You’ll need one large can of crushed tomatoes for the base of the Bolognese.
- Fresh Parsley and Basil: I prefer fresh herbs here, but you can substitute dried herbs if needed. Save a little parsley for garnish.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Season to taste, especially after the sauce has had time to simmer.
- Pecorino Romano: Freshly grated for serving. Parmesan is a good substitute.
Recipe Tips
- Salt the water: To maximize the flavor in your rigatoni (and other pasta dishes), make sure to sprinkle salt into the pasta water generously. You might not want the pasta water to be quite as salty as ocean water, but it should definitely have a little flavor. That way, the pasta itself will have some flavor, instead of a plain flour taste.
- Time the pasta: Wait to cook the rigatoni until the Bolognese is nearly finished. Start heating the pasta water about 20 minutes before the sauce is done simmering, then cook the rigatoni according to the package directions. This way, the pasta and sauce will be ready at about the same time.
- Add dairy: For a creamier version of the sauce, try adding a small amount of whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream. The richer the dairy, the more it will enrich the flavor of the sauce.
What To Serve With Rigatoni Bolognese
- Salad: A simple green salad works great, or try my crisp cabbage cucumber salad.
- Soup: If you’re serving this as part of a bigger dinner, start with my creamy chicken gnocchi soup.
- Bread: Scoop up the extra Bolognese with air fryer garlic bread, garlic Parmesan breadsticks, or my butter swim biscuits.
- Veggies: Add carrots and green beans, garlic broccolini, or skillet zucchini and mushrooms. My cheesy zucchini breadsticks are another favorite.
FAQs
Yes. You can make the Bolognese sauce up to 2 to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Reheat the sauce gently on the stovetop while you cook the rigatoni, then toss everything together just before serving. This keeps the pasta from getting soft or soaking up too much of the sauce.
Yes. Penne works well in this recipe, although I prefer rigatoni because its larger tubes and ridged surface hold onto the thick Bolognese sauce really well. Penne is smaller and has angled ends, but you can use either one.
Yes. I recommend freezing the Bolognese sauce without the pasta for the best texture. Let the sauce cool completely, then store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, reheat it on the stovetop, and cook a fresh batch of rigatoni to serve with it.
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Rigatoni Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 box (16 ounces) rigatoni pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 1 large carrot, diced
- 1 pound ground beef
- 28 ounces can of crushed tomatoes
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 8 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- freshly grated Pecorino Romano, for serving
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box.
- Sauté the aromatics. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven set over medium heat. Add the onions to the hot oil and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Stir frequently.
- Cook the veggies and ground meat. Add the celery and carrots, and cook for 5 minutes. Add more oil, if needed. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir in the ground beef; cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently to break up the beef.
- Add the remaining ingredients. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, parsley, and basil; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Season with salt and pepper, and continue to cook for 25 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Taste for salt and pepper, and adjust accordingly.
- Serve. Spoon the Bolognese sauce over the cooked and drained rigatoni. Top with grated pecorino romano and parsley, and serve.
Equipment
Notes
- Pasta: Rigatoni is a tube-shaped pasta with ridges along the outside, which helps it cling to the Bolognese pasta sauce. You can also use penne pasta. Generally, heartier sauces are served with wider, bigger noodles, and noodles like fettuccine or linguine are best paired with cream sauces.
- Ground Beef: I love my bolognese prepared with ground beef, but it’s also really good with ground turkey or even Italian Sausage.
- Low and Slow: Let the bolognese sauce simmer gently. The longer it simmers, the more the flavors meld together, enhancing the taste.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Rigatoni Bolognese
There are basically two parts to this dish: cooking the pasta, and making the sauce. You can simply cook the pasta according to the package directions, and the sauce is easy to make in one pot.
- Start the Pasta. You’ll want to cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Start heating the pasta water first, or check out the Tips and Tricks section below for timing the pasta and sauce to finish cooking at roughly the same time.
- Cook the Vegetables. To get started with the sauce, heat your olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and cook those for about 3 minutes. Then stir in the garlic, and let that cook for a minute or so, stirring often so it doesn’t scorch. Burnt garlic tastes very bitter. Finally, add your diced celery and carrots to the pot, and cook all of the veggies for 5 minutes more. If the pan seems dry, add a bit more oil.
- Add the Ground Beef. Turn up the heat to medium-high. Add the ground beef to the pot, and cook it for about 10 minutes, breaking it up as it browns.
- Add the Remaining Ingredients and Simmer. Once the beef is browned, you can add the crushed tomatoes and herbs to the pot. Bring this to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and add the salt and pepper to taste. Cook the sauce for 25 minutes or until it has thickened a bit.
- Finish the Dish. Taste the finished bolognese sauce for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed. Then, serve the sauce over the cooked, drained rigatoni, and top each plate with a sprinkle of grated pecorino romano and fresh chopped parsley.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- To store leftovers, let them cool down and then place them in an airtight container or a zip-top bag. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- You can reheat this dish in the microwave or in a covered skillet set over low heat. Add a splash of water if you think the pasta seems a bit dry.
- To freeze, cool down the cooked pasta and sauce, and then transfer it to a disposable foil pan for freezing. Cover it tightly in two layers of foil or plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the oven at 350˚F, covered with foil, until the pasta and sauce are hot.
