Slow-Cooked Rigatoni Beef Bolognese (Dutch Oven)

Some days just call for a comforting bolognese recipe. It’s a family staple, a classic Italian dish, and one of my go-to recipes. Whether you call it beef bolognaise or beef bolognese, expect a rich tomato and ground beef sauce, slow-cooked in a Dutch oven, that shines doused in parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves. Serve up this rigatoni bolognese as is or with a simple green salad and homemade garlic bread.

Why you’ll love this recipe

It’s one the whole family will love. From toddlers to grandparents, I’ve got you covered!

I’m all for cooking once and getting multiple meals out of a recipe. Pasta bolognese one night, bolognese stuffed spuds or even a baked lasagne the next.

Once it’s in the oven, it’s a set-and-forget situation. Let the Dutch oven do its thing and put your feet up til it’s cooked.

Ingredients

• Meat – beef mince, streaky bacon
  
  
  
• Vegetables – brown onions, fresh garlic cloves, celery stalk, carrot, button mushrooms.
  
  
  
• Red wine. I usually opt for a cheap cabernet or pinot noir when I’m cooking with red wine. I buy the odd cheap bottle with the groceries and leave it in the pantry for slow-cooking recipes like this one.
  
  
  
• Pantry essentials – Tomato Paste, beef stock, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt flakes, and freshly ground black pepper to season
  
  
  
• Fresh Herbs – Dried oregano, bay leaf, fresh thyme
  
  
  
• Porcini powder I totally LOVE this stuff! Add to your slow-cooked soups, stews, and casseroles to give depth and flavor. A few dried porcini mushrooms will do a similar thing.
  
  
  
• Tomato Passata. You can also use canned diced tomatoes. I tend to prefer passata as it results in a creamier texture in the roasted tomato sauce.
  
  
  
• Dried Rigatoni Pasta. Or substitute with your favorite shape of pasta like spaghetti, penne or linguine.

How-to

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.
   
   
   
2. In a cast-iron French oven, add the oil to the pan. On a low heat, saute the onion until translucent.
   
   
   
3. Add the bacon and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
   
   
   
4. Add the minced beef to the pot. Cook on low-med heat until the mince is just cooked.
   
   
   
5. Add to the pot the remaining ingredients. Stir to fully combine and bring to a simmer point on medium heat. Pop the lid on the pot and put it in the preheated oven to slow cook for 1.5 hours.
   
   
   
6. In a large pot of salted water, cook the rigatoni to the package directions. Drain the pasta, reserving a little of the pasta water (1/4c), and stir both the water and the cooked rigatoni through the bolognese sauce.
   
   
   
7. Serve with freshly grated grana padano or reggiano parmesan and freshly torn basil leaves

Equipment

This recipe was cooked in a Le Creuset 24cm French oven. Alternatively, you could also use any large Dutch oven or casserole dish. A cook’s knife, chopping board, and wooden spoon are also essential utensils.

Variations and substitutions

Swap out the beef mince for ground pork mince or ground turkey

Take the heat level up a notch or two with some chili flakes or chili powder into the tomato sauce.

Depending on the season, I sometimes add extra vegetables to the sauce. Zucchinis especially work well when you’ve got an end-of-summer glut.

Not a Rigatoni fan? Swap out for different pasta shapes. Penne, capunti, and bucatini are all popular choices along with the obvious choice, spaghetti.

What to serve with pasta bolognese

I’m a garlic bread and green salad kinda girl, however, there are so many options. This skillet focaccia recipe is a cracking side for pasta dishes and is on a weekly rotation in my family!

Another side salad that I love to serve with tomato-based pastas is a caprese salad. Full of tomatoes and basil, it’s an obvious winner!

Keep this one for later

Can you freeze slow-cooked bolognese sauce? Yes! Store this pasta sauce in the fridge for 3-4 days or in a freezer-safe, airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. Cook the pasta on the day (or the day before) it’s consumed. I freeze batches of the bolognese sauce and reheat them for an easy weeknight dinner.

To reheat, either pop it into a saucepan or Dutch oven on low heat and warm it gently on the stove, or pop it into a microwave-safe container and reheat it in the microwave.

FAQ’s

Love a good pasta dish? Here are a few of my favorite pasta recipes…

• Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake (Tuna Mornay)
• Chicken and bacon creamy pesto pasta
• Roasted Cherry Tomato Sauce
• Pasta Boscaiola
• Chicken and chorizo risotto

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