Slow-cooked Rigatoni 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 rigatoni bolognaise or rigatoni 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 it up as is or with a simple green salad and homemade garlic bread.

What you need to make a Dutch oven bolognese sauce

• 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.
  
  
  
• 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

Here are a few simple steps to make Rigatoni Bolognese

1. In a cast iron French oven, add the oil to the pan. On a low heat, saute the onion until translucent.
   
   
   
2. Add the bacon and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
   
   
   
3. Add the minced beef to the pot. Cook on low-med heat until the mince is just cooked.
   
   
   
4. 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.
   
   
   
5. 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.
   
   
   
6. 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

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.

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 freezable, 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.

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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