Name: Slow-Cooked Rigatoni Beef Bolognese (Dutch Oven)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 2 brown onions, sliced; 500g beef mince; 80g streaky bacon, diced; 3 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 carrot, diced; 1 celery stalk, diced; 4 button mushrooms, sliced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 1 tsp porcini powder; 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 1/2 c beef stock; 700g jar passata; 1/2 c red wine; 1 bay leaf; 2 sprigs thyme; 400g rigatoni; freshly grated reggiano parmesan or grana padano; fresh torn basil leaves

Description

My Rigatoni Bolognese is a family staple, a classic Italian dish, and one of my go-to recipes. Serve alongside a green salad and garlic bread.

Ingredients

Scale

The sauce

2 tbsp olive oil
2 brown onions, sliced
500g beef mince
80g streaky bacon, diced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 button mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp porcini powder
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 c beef stock
700g jar passata
1/2 c red wine
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme

To serve

400g rigatoni
freshly grated reggiano parmesan or grana padano
fresh torn basil leaves

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F.
In a cast-iron French oven, add the oil to the pan. On a low heat, saute the onion until translucent.
Add the bacon and garlic and saute for 2 minutes.
Add the minced beef to the pot. Cook on low-med heat until the mince is just cooked.
Add to the pot the remaining ingredients. Stir to fully combine and bring to simmer point. Pop the lid on the pot and put it in the preheated oven to slow cook for 2 hours.
In a large saucepan, cook the rigatoni to the packet instructions. Drain and stir through the bolognese sauce.
Serve with freshly grated grana padano or reggiano parmesan and freshly torn basil leaves.

Notes

Keep 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.

I cook this recipe in my 22cm or 24cm Le Creuset casserole.

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. Add a splash of water while reheating to beef up the sauciness!

Please note all recipes on this website are in US measurements. Eg, 1 cup / 240ml, 1 tablespoon/15mls. Oven temperatures refer to a fan-forced oven.

Nutrition

Serving Size:
Calories: 1177
Sugar: 13.9 g
Sodium: 1550 mg
Fat: 61.7 g
Carbohydrates: 100.9 g
Protein: 45.4 g
Cholesterol: 132.9 mg