A rich, slow-simmered Sunday Sauce with ground meats, tomatoes, and herbs tossed with rigatoni — hearty, comforting, and made to share.
There’s something about a big pot of sauce simmering away on a Sunday that just feels like home. For me, Rigatoni Bolognese isn’t just pasta — it’s comfort, abundance, and the kind of meal you make when you want to feed people you love. This version is my take on a traditional Sunday Sauce: a mix of beef, pork, and veal slowly cooked with tomatoes, wine, and herbs until the flavors become rich and deep. Toss it with rigatoni — those big ridged noodles that catch every bit of sauce — and you’ve got a dish that never fails to bring smiles to the table.
🍅 Ingredients
For the sauce
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 carrot, finely diced
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1/2 lb ground pork
- 1/2 lb ground veal (optional, or replace with more beef/pork)
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
For the pasta
- 1 lb rigatoni pasta
- Salt, for pasta water
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
👩🍳 Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add ground beef, pork, and veal. Cook until browned, breaking up with a spoon.
- Stir in tomato paste, cooking for 2 minutes to deepen flavor.
- Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping up browned bits.
- Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lower heat, cover partially, and simmer gently for at least 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally. (The longer it simmers, the deeper the flavor.)
- Cook rigatoni in salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
- Remove bay leaf from sauce. Toss pasta with sauce, adding reserved pasta water if needed for consistency.
- Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan.
⏱️ Times
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
🍽️ Servings
- 6–8 servings
✨Some Cooking Habits Tips
- Always do your food prep before cooking. ie; chop vegetables, measure spices so they are available to add as needed.
- Sauce tastes even better the next day after flavors meld.
- Freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — store in airtight containers.
- Try adding a splash of cream or a pat of butter at the end for extra richness.