Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

The BEST Rigatoni Bolognese recipe in a bowl with oregano and parmesan.

Rigatoni with Meat Sauce

This Rigatoni Bolognese recipe is a weeknight dinner dream come true! Made with rigatoni pasta, chopped hidden veggies, lean ground beef (or ground turkey), and a creamy, flavorful tomato sauce, every bite of this hearty and healthy pasta is so good. Easily make this one-pot bolognese recipe dairy-free and put it together in 30 minutes, then let it simmer on the stove for a dinner that everyone will love!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Italian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Simmer Time 1

Total Time 1 30

Servings Servings

Calories 527kcal

Author Christine McMichael

Equipment

Sauté Pan

Ingredients

16 ounces whole wheat rigatoni pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped about 1/3 cup chopped
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped about 3/4 cup chopped
1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped about 1/2 cup chopped
1 medium zucchini, diced small about 1 1/2 cup chopped
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes drained
8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 cups vegetable broth
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons dried basil
1 Tablespoon honey or agave
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup whole milk or soy milk half and half for a creamier version
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped parsley plus extra as garnish
1-2 ounces grated parmesan cheese as garnish, optional

Instructions

In a large non-stick skillet with high sides add the olive oil, onion, carrot, and celery. Cook over medium heat for about 7-9 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions begin turning translucent.
Mix in the zucchini and garlic and cook for another 5 minutes until fragrant.
Add the ground beef and break apart into smaller pieces. Cook for 7-8 minutes over medium-high heat, mixing every 2-3 minutes. The ground beef should be partially cooked through.
Mix in the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, oregano, basil, honey, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and milk.
Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer over medium-low heat, cooking uncovered for 1 hour. Mix every 10-15 minutes.
While the bolognese sauce is cooking, cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and add the rigatoni. Stir and cook for about 9-10 minutes, or until al-dente, or as directed on the box. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water for later and set aside. Strain the pasta and rinse well with cold water.
Mix the rigatoni and 1 cup of reserved pasta water into the meat sauce.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 3-5 minutes, mixing often, until the sauce has thickened and clings to the pasta.
Mix in the parsley.
Divide the rigatoni bolognese among serving bowls and garnish with more chopped parsley or fresh oregano and grated parmesan, if desired.

Video

Notes

I had a little bit of a tough time finding whole wheat rigatoni in stores, but it can be ordered on Amazon, or you can use lentil rigatoni or regular rigatoni instead if necessary.

I included 1 zucchini, diced very small, so it’s like a hidden veggie. You can totally double the amount of zucchini and add even more nutrition!

As much as I wish the sauce could cook for less time, it really does need the full 45 minutes to 1 hour to thicken. The process of cooking the bolognese low and slow really does make a difference and yields an amazing sauce! It's worth the wait.

I originally made this recipe with unsweetened coconut milk for a thick, creamy sauce. It was good, but I couldn't get past the coconut taste with the savory tomato flavors. I found that soy or whole milk tastes better, but I wanted to let you know that coconut milk is also an option!

Nutrition