Rigatoni With White Bolognese
Updated March 15, 2025
David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
Extra virgin olive oil
½ sweet onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound mild Italian pork sausage meat, removed from casings
1 pound ground beef (not lean)
1 ½ cups dry Italian white wine
1 cube beef bouillon dissolved in 2 cups simmering water
1 ½ ounces dried porcini mushrooms rehydrated in 3 cups lukewarm water
⅓ cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
¾ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
105 grams carbs; 201 milligrams cholesterol; 1416 calories; 31 grams monounsaturated fat; 8 grams polyunsaturated fat; 27 grams saturated fat; 75 grams fat; 2 grams trans fat; 7 grams fiber; 1347 milligrams sodium; 64 grams protein; 9 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Add enough oil to a large, deep sauté pan to coat the base and place over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion, carrots and celery and sauté until glassy and just tender, about 5 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the sausage and beef to the pan, breaking it into walnut-size pieces, and brown well.
- Step 2
Pour in the wine and keep at a rapid simmer until the pan is almost dry. Then pour in 1 ½ cups beef bouillon and lower the heat to medium. Simmer gently, uncovered, until the bouillon is nearly gone, stirring now and then. Meanwhile, chop the rehydrated porcini into small pieces, reserving the liquid.
- Step 3
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add mushroom liquid to the sauce to cover the meat halfway (about 1 cup) along with the porcini and continue simmering until the sauce is loose but not soupy, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; it should be highly seasoned. When the consistency is right, fold the cream in. Remove from the heat and cover.
- Step 4
When the pasta water is at a full boil, add the rigatoni and cook until still firm, but not hard, in the center. When the pasta is almost done, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and reserve. Drain the pasta and then return it to the pot. Pour the pasta sauce on top and fold in with a wooden spoon. The pasta should not be dry. Add a little pasta water or mushroom liquid to loosen it. (It will continue to soak up sauce on the way to the table.) Serve in one large bowl or in individual bowls, passing the cheese at the table.
Private Notes
Comments
This is one of the most amazingly delicious recipes. We didn't use any cream at all...swapped in a pound of sliced mushrooms for the ground beef and used spicy rather than sweet sausage. To further lighten the dish up we served it over roasted cauliflower (roasted at 400, tossed lightly in olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt in a cast iron skillet) rather than pasta. Words cannot express how much my family loves this dish.
just a tip: use the widest-bottomed pot you have, to greatly reduce the time it takes to reduce all the liquids, ie: wine, beef broth, mushroom liquids; as in the recipe.
Given that onion, carrot and celery take different times to soften, first add the onion, wait a bit, then the carrot,wait a bit and finally the celery.
Wow! Excellent, despite several unforced errors of mine as I made this in a hurry. Reminded me of a lovely wild boar ragu I had while visiting Tuscany. I added a bay leaf and dried thyme for a little herbaceousness. My picky toddler and husband (and not at all picky baby) lapped it up! Excited to make this again and follow the steps correctly. This would be killer with gnocchi instead of pasta for a hearty winter supper.
This recipe has become an annual "must" with my son, nephew and niece. They won't hear of any other dinner plan for post-TG Fridays. So good, so light without the tomato, so satisfying with some crisp-roasted broc on the side. You don't need all that cream, it's still deeply satisfying. I have also used fresh crimini instead of dried and it works great. I low-cook it in a slow cooker for 2h after it is all done, it helps with the melding. Just a delicious unfussy family dinner.
The whole family loves this recipe. I will just say it takes much longer than 1 hour to prepare. Each of the liquids must be simmered until nearly gone, and that takes quite a while. Worth it if you have the time!