Rigatoni with Pork Ragout

Rigatoni with pork ragout is a hearty pasta dinner of bone-in pork, onion, white wine and tomatoes, ready in about 1 hour 20 minutes. It feeds 4, and the sauce simmers on its own while you wait.

Why This Recipe Works

Browning the pork in olive oil before anything else goes in builds the base of the sauce. The browned bits on the bottom of the pan dissolve into the wine and give the ragout its deep, meaty taste.

Bone-in cuts like neck, shoulder chops or spare ribs matter here. The bones and connective tissue release body into the sauce as it simmers, so it turns thick and silky without any cream or flour.

The long, very gentle simmer is what makes the ragout. One full hour gives the tomatoes time to lose their sharp edge and lets the pork turn tender enough to fall off the bone.

Rigatoni with Pork Ragout Ingredients

For the ragout

• 8 tablespoons olive oil
• 14 ounces pork with bone, such as neck, shoulder chops or spare ribs
• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 2 (14-ounce) cartons or bottles passata or chopped tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 basil leaves, shredded
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the pasta

• 13 ounces dried rigatoni
• 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan

How To Make Rigatoni with Pork Ragout

Brown the pork and start the sauce

1. Brown the pork: Heat the 8 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the pork and fry for several minutes until browned on all sides, since the browning gives the sauce its flavor.
2. Cook the onion: Add the sliced onion to the same pan. Fry until it turns golden and soft.
3. Add the wine: Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes. This cooks off the alcohol and lifts the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Simmer the ragout

4. Add the tomatoes: Stir in the passata and the tomato paste. Cover the pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
5. Season and finish: Add the shredded basil, salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for another 30 minutes, so the ragout simmers for 1 hour in total. If the sauce gets too dry, stir in a little water.

Cook the pasta and serve

6. Boil the rigatoni: While the sauce finishes, cook the rigatoni for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain it well.
7. Toss and serve: Mix the pasta with some of the sauce. Serve it with the rest of the ragout spooned on top and the Parmesan on the side.

Recipe Tips

• Pick bone-in pork: Neck, shoulder chops and spare ribs all have the bone and fat that make the sauce rich. Lean boneless pork turns dry in a long simmer.
• Keep the heat low: The sauce should barely bubble. A hard boil makes the pork tough and the sauce stick to the pan.
• Add water if needed: If the ragout gets too thick during the last 30 minutes, stir in a splash of water. Add it a little at a time so the sauce stays rich.
• Grate your own Parmesan: Freshly grated cheese melts into the hot sauce. Pre-grated cheese often stays gritty.

What To Serve With Rigatoni with Pork Ragout

Serve the rigatoni straight from the pot with extra Parmesan at the table. A simple green salad or crusty bread helps mop up the sauce left on the plate.

How To Store

• Fridge: Keep leftover pasta and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Freezer: The ragout alone freezes well for 2 to 3 months. Freeze it without the pasta, and thaw it in the fridge.
• Reheat: Warm the sauce in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water if it has thickened. Heat it until hot all the way through.

FAQs

Can I use boneless pork for this ragout?

You can, but the sauce will be less rich. The bones add body as the sauce simmers. If you use boneless shoulder, cut it into chunks and keep the full hour of cooking.

Can I make pork ragout ahead of time?

Yes. The ragout tastes even better the next day, once the flavors settle. Make it up to 3 days ahead, keep it in the fridge, and cook the pasta just before serving.

Is this pasta dairy free or vegetarian?

No. It has pork and Parmesan, so it is neither vegetarian nor dairy free. Most rigatoni is made with wheat, so it is not gluten free either.

Why is my ragout too thin or too dry?

A thin sauce usually needs more time with the lid off to reduce. A dry sauce needs a splash of water and a lower heat. Keep the simmer very gentle and stir from time to time.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving (1 of 4), worked out from the ingredients.

• Calories: about 780 kcal
• Total Fat: 38g
• Total Carbohydrate: 72g
• Dietary Fiber: 5g
• Protein: 32g

Rigatoni with Pork Ragout

Recipe by Paula

0.0 from 0 votes

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

5

minutes

Total time

80

minutes

Rigatoni tossed in a slow-simmered sauce of bone-in pork, white wine and tomatoes, finished with Parmesan. A cozy dinner for 4 that cooks mostly on its own.

Ingredients

• For the ragout

• 8 tablespoons olive oil

• 14 ounces pork with bone, such as neck, shoulder chops or spare ribs

• 1 onion, peeled and finely sliced

• 2/3 cup dry white wine

• 2 (14-ounce) cartons or bottles passata or chopped tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 basil leaves, shredded

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• For the pasta

• 13 ounces dried rigatoni

• 3 ounces freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

• Brown the pork: Heat the 8 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the pork and fry for several minutes until browned on all sides, since the browning gives the sauce its flavor.
• Cook the onion: Add the sliced onion to the same pan. Fry until it turns golden and soft.
• Add the wine: Pour in the white wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes. This cooks off the alcohol and lifts the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
• Add the tomatoes: Stir in the passata and the tomato paste. Cover the pan and simmer very gently for 30 minutes, stirring from time to time.
• Season and finish: Add the shredded basil, salt and black pepper to taste. Cook for another 30 minutes, so the ragout simmers for 1 hour in total. If the sauce gets too dry, stir in a little water.
• Boil the rigatoni: While the sauce finishes, cook the rigatoni for 8 to 9 minutes, until al dente. Drain it well.
• Toss and serve: Mix the pasta with some of the sauce. Serve it with the rest of the ragout spooned on top and the Parmesan on the side.