Rigatoni with Pork Ragu

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Why you’ll love this rigatoni with pork ragu

This ground pork ragu has all the comforting flavor of a slow cooked sauce, but by using ground pork, the sauce comes together in half the time.
There’s an intense depth of flavor in the sauce thanks to the apple, fennel and white wine that are simmered to perfection.
Pork ragu makes a great, hearty alternative to traditional bolognese sauce that will satisfy you on the coldest of nights.

A close up of a bowl of rigatoni with pork ragu with a fork in the bowl.

Here’s what you’ll need to make it

Large stockpot

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chef’s knife

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Large saucepan

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An overhead shot of two bowls of pasta with meat sauce.

How to make pasta with pork ragu

Sauté the vegetables. Heat a large skillet to medium-high. Add olive oil and sauté the celery, carrot, onion and apple. Cook until the onion is translucent and tender. Then, add the garlic and cook for about one more minute.

Brown the meat. Add the ground pork and let it brown, breaking up the meat and stirring as needed until it’s no longer pink. Season with salt & pepper.

Simmer the ragu. Deglaze the pan with white wine and add the remaining ingredients. Cover and bring to a strong simmer for about 30 minutes. Stir the sauce occasionally and remove the lid during the last few minutes of cooking to allow the sauce to thicken up.

An overhead shot of a skillet full of rigatoni with pork ragu, garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

Cook the rigatoni. While the sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of water to boiling. Salt the water and cook the rigatoni (or whatever medium sized pasta you want to use) according to the package directions for al dente.

Before draining reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain and toss with a generous portion of sauce and add pasta water as desired.

This pork ragu sauce recipe makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta. Feel free to freeze half for another meal or use it all right away. Whatever works for you.

Close up of a bowl of rigatoni with pork ragu, garnished with grated pecorino romano cheese and fresh chopped parsley.

frequently asked questions: pork ragu

How long will pork ragu last?

After making your ragu, you can store it in the fridge for about 4-5 days. or freeze it if you like. This recipe makes enough for 2 pounds of pasta so feel free to reserve half for another meal.

How do you thicken ragu sauce?

If you think your pork ragu is looking a bit watery, you should cook it down a bit by simmering the sauce uncovered until it reaches the consistency you’re looking for.

How thick should ragu be?

Your pork ragu sauce should be thick and chunky, like a steel-cut oatmeal. If you need to thin it out, save some of your extra pasta water to add to the ragu.

Overhead shot of two bowls of rigatoni with pork ragu garnished with fresh chopped parsley.

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