let’s make something Naughty
Creamy Braised Beef Rigatoni
make me
Ingredients
Serving Size: 8-10
Beef & Sauce
2 lb (900 g) beef chuck roast or boneless short ribs, cut into 3–4 large chunks
2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp black pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine (cabernet, merlot, or similar)
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 cups hot water mixed with 3 tsp Knorr Roasted Beef Base (or to taste)
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Pasta & Finish
1 lb rigatoni pasta
2 tbsp salt
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 bunch of basil
Fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
1. Sear the beef
Pat beef dry and season all over with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high. Sear beef until deeply browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Build the flavor base
In the same pot, add onion, carrot, and celery. Sauté until softened and lightly caramelized, 6–8 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste; cook 2 minutes until fragrant.
3. Deglaze & braise
Pour in red wine and scrape up browned bits. Let wine reduce by about half. Add the hot water mixed with Knorr beef base and the crushed tomatoes. Stir in bay leaves, rosemary, and thyme. Return beef to the pot, making sure it’s mostly submerged.
4. Slow cook
Bring to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook on low heat (or in a 325 °F / 165 °C oven) for 2½–3 hours, until beef is fork-tender.
5. Shred & finish the sauce
Remove beef; shred into bite-size pieces with two forks. Discard herb stems and bay leaves. Return shredded beef to the sauce and simmer uncovered 15 minutes to thicken. Stir in butter if you’d like a richer finish. Taste and adjust seasoning.
6. Cook pasta & combine
Boil rigatoni in salted water until al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water and drain. Toss rigatoni with braised beef sauce, adding 1/4 cup pasta water and the heavy cream. Stir in Parmesan.
7. Serve
Divide into bowls and garnish with extra Parmesan and chopped parsley or basil.
Ooohhh guys I can feel it in the air. And when it drops even a few degrees, nothing hits quite like a slow-braised pasta dinner. This braised beef rigatoni is pure fall comfort in a bowl. Tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef cooked low and slow in a rich tomato-wine sauce, then tossed with hearty rigatoni to soak up every drop. It’s the kind of dish that fills the kitchen with cozy aromas and makes the perfect centerpiece for a chilly evening.
pasta, mains, rigatoni, meat, beef
