Ragu Meat Sauce Recipe
This Italian Ragu Meat Sauce is my family’s style of Italian ragù, inspired by the sauce my Nonna Laura made in her cucina in Sardegna. Made with ground beef, veal, tomatoes, and a classic soffritto, it simmers until the meat is tender and the flavors are rich and well developed. It’s a hearty sauce to enjoy with pasta and a comforting recipe for a family meal.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1-2 stalks celery finely chopped (about 1 cup)
- 1 medium carrot peeled, finely chopped, or grated (about 3/4 cup)
- 6 ounces ground beef 85% lean
- 6 ounces ground veal you can use ground turkey, chicken, pork, or all beef
- 28 ounces can whole peeled tomatoes or crushed tomatoes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound tagliatelle fettuccine, or any variety of pasta will do
- Finely grated Parmesan for serving
- 1 tablespoons parsley finely chopped (for serving)
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until soft, 10-12 minutes (longer if you want).
- Add beef and veal (ground meat of choice)- sauté, breaking up with the back of a spoon, until browned, about 15 minutes.
- Add tomatoes; boil for 2 minutes, stirring often and scraping up browned bits. If using whole tomatoes use the back of a wooden spoon, or a spatula, to crush them into small pieces.
- Reduce heat to low heat and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until flavors meld, 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Boil pasta according to directions. When pasta is done cooking place it in a large serving dish and toss the ragu sauce until it coats the pasta completely.
- Top with plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano cheese and sprinkle with parsley, if desired. Enjoy hot!
Notes
- Finely chop the soffritto so the onion, carrot, and celery cook evenly and blend naturally into the finished sauce.
- Brown the meat well rather than simply cooking it through. The browned bits add depth to the finished ragù.
- Let the sauce simmer gently so the meat and tomatoes have time to meld together.
Nutrition
Calories: 351kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 195mg | Potassium: 515mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1490IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 3mg
