Easy Ragu With Pappardelle
Try this easy ragu with pappardelle when you want a quick recipe you can make to fill yourself up easily. This is an easy recipe you can make at home.
Equipment
Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (6-quart / 5.7L minimum)
Wooden spoon
Large pot for boiling pasta
Colander
Cheese grater or Microplane
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil - 15ml
1 medium white onion - finely chopped
1 large carrot - finely chopped
1 large celery stalks - finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - minced- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt - 6g, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper - freshly ground ; plus more to taste- 2 ounces pancetta - chopped, 55g
1 tablespoon basil - fresh ; chopped, half for the sauce and half for garnish, 3g
1 pound ground beef (minced beef) - lean, 450g
1 pound ground turkey - lean, 450g
1 ½ cups red wine - a medium-bodied red such as Chianti or Merlot, 360ml
1 cup chicken stock - 240ml
28 ounces passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed) - 800g
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning- 8 ounces pappardelle - 225g
1 cup Parmesan cheese - freshly grated, 100g
Instructions
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped pancetta.1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 ounces pancetta
- Cook the pancetta, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crisp and render its fat, about 3-4 minutes.2 ounces pancetta
- Add garlic, onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper and sauté until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent, about 5-8 minutes.3 cloves garlic, 1 medium white onion, 1 large carrot, 1 large celery stalks, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Add the ground beef and ground turkey. Break the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 8-10 minutes. Drain any excess fat if needed.1 pound ground beef (minced beef), 1 pound ground turkey
- Pour in the red wine and increase the heat to medium-high. Let it boil, stirring occasionally, until the wine has reduced by about three-quarters and the raw alcohol smell has cooked off, about 4-5 minutes.1 1/2 cups red wine
- Add the chicken broth, tomatoes, basil and Italian seasoning, stirring to incorporate.1 cup chicken stock, 28 ounces passata or crushed tomatoes (tomato puree with seeds removed), 1 tablespoon basil, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
- Taste it, then add more salt and pepper if needed.1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Lower the heat and let simmer gently, stirring from time to time until everything has become nice and thick, roughly 20 to 30 minutes (you can certainly let it go longer if you have the time, it can only make things tastier).
- While the sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the pappardelle according to the packet instructions until al dente. Reserve ½ cup (120ml) of pasta water before draining.8 ounces pappardelle
- Toss the drained pappardelle directly into the ragu, adding a splash of reserved pasta water to help the sauce cling to the ribbons. Serve immediately topped with freshly grated Parmesan, the remaining fresh basil, and hot crusty bread with olive oil on the side if desired.8 ounces pappardelle, 1 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon basil
Notes
Storage: Refrigerate the ragu (without pasta) in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Freeze for up to 3 months — thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Make-Ahead: The ragu actually improves overnight. Make the sauce a day ahead and reheat gently while you boil fresh pasta.
Substitutions: Swap turkey for a second pound of ground beef, pork, or Italian sausage (removed from casings). Use beef stock in place of chicken stock for a deeper flavour.
Pro Tips: For a richer sauce, stir in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste with the passata — it adds concentrated umami and deeper colour. Resist the urge to stir the meat constantly when browning. Let it sit undisturbed for 2-3 minutes to develop a proper sear before breaking it up — this adds a Maillard-reaction depth you cannot get from steaming the mince.
Reheating: Warm the ragu in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a tablespoon or two of water or stock if it has thickened too much. Always cook pappardelle fresh when serving — reheated pasta loses its texture.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 535kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 32gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 719mgPotassium: 969mgFiber: 4gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 2208IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 185mgIron: 5mg
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