Ragù Meat Sauce over pasta is a favorite hearty, comfort food. In fact, I’d compare it to a hug in a bowl. This sauce is thick and flavorful and pairs perfectly with many different pasta shapes.
This is a recipe we make on repeat in our house. It’s a staple part of my meal prep rotation. Let it simmer on the stove on a Sunday afternoon, and not only do you have a delicious dinner, you have plenty of leftover sauce to stash in the freezer for easy weeknight meals.
You’ll love that this recipe uses many pantry staples, making it super easy to put together. The fresh ingredients you’ll need include: ground meat, red bell peppers, onion, garlic, and mushrooms.
Yes, it’s a little different than a classic Italian Ragù, but it’s oh so delicious. Plus, the extra mushrooms and bell pepper allow you to use less meat than you normally would for a sauce of this volume without losing any of the meaty texture.
While Ragù Meat Sauce is not difficult at all to make, it does require time to simmer to really develop its flavor. Plan on simmering for at least two hours for the best possible flavor.
FAQS:
A Ragù is typically made with meat, minced vegetables, and tomato. On the other hand, Marinara typically does not contain meat, and is usually simply tomatoes, aromatics, and seasonings. Check out the Marinara Sauce I use for Chicken Parmesan.
While both use shredded or ground (minced) meat and finely chopped vegetables, a Ragù is much saucier, using significantly more tomatoes in the preparation. A Bolognese is a type of Ragù (meat sauce), but a Bolognese uses white wine, just a little tomato paste, and milk or cream.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for three to four days. The sauce can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to three months.
HOW TO PREPARE RAGÙ MEAT SAUCE:
- Begin by prepping your vegetables. Remove the stem, ribs, and seeds from the bell peppers, then dice. Peel the onion, and dice. Mince the garlic. Finely dice the mushrooms.
- Next, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the ground meat. Break apart with your spatula as it cooks. When cooked through, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a bowl, and set aside. Give the Dutch oven a light wipe with a paper towel leaving some of the cooking fat behind.
- Return the Dutch oven to medium heat, and add the onions and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes until the onion and pepper have softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook about five more minutes. Spoon in the tomato paste, and sauté with the vegetables, stirring constantly until it deepens slightly in color, about three to four minutes. Add the sugar and spices, and stir all the ingredients together well. Stir in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to remove any brown bits. Cook about five more minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cooked meat, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn to low, and cover. Continue to simmer covered over low heat about two hours, stirring occasionally.
Brown the meat, then remove and set aside. Cook the onions and peppers until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook 5 more minutes. Add tomato paste and cook stirring into the vegetables. Stir in the sugar and spices. Deglaze with red wine. Add diced tomatoes and cooked meat. Stir in the crushed tomatoes. Simmer covered over low heat.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
- We like to make a hearty, rustic dinner using this Ragù Meat Sauce to top pasta served with crusty garlic bread a simple side salad.
- Make it the base for a variety of pasta bakes.
- Use as the sauce component for lasagna. My favorite lasagna recipe ever is from Valerie Bertinelli.
- Make it part of your meal prep, and freeze into smaller portions for easy weeknight meals.
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INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS:
- Whole30: Omit the sugar, and substitute vegetable or beef stock for the red wine.
- Low-carb: Substitute roasted spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles for pasta.
- Vegetarian: Omit the meat and add extra veggies or lentils.
- Don’t have an Italian seasoning blend? Use one tablespoon each of dried parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme.
RECIPE NOTES:
- This recipe was first published on December 13, 2016, but was republished with updated photos, ingredients, and notes to make the recipe more user friendly.
- Ragù Meat Sauce freezes well for up to three months in an airtight container. Simply thaw and reheat to use in your favorite dishes.
- A Dutch oven is an essential tool in my kitchen. I use it to make sauces, soups and stews, braises, and for roasting.
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Ragù Meat Sauce
Ragù Meat Sauce over pasta is a favorite hearty, comfort food. It's thick and flavorful and pairs perfectly with many different pasta shapes.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground meat of choice (I like a combination of pork and beef.)
- 2 red bell peppers, diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 2 cups)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
- ⅔ cup dry red wine (such as Cabernet Sauvignon)
- 2 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes (Do not drain.)
- 2 tablespoons coconut sugar
- 4 tablespoons Italian seasoning
- 2 teaspoons pink Himalayan salt (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Instructions
- Begin by prepping your vegetables. Remove the stem, ribs, and seeds from the bell peppers, then dice. Peel the onion, and dice. Mince the garlic. Finely dice the mushrooms.
- Next, add about a tablespoon of olive oil to a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once it is hot, add the ground meat. Break apart with your spatula as it cooks. When cooked through, use a slotted spoon to remove the meat to a bowl, and set aside. Give the Dutch oven a light wipe with a paper towel leaving some of the cooking fat behind.
- Return the Dutch oven to medium heat, and add the onions and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes until the onion and pepper have softened. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook about 5 more minutes. Spoon in the tomato paste, and sauté with the vegetables, stirring constantly until it deepens slightly in color, about 3-4 minutes. Add the sugar and spices, and stir all the ingredients together well. Stir in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the Dutch oven to remove any brown bits. Cook about 5 more minutes to allow the alcohol to cook off.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cooked meat, then stir in the crushed tomatoes. Bring the sauce to a simmer, then turn to low, and cover. Continue to simmer covered over low heat about two hours, stirring occasionally.
Notes
- Ragù Meat Sauce freezes well for up to three months in an airtight container. Simply thaw and reheat to use in your favorite dishes.
- Whole30: Omit the sugar, and substitute vegetable or beef stock for the red wine.
- Low-carb: Substitute roasted spaghetti squash or zucchini noodles for pasta.
- Vegetarian: Omit the meat and add extra veggies or lentils.
- Don’t have an Italian seasoning blend? Use one tablespoon each of dried parsley, basil, oregano, and thyme.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 16 Serving Size 1 cupAmount Per Serving Calories 158Total Fat 6gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 25mgSodium 444mgCarbohydrates 15gFiber 4gSugar 9gProtein 11g
Note: Nutritional information is an approximation. Different brands and/or quantities will change the nutrition profile.
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