Description
A quick and hearty Italian Beef Ragu with wide pappardelle noodles, ready in under 30 minutes. This comforting dish combines tender ground beef, aromatic herbs, and a rich tomato sauce, perfectly coating broad pasta ribbons for a satisfying family-friendly meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 12 oz pappardelle pasta
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 28 oz crushed tomatoes (1 can)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp dried basil
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Instructions
- Sauté Aromatics: Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add finely chopped onion and garlic, cooking until softened and fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. This step builds the flavor foundation of your ragu.
- Brown the Beef: Add the ground beef to the aromatics. Break it apart with a wooden spoon and cook until no longer pink, about 5-6 minutes. Browning the beef adds a rich depth of flavor essential to a great ragu.
- Build the Sauce: Stir in crushed tomatoes, Italian herbs (oregano, basil, thyme), salt, pepper, and a pinch of red pepper flakes if using. Let everything simmer gently on low heat to blend flavors while you prepare the pasta.
- Cook the Pappardelle: Boil salted water in a large pot and cook the pappardelle according to package instructions until just al dente. Reserve a little pasta water before draining to loosen the sauce later if needed.
- Combine and Serve: Toss the pasta directly into the pan with the beef ragu, mixing thoroughly so every noodle is coated with sauce. Use reserved pasta water to adjust sauce consistency if necessary. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of freshly grated Parmesan.
Notes
- Use quality meat: fresh ground beef with some fat enhances ragu flavor.
- Don’t skip browning the beef to develop richer umami notes.
- Simmer ragu gently on low heat for best flavor melding.
- Reserve pasta water to improve sauce texture and help it cling to noodles.
- Freshly grated Parmesan is superior to pre-grated for flavor and meltability.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 400 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg