Italian Beef Ragu with Pappardelle

Slow-cooked beef ragu served over wide pappardelle noodles, a hearty and flavorful Italian dinner.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Ground Beef
• 1 medium Onion
• 2 stalks Celery
• 1 medium Carrot
• 28 oz Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp Tomato Paste
• 1 lb Dry Pappardelle Pasta
• 1/2 cup Dry Red Wine
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil
• 2 cloves Garlic
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 0.2 lb Cheese
• 1/4 cup Fresh Basil
• 1 Bay Leaf

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add ground beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until browned. Drain excess fat.
2. Add diced onion, celery, and carrot to the pot and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Cook for another minute until fragrant.
4. Pour in dry red wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot, until the wine has reduced by half.
5. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add crushed tomatoes and bay leaf to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for at least 3 hours, or until the ragu has thickened and the flavors have melded. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
7. Remove bay leaf.
8. Cook pappardelle pasta according to package directions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining.
9. Drain the pasta and add it to the pot with the beef ragu. Toss to coat. If the sauce is too thick, add a little reserved pasta water to reach desired consistency.
10. Serve the beef ragu with pappardelle, garnished with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

Cuisine: Italian

Suitability: beef

Prep Time: 25 mins

Cook Time: 180 mins

Serving Size: 3

Meal Type: dinner