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Food & Drink

Pappardelle al’ ragú Bolognese the Family Friendly Way

Theresa Gambacorta | PUBLISHED: April 18, 2023

Theresa Gambacorta
April 17, 2023

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Let's define ragú: In Italian, the word ragú refers to a thick meat sauce. Although, for some, it conjures the image of the (oftentimes nostalgic or horrifying) store-bought jarred sauce with the same name. 

Back to authentic Italian cooking: Ragú Bolognese hails from the province of Emilia Romagna - where the city of Bologna is the culinary seat of freshly made pasta - and is a dense, rich, and comforting meat sauce recipe that dates to the 15th century. It’s made with chopped beef, veal, pancetta, and aromatic vegetables that are allowed to simmer for hours, rendering deep flavors. It's traditionally served over tagliatelle —a long flat pasta shape with a thickness that falls between the thinner taglierini and wider cut fettuccine.

What’s the difference between ragú from other Italian regions and ragú Bolognese you might ask? The latter uses less tomato and includes the addition of white wine and milk. This thick sauce is full of nourishment since it includes a good amount of protein and aromatic veggies, making it a perfect, family-friendly staple to have on hand. 

Other ways to serve Ragú Bolognese include Lasagna al' Ragú Bolognese with the meat sauce layered between fresh pasta sheets, and bound by a creamy, white “besciamella” sauce— and Pappardelle al' Ragú Bolognese, whereby the sauce clings to long, flat ribbons of pasta. Batch cook Ragú Bolognese, slow cooking a big pot, and freeze leftovers to make the more time-consuming Lasagna al' Bolognese for Sunday supper. We broke it down and made it super-easy for you.

Make sure you don’t skimp on the trio of meats since each does its part in creating the classic flavor profile —aromatic, and well-balanced meatiness with a perfect pop of pork. 

Pappardelle al’ Ragú Bolognese

Serves 4, freeze leftover ragú

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 medium onions, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 6 ounces ground beef (85% lean)
  • 6 ounces ground veal
  • 3 ounces pancetta, finely chopped
  • ½ cup dry red wine
  • 3 cups chicken stock, divided
  • ¼ cup tomato paste
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
  • 1 pound Pappardelle pasta

Directions

  • Warm the oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Next, add the beef, veal, and pancetta and cook until browned, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, about 15 minutes.
  • Add the wine, and bring everything to a boil, allowing it to evaporate for about 1 minute. Add 2 cups of the chicken stock, and tomato paste and stir to incorporate. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer, covered for 1 ½ hour. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • Remove the lid, add the milk, and then partially cover the pot, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes more. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add as much of the remaining stock as you like. Taste again and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat.
  • Bring a large pot of generously salted water to boil, add the pappardelle and cook 1 minute less than al’ dente, according to the directions on the package. Use a mug or measuring cup to reserve ½ cup of pasta water, before draining. Transfer a good amount of the ragú to a large skillet set over medium heat, add the drained pasta, and using tongs, toss to coat the pasta in the ragu, adding some of the reserved pasta water to loosen it, if necessary. Divide among plates and serve with Parmesan.

Theresa Gambacorta

Theresa Gambacorta is a writer and cookbook co-author. Her writing has appeared in such titles as La Cucina Italiana, Spin Magazine, Men's Fitness, Muscle and Fitness, and Centennial's special interest publications. She is the co-author of chef Joey Campanaro's Big Love Cooking (Chronicle, 2020), chef Nasim Alikhani's Sofreh (Knopf, 2023), and the forthcoming vegan cookbook, Eat What Elephants Eat by activist Dominick Thompson (Simon Element, 2024).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Theresa Gambacorta

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