Most lamb ragu recipes call for braising lamb shoulder for hours. This one uses ground lamb instead, so the active work is minimal and most of the cook time is hands-off simmering. Cut up a few ingredients, get the ragu going, and pour yourself a glass of wine. Then check back once in a while to give the sauce a stir. That’s my kind of fussy.
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The secret to spectacular Lamb Ragu is time. Stir a short list of ingredients together and let them bubble away until the individual flavors meld and blossom into something greater. This culinary wisdom comes from my Italian friend Giovanna, who taught us to make authentic Ragu Sauce in her cooking class in Tuscany. She said: “Take your time with each step, and never rush the process…”
Delicious, beautiful, simple recipe. I made it last month with lamb. Perfect! Right now I am giving a final simmer to a batch made last night with ground wild boar. Just as good! Thanks!
Laura
Table of Contents
Recipe at a Glance
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings
- Skill Level: Easy
Lamb Ragu Ingredients
- Ground Lamb (Lamb Mince): Ground lamb is what makes this ragu easier than the classic braised version. Look for meat that’s pinkish-red with a fresh smell.
- Olive Oil: Use a good quality, extra-virgin olive oil.
- Onion: Pick onions that feel firm and heavy for their size, with dry, papery skins.
- Celery: You want crisp, tight stalks with vibrant green leaves.
- Carrot: Look for firm, smooth carrots with vibrant color. You can peel them or leave the skin on (I usually don’t peel them).
- Garlic: Look for a firm head of garlic with smooth, shimmery skin and no signs of sprouting.
- Dry Red Wine: Use an Italian red you’d enjoy drinking because the flavor intensifies as the sauce reduces.
- Crushed Tomatoes: I like to use canned San Marzano tomatoes. You can really taste the difference, sweeter and lower acidity, compared to some of the more common brands.
- Feta Cheese: White and creamy with a tangy, salty bite.
- Fresh Mint or Basil: I use mint most of the time, but basil when it’s in season. Either way, you want the leaves to be vibrant, green, and aromatic, with no signs of wilting or browning.
- Salt: Use sea salt or about double the amount of kosher salt.
- Black Pepper: As always, it’s best to grind it fresh.
How to Make Lamb Ragu
In a wide, high-sided skillet, heat olive oil over medium and sauté onion, celery, carrot, and garlic until the onion is translucent. Brown the ground lamb in the same skillet, then pour in the wine and simmer until reduced by half.
Mix in the crushed tomatoes and simmer on low until the ragu thickens and the flavors meld. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the rich sauce over your choice of pasta, like pappardelle or tagliatelle, or a bed of hot cooked rice, topped with crumbled feta and fresh basil or mint for an extra burst of flavor.
Recipe Options
- Preferred Pasta: I’m partial to pappardelle or tagliatelle, but short pastas like gemelli or rigatoni also work well.
- Make Homemade Pasta: If you love homemade, try making your own pasta with this quick and easy pasta dough made in the food processor.
- Beyond Pasta: This ragu is also wonderful over rice.
- Cheese Choices: I like to top it with sheep’s milk feta, ricotta, or shaved Pecorino Romano or parmesan.
- Add Some Heat: If you like a spicy ragu, red pepper flakes add a flavorful heat.
How to Store and Reheat
Store any leftover lamb ragu in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze it in a sealed container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating gently on the stovetop.
FAQ
Ground lamb ragu is an easier, less time-intensive version of the classic. Traditional ragu braises tougher cuts like lamb shoulder for hours to break them down. Ground lamb skips that step, so the recipe is mostly hands-off simmering instead of an all-afternoon project, while still delivering the deep, layered flavor you want from a ragu.
Lamb ragu is the broader category: any Italian meat sauce built on a base of aromatics, tomato, and wine. Bolognese is a specific style of ragu from Bologna that traditionally includes milk or cream and pancetta for a richer, creamier sauce. If you’d like to try the creamier version, my Lamb Bolognese follows that tradition.
Yes. Ground beef works well, though you’ll lose some of the distinctive flavor that lamb brings. A 50/50 mix of ground beef and ground pork is another option if you want a milder sauce.
More Must Try Lamb Recipes
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 rib celery finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds lean ground lamb
- 1 cup dry red wine
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes with juice ideally San Marzano
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 7 ounces feta cheese crumbled, to taste
- 1/2 cup torn fresh mint or fresh basil
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a wide, high sided skillet over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
- Add lamb; cook and stir until the lamb has browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add wine and let simmer, stirring occasionally, until wine has reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juices; bring to boil.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until ragu is thick and flavors have fully melded, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve ragu sauce over hot cooked pasta such as pappardelle or tagliatelle (save some of the pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary) or over hot cooked rice. Serve garnished with crumbled feta and fine slivers of fresh basil or mint.
Notes
- Note that nutrition information does not include pasta or rice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Delicious, beautiful, simple recipe. I made it last month with lamb. Perfect! Right now I am giving a final simmer to a batch made last night with ground wild boar. Just as good! Thanks!
So glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Laura! Love the idea of making it with wild boar!
This is so yummy! I like a wet sauce so I only use a pound of lamb. Thank you for the recipe.
I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying it, Carla!
Yup, you cannot be in rush with an authentic Italian ragu – few hours of simmering and waiting (dreaming of that delicious pasta you might or might not have sooner or later:) And I know some Italian families cook ragu for up to 10 hours. Could you imagine that? This pasta looks absolutely delicious. And I do love some feta crumbled over the pasta – great combo!
That lamb ragu sounds absolutely delicious, Marissa!
Thank you, Sabrina!
This looks fantastic! I love that the prep is quick but that the ragu is unrushed. I so appreciate the flavor of food that’s been unhurried. Beautiful dish, my friend!
Thank you, Beeta! That’s very well said – food that’s been prepared in a way that’s unhurried, definitely tastes different.
Love the lamb twist here and the mint! Love the slow cooker because it’s always so little effort and it makes magic. Plus a house filled with an aroma of this doesn’t hurt, either. Cheers and have a great weekend!
Oh yes! The aroma… 🙂 Hope you have a great weekend too!
I’ve made beef and pork ragu but not lamb…I’ll definitely be trying this soon.
Hi Karen! I was the very same way up until a couple of years ago – always made ragu with beef and/or pork. It’s nice to have one more version to mix things up! 🙂
That’s also what we were taught in an Italian cooking class. They really know their slow food! 😀 This looks fabulous Marissa!
Thank you, Lorraine. And yes they do! 🙂
What a lovely meal! There’s nothing quite like the aroma of a simmering sauce on the stove. Love the use of fresh herbs for topping, they add such bright flavor!
That is so true, Faith. I love the smell of simmering sauce almost as much as bread baking in the oven. Both are so comforting. And you’re right about the herbs – I always love to add a little freshness in long simmered sauces. xo
Oh man, you’re talking my kind of language here, Marissa! I mean I love a good meal that cooks itself…and pasta? Yes, please! I’m pretty sure I could eat pasta every.single.night and not get bored of it. Love the ragu…and those shots are beautiful! Hope you have an awesome weekend, my friend!
I love how you put that, David! “A meal that cooks itself…” Always up for that. Thanks my friend!
I wish I was digging into a big bowl of this for dinner tonight! Looks so fabulous – there’s nothing more comforting than a big bowl of spaghetti with ragu!
I wish I could MAKE you a big bowl of this for dinner tonight. You bring dessert! 😉
On the weekends my absolute favorite activity is making things like this fabulous ragu. There is nothing more relaxing and comforting (and tasty) than a dish that just requires a bit of time and love. I adore that you used lamb in here instead of beef!!! I’m a huge fan of lamb and it doesn’t get enough love, so I’m over here cheering! I need to add this to the weekend plans for sure! This ragu and some homemade bread equals HEAVEN!! Cheers, my dear- to a wonderful weekend!
It’s so true that lamb seems to get shunned for beef – and lamb is so darn flavorful!! I like how you think with a side of homemade bread…think of having the combined aroma of simmering sauce and bread in the oven!
I have to be in the mood to deal with a lot of time prepping or cooking but hands off time is easy! you can do so many other things while it is cooking away. The only problem is that it smells so good I just want to eat it straight away 😛
So true! The waiting can be torture!!! 🙂
Any dish that you can get going and then pour a glass of wine for yourself is fantastic in my books 🙂 How good does this look? I saw this on your IG and instantly got hearts in my eyes, lol 😀 I could get this every single day and not get tired of it. Total comfort food and I know for a fact that hubby would devour this too!
aww, thank you so much Dawn! xo
Hi Marissa. This is pure comfort food for me. Unfortunately, ground lamb is not is not something I can get here very often. I make a beef ragu that is similar, but it is finished off with milk during the last 45 minutes of cooking.
Hi Dorothy. I love that style of ragu too – with the richness of milk added in. When we visited Italy, in Tuscany we were taught to make ragu without milk and in Bologna to make ragu with milk – I discovered that I love it both ways! xo