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I’d just learned to make Ragu Sauce in a tiny Tuscan hill town when I wrote this sentence in my journal: “I am skeptical about the recipes; they are so simple. But they mock me by being delicious!” We had just finished a cooking class and Giovanna was our teacher.
At Podera Vignale, a small farm and agriturismo in rural Tuscany, Giovanna taught us to make traditional Italian delights. Her Ragu Sauce recipe, in particular, stood out as a revelation. Made with just a few basic ingredients, it’s a dish that speaks to the heart of Italian cooking, where simplicity and quality reign.
Table of Contents
Ingredients You Need to Make Ragu Sauce
- Extra-Virgin Olive Oil: Choose a high-quality oil with a fresh, fruity aroma.
- Onion: Select a firm yellow onion with smooth skin.
- Carrot: Look for bright orange carrots that are firm to the touch.
- Celery: Opt for crisp stalks with vibrant green leaves.
- Ground Beef: Use fresh, lean ground beef.
- Tomato Sauce: A smooth, flavorful tomato sauce without additives is ideal (San Marzano are ideal).
- Fine Sea Salt: A fine grind ensures even seasoning.
- Red Wine: A dry, full-bodied red wine works well.
For Serving
- Tagliatelle: Any broad, flat pasta can work, but tagliatelle is a classic choice.
- Parmesan Cheese: Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano provides the best flavor.
- Parsley: Fresh, minced Italian parsley adds color and freshness.
Hands-On Cooking Class in Tuscany
When we remember our trip to Italy, above all, we remember the wonderful people that we met along the way. Giovanna and her father Carlo are two of those people.
First there was the cooking class with Giovanna, with gravity defying, dirt road adventures, hand-drawn fifty-eights to frighten flies, and mouth-watering recipes. You can read more about that here. The very next day we spent with Carlo, Giovanna’s father, zipping along rural Tuscan roads to organic vineyards and olive groves, with an emergency detour to the vet for a viper-bitten dog – again, more here.
Since then, Giovanna and I have kept in close contact and have become good friends. And she is graciously letting me share her recipe for authentic Italian Ragù Sauce. I asked Giovanna to share a little bit about her story so that you’ll feel like you know her. I loved what she wrote, so I’ll share it in her words:
Meet Your Italian Cooking Teacher: Giovanna
I was born and grew up in Como. I started my biology degree at the university of Milan, but at a certain point decided to travel and have some other experiences. So I went to San Francisco to work in a marine biology rescue center, then on to Puglia, south of Italy, to do my final project or thesis for my biology degree. There I was studying a lone, sociable dolphin.
In Puglia I met my future husband and fell in love with him and in 2001 followed him to Tuscany. In that time, my father was opening the farmhouse so I decided to help him for a while, but then it became my job – forgetting about my studies and my university … I’ve lost the pleasure to study, I thought it was for nothing … bad mistake !!!
in 2006 i got married and in 2007 Marco was born. With the baby I could not work full time at the farmhouse, staying so far from my husband so I moved to Livorno. Together we looked for a house. We found a lovely house in Fauglia (Pisa) that we bought and it’s where we are living now. This house, my sweet home now, became my little nest and now it’s where I can think about my projects; where I can test recipes and write my blog; and where I often leave to go to Podere Vignali.
I love my life in Fauglia, that it’s in the province of Pisa but 20km from Livorno. I’ve met nice people and new friends. With 2 moms we started to walk around Pisa to discover new places and have a lot of fun. My life is now divided between Fauglia where I can have my “everyday” normal but nice routine, and Podere Vignali where I’m very happy to meet people from other countries and makes new friends, like you Marissa.
Recipe Tips
- Simplicity Equals Flavor: Though it may appear unassuming, you’ll be rewarded with a complex, chunky pasta sauce that’s almost magical in taste.
- No Need for Extras: When making it, resist the urge to add more flavors such as black pepper or herbs. Trust the process, and savor the authentic flavors.
- Versatile Sauce: This hearty meat sauce can be the star in various dishes, like Bolognese Sauce recipe (reminiscent of ragu, but enriched with pancetta and heavy cream), or even Lasagna with Cottage Cheese.
- Fun and Easy Pasta Making: Paired with homemade pasta, like Food Processor Pasta Dough, the experience becomes fast and enjoyable.
- More Italian-Inspired Pasta Recipes:
Recipe Options
- If red wine is not available or preferred, white wine can be a suitable substitute, offering a slightly lighter and tangier flavor to the sauce.
- While the recipe calls for tagliatelle, you have the flexibility to use fresh pasta of your choice, enhancing the dish’s homemade quality. (It’s easy to make your own with this Food Processor Pasta Dough recipe.)
- A blend of meat, such as ground beef and ground pork can add flavor complexity to the sauce.
Rich in flavor and comforting in texture, this Ragu Sauce recipe will transport you straight to the rustic Italian countryside with every bite. It’s perfect when paired with broad, flat pasta like tagliatelle and embodies the soulful cooking that makes Italian cuisine so cherished. Whether you’re an experienced cook or just beginning your culinary journey, this sauce offers a taste of tradition that’s both accessible and satisfying.
How to Make Ragu Sauce
Cook onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until onion is translucent.
Add ground beef and cook and stir until browned.
Stir in red wine and a pinch of salt; let simmer until the wine has evaporated.
Stir in tomato sauce; cover and let simmer on low for one hour, stirring occasionally.
Serve tossed with a broad, flat pasta like tagliatelle cooked according to package directions. Top with
Ragu Sauce
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 carrot finely chopped
- 1 rib celery finely chopped
- 1 lb ground beef
- 16 ounces tomato sauce
- pinch fine sea salt
- 5 ounces red wine
- coarse salt
- 16 ounces tagliatelle or other broad, flat pasta
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano for serving, optional
- minced Italian parsley for serving, optional
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook and stir until the onion becomes translucent. Add ground beef, cook and stir until browned.
- Add a pinch of salt and red wine, stir, and let it evaporate. When all the liquid is gone, add tomato sauce, stir, season with coarse salt to taste. Cover and let simmer very slow at low heat for an hour or a little more. Stir the sauce occasionally to ensure that it's not beginning to stick on the bottom.
- Serve tossed with broad, flat pasta – such as tagliatelle – cooked according to package directions. Top with Parmigiano Reggiano and parsley if desired.
Notes
- If you like a saucier pasta, use the sauce to serve 4 and reduce the amount of pasta to 8 to 12 ounces.
- A note from Giovanna: “Remember you have to follow slowly all the steps, never be in a hurry… about a couple of hours to prepare it!”
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really yummier..
haha…thanks!
Just so wonderful! Made it for lasagna. It’s a keeper! Thanks.
That’s wonderful, Ram! Thank you for letting me know!
Fantastic recipe. So glad to find authentic ragu recipe.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this, Steve!
I made this today. It was wonderful. I don’t like crunchy carrots in my sauce, so I cooked the sofrito several minutes, beyond “translucent”. Same with evaporating the wine. Although I had some tomato sauce, I also had tomato paste that was beyond its “best by “ date. I mixed the six ounce can with a cup of water, and filled out the balance of 16 oz of tomato sauce called for with some tomato juice and some ketchup, plus a shake of onion powder and a shake of garlic powder.
Follow the advice to let things cook and not skimp on time.
So glad you enjoyed the sauce, Christine! Thank you for your cooking notes.
What is the serving size for the 545 kcal?
Hi there, Harry. This recipe serves 6, so it’s 1/6th of the pasta (~2.6 ounces dry) and 1/6th of the sauce. It doesn’t include any extra cheese that is sprinkled on top. Hope that helps. 🙂
I am a registered citizen of Pescia Italy although I was born in California. My parents tried to move back to Italy in 1935. The one thing I always remember about my mother’s cooking was that the true Tuscan meat sauce always contained a small amount of Chicken Livers. That truly made a meat sauce taste more earthy. My wife and I have made many trips back since 1970 to be with family in a very small village of Calimari just north of Pescia.
Such great memories, Arturo. Thank you for sharing them with me. And so interesting about the chicken livers – I bet they do add a wonderful depth of flavor to meat sauce.
I love ragu and if I spot it on the menu in a restaurant, that’s it – I know what I’m ordering! And I love recipes that you cook low and slow, no rush, and just wait for those wonderful flavour to develop and blend. I need to make this at home I think! Thanks for sharing the lovely story too, I loved Giovanna’s words.
A fellow ragu lover! It always catches my eye on menus too! Thanks so much for your sweet comment, Katerina.
Marissa, your trip to Italy sounds absolutely wonderful! What a dream vacation! This pasta with ragu sauce looks so fantastic. Comfort food at its finest!
Thanks so much, Kelly. It was such a great trip! And, I agree, ragu is my kind of comfort food!
Thank you Marissa for this lovely post, I miss you a lot!!!!! I hope to be able to come to visit you next year , I have a lot of recipes we can try together !!!! 😘
aww…sweet friend! I miss you too!! Please, please do come visit!
I am always looking for quick, easy, few ingredient, and enticing recipes. I try to have just 7 main recipes i can play around with during the work week and this one made that list. This is absolutely fantastic as is but adding meatballs, broccoli or your favorite chicken(breaded, baked or stuffed with cheese!) can really mix it up. I like cupcake pinot noir or something light to add to this sauce. I had never added wine before and this was a game changer. Mushrooms can be added with garlic to make this sauce really pop. It is a very chunky recipe so no worries about adding a little moisture to the mix. Adding a little heavy cream to the sauce for the one hour simmer can turn it into more of a creamy sauce(vodka sauce) for those who shy away from straight tomato bases.. The broad noodles are a must. Fettuccine noodles work ok to provide a base to the meat and sauce since the wider ones are harder to find.
P.S. I love most of the recipes on your site Marissa. I think we have twin pallets!
Thanks for your kind words, Steven! Glad you’re enjoying this one!
Sauce was amazing!! Very tasty and I never made Ragu before but this recipe is for keeps now! Can’t wait to make it again!
I’m so glad to hear it, Erica! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
I had my first ragu in an international flight and fell in love with it. Would love to give your recipe a try. thanks for sharing
Thank you! I hope you love it!
Fabulous dish and even better memories! What a fantastic trip and to learn from only the best to make the best, amazing story!
Thank you my friend!
What type of red wine. Should I use a cooking wine
Hi Norma! I don’t recommend a cooking wine as they often have a lot of added salt. The red wine doesn’t need to be expensive, but should be good enough that you’d enjoy drinking it straight. 🙂
9 weeks exploring Italy sounds amazing. As for this authentic ragu sauce, I love it. Simple and original is always best. Definitely going to try this.
So glad you’re going to give it a try, Neil!
There is nothing more satisfying, especially on a cool rainy evening than a big bowl of pasta with a great ragu on it. What a lovely recipe, pinning for dinner next week!
So true! Thanks, Matt. Excited for you tor try it!