Spiced Beef Ragu with Pappardelle - Carolina Gelen
Ingredients
- 1 pound 80/20 ground beef
450g
- Kosher salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil or neutral oil
- 3 medium carrots
finely chopped
- 5 celery stalks
finely chopped
- 1 large yellow onion
finely chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
crushed
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
crushed
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1/2 teaspoons chili flakes
- Black pepper
- 1/2 cup red wine or water
- 4 cups beef bone broth or stock
or water
- 1 can whole tomatoes
36-ounce
- 6 servings of pappardelle
Directions
- 1
Place a medium (4 to 5 quart) heavy bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the beef, a pinch of salt and cook until deeply brown, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium, as needed.
- 2
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a small bowl, leaving most of the beef fat in the pot. If needed, add more oil.
- 3
Add the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the veggies have significantly reduced in volume and have a light brown color throughout with caramelized brown bits here and there.
- 4
Add the coriander, fennel, cumin, paprika, chili flakes, some black pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until toasty and fragrant, about 1 minute.
- 5
Carefully add the wine and scrape off any brown bits off the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon. They will bring lots of flavor to the ragu.
- 6
Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, the canned tomatoes and tomato juices from the can (crushing them as you add them to the pot) and a hefty pinch of salt.
- 7
Stir everything to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover with a lid and cook, slowly simmering the ragu for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until reduced by half and significantly thickened.
- 8
To serve the sauce right away, 10 minutes before the beef ragu is ready, bring a pot of water to a boil. Season with a hefty pinch of salt. Add the pappardelle to the boiling water and cook for 4 minutes less than what the packaging calls for.
- 9
Using a pair of tongs, add the pasta to the sauce, alongside a few splashes of pasta water. Stir to combine and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce sticks to the pasta and looks nice and glossy.
- 10
Serve right away.
Spiced Beef Ragu with Pappardelle - Carolina Gelen
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About this Recipe
Ready to impress your family or friends with a deeply flavorful, comforting dish? This Spiced Beef Ragu with Pappardelle offers a hearty, soul-satisfying experience perfect for any gathering, proving that truly memorable meals don't need to be overly complicated.
What truly elevates this ragu beyond a typical meat sauce is the thoughtful, aromatic blend of spices—coriander, fennel, cumin, sweet paprika, and chili flakes—that infuse the 80/20 ground beef with incredible depth from the very beginning. This isn't just another beef ragu; it’s a robust, aromatic creation designed for maximum comfort and taste, built on a foundation of finely chopped vegetables and slow-simmered goodness. The choice of beef bone broth or stock further enriches the savory base, promising a rich flavor you’ll crave.
Prepare for a rich and savory journey with every forkful. You'll find a tender, slow-cooked beef sauce, generously seasoned and brimming with finely chopped aromatic vegetables like carrots, celery, and onion, all simmered together with hearty liquids and sweet whole tomatoes. The result is a wonderfully thick, clinging sauce that coats the wide, flat ribbons of pappardelle. This pairing ensures a deeply satisfying texture and flavor combination, making each bite truly comforting and reminiscent of a lovingly prepared home-cooked meal.
This recipe offers built-in flexibility to suit your pantry or preferences. For the deglazing liquid, you can confidently use either red wine for a deeper, more complex note or water for a simpler, yet still effective, approach. When simmering, feel free to choose between beef bone broth, beef stock, or even water—each will contribute to the rich base, allowing you to tailor the flavor depth to your liking. The level of chili flakes can also be adjusted to control the warmth and spice in the final dish.
This Spiced Beef Ragu with Pappardelle is an ideal dish for a cozy weekend family meal, a comforting weeknight dinner, or for effortlessly serving a hungry crowd. Its hearty nature makes it a perfect centerpiece, promising warmth and satisfaction.