Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle is a beautiful meal to share with friends, loved one over a glass of red on a cold night. 

Wow. This recipe. I say this a lot, but I actually think this is my favourite recipe on theHCK to date (I think my best pavlova recipe sneaks in at number two!).

This recipe comes with a little back story, so stick around if you want to hear it, or remember you can 'jump to recipe' at the top of the post! 

I've been wanting to write this recipe for ages and just haven't had the chance to sit down and really think about it. This recipe holds a very special place in my heart and it all started with a wedding gift.

This recipe has been adapted from Sarah Copelands 'Newlyweds Cookbook'. Back in 2015 when we were married Adam gave me this gift as a token of our marriage and love for cooking. Fast forward one year to our first wedding anniversary we finally decided to cook a recipe from it.

We chose the pork ragu with pappardelle because, obviously pasta and because it sounded SO good. Needless to say it was one of the best pasta sauces we ever made and sparked a new tradition of cooking a meal together, every anniversary. 

This recipe will forever remind me of my love for cooking, and the love I have for cooking with Adam in particular. Nothing, absolutely nothing beats coming home from work on a Friday, chucking on some comfy clothes, opening a bottle of red, playing some music and cooking together. 

This recipe was a huge turning point in my blogging adventure because it marked my why. Why I love doing what I do, why I love cooking the food I cook and why I adore being able to share beautiful recipes every day! 

Thanks for listening, let's get to the nitty gritty. 

Recipe Notes

I have made a slow cooker beef ragu on the blog before, but I definitely prefer the flavour from the lamb. If you're keen on beef though the recipe is also fantastic!

This lamb ragu is not a slow process, so if you're looking for a quick recipe, then this isn't it, but I promise you, the wait will be absolutely worth it.

This lamb ragu is melt in your mouth, eyes closed, smile after you taste it good and dare I say it - better than restaurant quality.

The Lamb

For this recipe I use lamb mince (or ground lamb in America). In Australia lamb mince is found in basically every supermarket or market. Lamb is becoming increasingly popular in the US and I was able to find ground lamb in my major supermarket when I lived there.

Lamb mince is richer in flavour compared to beef mince and has a beautiful, hearty full flavour to it.

Preparation

I actually love this recipe for another reason, and that being it really does require very limited prepping, chopping and ingredients. As far as ingredients go, you'll need (in a nutshell);

• lamb mince
• aromatics - onion, celery, carrot, garlic and herbs
• tomatoes
• red wine and stock
• pappardelle

For equipment you'll need the following;

• a large (5+ quart/litre) dutch oven with a lid that can be used on a stove top
• chopping board
• good quality knife
• large saucepan for pasta

This lamb ragu is cooked on the stove top rather than put in the oven and will take around 2 ½ - 3 hours to cook just an FYI!

Once you've cooked your basics, you simply leave the ragu on the stove top to cook, stirring once every so often.

The Pasta

For this recipe I used pappardelle which is thick, ribboned noodle. There are two options for this - fresh or dried. Personally I prefer fresh however it's not always easy to come by.

Barilla do a great dried pappardelle which is available in Coles in Australia, I have also found pappardelle in American supermarkets on the shelf in the pasta aisle too.

If you wanted to use fresh, you can also use fresh lasagna sheets and cut them into thick ribbons.

The great thing about pappardelle is that it doesn't need too long to cook. You bring a large saucepan of salty water to the boil and cook the noodles for around 7 minutes if dry, or about 4 minutes if fresh. It's so easy!

Serving

I love to keep this recipe fresh and simple, and tend to serve it with some grated parmesan cheese and a tiny sprig of thyme for some greenery.

This recipe easily feeds 6 people and leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

PS - it's actually even better the next day as all the flavours soak in and become richer over time!

This is truly a spectacular pasta recipe and one I save for special occasions and family gatherings where I need to feed a crowd. It's rich and hearty, and absolutely packed full of flavour.

Georgie x

Remember, if you make this recipe I'd love to see a photo. Snap a pic and share it on instagram tagging me @thehomecookskitchen. And make sure you leave a comment and rating, I love getting your feedback!

Want more great lamb recipes?

• Lamb shepherds pie
• Boneless Lamb Roast
• Moroccan Lamb Tagine
• Feta Stuffed Lamb Burgers

Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

The Home Cook's Kitchen

A beautiful, rich and heart lamb ragu with thick pasta ribbons. This is a show stopping main meal, and dare I say it - better than any ragu I've tasted at a restaurant!

5 from 8 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Servings 6 people

Calories 296 kcal

Ingredients

 

• 3 tablespoon olive oil
• 1kg/2lbs lamb mince (ground lamb)
• 1 brown onion finely diced
• 1 stalk of celery finely diced
• 1 carrot finely diced
• 1 teaspoon salt plus extra for seasoning
• 2 teaspoon black pepper plus extra for seasoning
• 3 garlic cloves crushed or very finely diced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 ½ cups/375ml red wine
• 2 dried bay leaves
• 2 sprigs of rosemary
• 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 4 cups/1L of chicken stock
• 1 800g/28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 200g/7 oz fresh or dried pappardelle pasta
• parmesan cheese to serve

Instructions

 

Lamb Ragu

• Head the oil in a large Dutch Oven over medium heat. Add the lamb and cook it until it's brown, using a wooden spoon to gently chop up the mince.
• Slide the meat to one side, then add the onion, celery and carrot to the other side, sweating the vegetables for about 5 minutes until they're soft. Combine the meat and vegetables together.
• Add the garlic, tomato paste and salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes until the liquid has almost evaporated.
• Add the red wine, use your spoon to gently scrape the bottom of your pot to release all the good bits at the bottom. (this process is called deglazing)
• Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
• Add the bay leaves, thyme and rosemary and half the chicken stock.
• Add the tomatoes and stir. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat to simmer the sauce for 15 minutes.
• Add the remaning chicken stock, and gently simmer, uncovered for 2 - 2 ½ hours until the sauce is really thick and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Remove the bay leaves and rosemary and thyme twigs.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile cook your papardelle according to packet instructions.
• Plate your pasta and add a good spoonful of the ragu onto the pasta. Sprinkle over some parmesan cheese and a sprig of thyme.

Keyword Lamb, lamb pasta, lamb ragu

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