Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle is a beautiful meal to share with friends, loved one over a glass of red on a cold night.
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Why we love this recipe
Not only is this recipe very sentimental to me, but it's also my 'go to' fancy dinner when I need to cook something hearty, delicious and relatively easy for a crowd. This is my signature dinner party dish and for good reason.
This lamb ragu is:
- rich and thick
- melt in the mouth
- easy to make
- a crowd pleaser
Absolutely delish, perfectly tender lamb slow cooked in a rich aromatic tomato sauce. 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.
Recipe Ingredients
- Lamb - I use lamb mince (or ground lamb in America). In Australia lamb mince is found in basically every supermarket or market. Lamb mince is richer in flavour compared to beef mince and has a beautiful, hearty full flavour to it. You'll need 1kg (2lbs) of lamb for this recipe.
- Aromatics - for my lamb ragu you'll need onion, carrot, celery, garlic and herbs. The herbs I use are rosemary (classic pairing with lamb), bay leaves and thyme.
- Liquids - tinned tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine and 1L/4 cups of good quality chicken stock. This chicken is a subtle flavoured stock that pairs well with the lamb. Lamb stock is too strong for this recipe.
Step By Step Instructions
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.
- Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a pan, then add the lamb mince and cook until nice and brown over medium/high heat. Remove the meat.
- Step 2: Add in a splash more olive oil, then cook the onion, carrot and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste and a pinch of salt and pepper.
- Step 3: Add the red wine and use a wooden spoon to gently scrape the bottom to release the flavours from the bottom of your Dutch Oven. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Step 4: Add the herbs and half the chicken stock. Then add the tomatoes and stir. Bring to the boil then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Step 5: Add the remaining chicken stock and simmer gently uncovered for 2-2.5hours. The ragu should be thickened.
- Step 6: Remove the herbs, season according to taste and serve.
What Pasta Should I Use?
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!
FAQs:
How Do I Serve Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle?
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. Crunchy bread and a glass of wine is also a must!
How Many People Does this Dish Serve?
This recipe easily feeds 6 people.
What Can I Do With Leftovers?
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Can I Make this Ahead of Time?
Absolutely! In fact the flavour is even better the next day when all the flavours have time to soak in overnight. I would make the ragu the day/night before, store in the fridge then reheat on the stove top while I made my pasta.
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 Ragu with Pappardelle
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 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 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.
Nutrition
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Peter Gaida says
While trying to teach my three kids about home economics, making the case for home cooking vs take-away / delivery. Lamb Ragu is a perfect case in point. Although, my lesson is fundamentally teaching them about how to extend one ingredient, in this case, a leg of lamb. Currently, a decent-sized leg of lamb will set you back around $30 for a 3kg leg of lamb. You lose about 500 grams for the bonce but by all means, please cook it on the bone. A slow braze, between 4-5 hours will yield a sticky melt-your-mouth unctuous and pretty much fat-free reward for effort. If you are a couple, you have the base for 2 servings of lamb ragu, 2 servings of lamb korma, 2 servings of shepherd's pie, and 2 servings of lamb tagine. A recommended portion size for meat is around 225 - 250 grams, you could extend this out to 10 meals. Yes, we are going to add other ingredients, but if you do the math based on your recipe Georgie, it's a clear economic winner. Love your web page and recipes.
Georgie says
I love this!!! learning through food, my favourite kind of learning! thank you Peter!
Shelley J says
I’ve made this recipe soooooo much. Both lamb and non lamb lovers love it! I do A couple things different. More veggies. More garlic. Beef broth instead of chicken, and I put the dutch oven on the oven at 300 for 3 hours. Absolutely gorgeous dish.
Amy R says
Made this for dinner tonight using tomatoes for my garden and our own lamb..... It was incredible. My husband asked me to make this again on his birthday next month.. the best compliment ever. Thank you