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    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Quick Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

    Published: May 15, 2023 · Modified: Jul 29, 2024 by Vinny · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This ragu is simple and delicious with a few quality ingredients that are robust in flavor. Quick Lamb ragu with pappardelle is perfect for anyone looking to elevate their dinner with something special.

    Lamb ragu over pappardelle on a small plate.

    Looking for some more easy pasta recipes? Try our Simple Pasta with Eggplant and Tomatoes or Pasta with Peas and Pancetta.

    Jump to:
    • Why this Recipe
    • Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
    • How to Make Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle in Under an Hour
    • Pro-Tips
    • Recipe FAQs
    • What to serve it with
    • Quick and Easy Pasta Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Reviews

    Why this Recipe

    Usually ragu is a 3-hour recipe but I wanted something that could still give the intense and complex flavors of ragu but under an hour. I'm a sucker for a good braise, don't get me wrong but sometimes, it's late on a weeknight, dinner needs to be made and I'm in the mood for lamb ragu that can be done after work.

    The thing is, when you braise meat for a long time the collagen breaks down into gelatin. The gelatin is what gives you the smooth and thick texture of the sauce, like our short rib ragu or authentic bolognese, which is hard to replicate without adding cornstarch and water or gelatin. But we use a combination of red wine and tomato paste to make the sauce perfectly thick and delicious and make this a quick lamb ragu worth making.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    Ingredients for lamb ragu with pappardelle.
    • Pappardelle. The mafalde or rigatoni are great options. I love a long noodle with ragu or bolognese so I think pappardelle or mafalde are your best choices.
    • Pecorino Romano. If we're making lamb, we have to use pecorino instead of parmigiano. Go FULL lamb! I'm just kidding, sort of, but pecorino's salty and tangy flavor complements the flavors in lamb ragu.
    • Mushrooms and Onions. Make sure to mince them small, especially the onions. Because this recipe is not going to be braised traditionally, we want everything to be cut as small as possible so that it softens.
    • Lamb. You can substitute ground beef 85% lean for ground lamb.

    *Please see the recipe card below for more information about ingredients.

    How to Make Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle in Under an Hour

    Lamb searing in saucepan.

    Step 1: In a large saucepan, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and bring to medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering add the ground lamb in, breaking it apart into pieces by hand. Sprinkle with salt and let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes.

    Browned lamb in saucepan.

    Step 2: Break apart the lamb with a wooden spoon into small pieces until the lamb is just about browned. Remove from the pan and set aside with its juices. Do not strain. We need all that juice.

    Onions sauteing in saucepan.

    Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon olive oil back to the pan and then stir in the onions. Saute for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until slightly golden brown and translucent.

    Onions and mushrooms sauteing in sauce pan.

    Step 4: Add the mushrooms. Saute for another 5-8 minutes or until mushrooms have softened. Then add the garlic and saute for 1 minute.

    Tomato paste added to vegetables in saucepan.

    Step 5: Stir in the tomato paste until well combined. Let the tomato paste and vegetables cook for another 3 minutes. This will allow the tomato paste to caramelize and intensify in flavor.

    Red wine and chicken broth added to saucepan with vegetables.

    Step 6: Add the red wine and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and season with salt.

    Lamb returned to the saucepan with sauce.

    Step 7: Return the lamb to the pan and simmer on low for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Before adding the pasta, add butter and ¾ cup of starchy pasta water to the sauce. Stir well.

    Pappardelle added to the lamb ragu.

    Step 8: Boil pasta 1 minute less than directed. Stir the pasta into the sauce until it is completely combined and let the sauce simmer for another minute or 2. Stir in the pecorino and serve!

    This is the perfect under-an-hour weeknight meal because it is complete with meat, vegetables, and pasta, just like Pasta with Sausage and Broccoli Rabe. These types of meals are my favorite family weeknight meals because they are low-effort and quick!

    Pro-Tips

    1. Sear the lamb. When you add the lamb to the saucepan, cook it undisturbed for a few minutes so that it develops a slight crust before you begin breaking it apart. This will add flavor to the pan and give you a better texture to the lamb.
    2. Tomato paste needs caramelization. When you add it to the pan, let it sit for a few minutes before adding in the red wine. It's okay if it looks like it's getting stuck to the pan. The red wine will deglaze and grab all that flavor stuck to the pan.
    3. Save pasta water to add to the sauce. While you're boiling the pasta, save a cup of pasta water and add it to the sauce before the pasta finishes cooking.
    Lamb ragu over pappardelle on a small plate with pan with pasta next to it.

    Recipe FAQs

    How to reheat Lamb Ragu?

    Fresh is best but to reheat, add the pasta and the sauce to a saucepan with a tablespoon of butter. Heat on medium-low until cooked through.

    What is in lamb ragu?

    Lamb, thick tomato sauce, mushrooms, and onions simmered together with red wine to make an intensely flavored sauce served over pappardelle or tagliatelle.

    Why does this recipe only take one hour instead of the typical long braise?

    Ragu is typically braised for hours to break down the collagen in the meat. This recipe is quicker because we substitute tomato paste for whole tomatoes. We also used a high-quality locally sourced lamb that was very tender which made the sauce delicious.

    What to serve it with

    Serve this quick lamb ragu with pappardelle alongside a vegetable like Traditional Caesar Salad, Italian Lacinato Kale Recipe (Tuscan), or Sauteed Rapini with Garlic.

    This is one of my favorite recipes because even on a weeknight, I can make and enjoy a delicious meal with my family. It's so important to sit down and enjoy a meal with family every day. Whether it's Sunday and you make Sunday Sauce and Italian Fried Meatballs or a quick weeknight meal like lamb ragu with pappardelle or Bucatini Amatriciana.

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    I know we all love a good ragu, but let us know exactly what you thought by leaving a review below! It is super helpful for us! You can follow us on Instagram @vindelgiudice or on Tiktok @alwaysfromscratch.

    📖 Recipe

    Lamb ragu over pappardelle on a small plate.

    Quick Lamb Ragu with Pappardelle

    Vincent DelGiudice
    Ragu can be a meal that takes hours to braise, but every once in a while, I want the ragu on a Tuesday night at 7 and I don't have 4 hours to wait for the meat to cook. This is a 1 hour lamb ragu, perfect when you'd like some ragu but without the time commitment.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 minutes mins
    Cook Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 45 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings
    Calories 655 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 large saucepan
    • 1 4-6 qt pot

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb ground lamb
    • 1 lb pappardelle or mafalde
    • 1 cup red wine
    • ¼ cup chicken broth
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ cup pecorino romano
    • 5 tablespoon tomato paste
    • 6-8 mushrooms, chopped
    • ½ onion, minced
    • 3 cloves garlic, minced
    • 3 tablespoon butter
    • 2 tablespoon olive oil
    • ¾ cup pasta water

    Instructions
     

    • In a large saucepan, add 1 tablespoon olive and bring to medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering add lamb in pieces. Let it cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with salt. Break apart the lamb with a wooden spoon into tiny pieces until the lamb is browned. Remove from the pan, set aside.
    • Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and the onions. Saute until soft, for about 5 minutes. Then add the mushrooms in and saute for another 5 minutes until mushrooms soften. Stir in the garlic. Let the garlic saute for 1 minute.
    • Add the tomato paste and combine everything and let the tomato paste caramelize on the pan for 3 minutes. Then add the red wine and chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and then add the lamb back in. Simmer for 30 minutes.
    • In the meantime, bring a pot of water to a boil and boil your pasta. When the pasta is just about finished, add about ¾ cup of pasta water to the sauce.
    • Add the butter and pecorino romano and stir until well combined. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the sauce. Stir to combine. Add extra pecorino romano and serve!

    Notes

    1. Sear the lamb. When you add the lamb to the sauce pan, cook it undisturbed for a few minutes so that it develops a slight crust before you begin breaking it apart. This willadd flavor to the pan and give you a better texture on the lamb.
    2. Tomato paste needs caramelization. When you add it to the pan, let it sit for a few minutes before adding in the red wine. It's okay if it looks like it's getting stuck to the pan. The red wine will deglaze and grab all that flavor stuck to the pan.
    3. Save pasta water to add to the sauce. While you're boiling the pasta, save a cup of pasta water and add it to the sauce before the pasta finishes cooking.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 655kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 25gFat: 30gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 657mgPotassium: 568mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 356IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 87mgIron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?We'd love for you to Leave a Review!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Cissie

      March 19, 2025 at 9:26 pm

      5 stars
      I love Lamb! I made this today for my dinner. I followed your recipe exactly. It is an easy recipe to follow and absolutely delicious. I will definitely be making again. I try to cook lamb 2 to 3 times a week. I additionally ed your recipe to my weekly rotation. Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
    2. Vinny

      June 19, 2024 at 10:48 am

      5 stars
      Definitely a quick recipe. Ragu is definitely a sauce that needs a long time to braise but I love to make this quick version on weeknights! Hope you enjoy!

      Reply
    5 from 2 votes

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    Vinny in the Kitchen.

    Vinny DelGiudice, MS CCC-SLP

    My name is Vinny. I am an Italian-American home cook, a photographer, and previously, a speech pathologist specializing in swallowing and voice disorders. I share the recipes I grew up eating in my home and the recipes that I cook for my family. Always From Scratch is about cooking homemade meals and eating with family.

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