Quick Ground Beef Ragu
A weeknight ragu — no wine, no soffritto stand-around. Just a deep-tasting sauce in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 400 g Pasta
- 400 g Ground beef
- 400 g Canned tomatoes
- 1 Onion
- 1 Carrot
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
- 1½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- 1 tsp Dried oregano
- 1 Bay leaves (optional)
- 1 tsp Sugar (optional)
Method
- Finely dice the onion, carrot, and garlic.
- Warm the oil in a wide pan over medium. Soften the onion and carrot for 5 minutes until glossy; add the garlic and oregano for the last minute until fragrant.
- Push the vegetables to the side and add the beef to the open spot. Brown it well, breaking it into small crumbles, until no pink remains and the bottom is browned. Season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the tomatoes with the bay leaves and a pinch of sugar to balance the acidity, crushing the tomatoes with a spoon. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and deepened, about 15 minutes.
- While the ragu simmers, bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Cook the pasta one minute shy of al dente per the package.
- Reserve a mugful of pasta water, then drain.
- Toss the drained pasta with the ragu, loosening with a splash of the reserved pasta water if needed, and plate.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Quick Ground Beef Ragu
This quick ground beef ragu is a weeknight take on the slow-simmered Italian meat sauces that traditionally cook for hours. It keeps the essential building blocks, a base of onion, carrot, and garlic, browned ground beef, and canned tomatoes, but strips out the wine and the long, patient stand-around so the whole thing comes together in about thirty-five minutes. The flavor is still deep and savory, with sweetness from the softened vegetables and a rounded, slow-cooked taste that belies how fast it is made.
A couple of small techniques do the heavy lifting. Browning the beef hard in an open spot in the pan, rather than crowding it with the vegetables, develops real fond and color on the bottom, which is where much of the depth comes from. A pinch of sugar balances the acidity of the canned tomatoes, and bay and oregano round out the sauce as it simmers and thickens. Tossed with pasta, it is a hearty, protein-rich family dinner, and it holds and reheats well if you make it ahead.
Quick Ground Beef Ragu: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Quick Ground Beef Ragu?
A serving has about 715 calories — 33.8g protein, 88.9g carbs, 24g fat, 6.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 33.8g of protein, roughly 19% of its calories.
Is Quick Ground Beef Ragu gluten-free?
As written, no — it contains Pasta. You'd need a certified gluten-free swap for that ingredient to make it gluten-free.
Do I need every ingredient to make Quick Ground Beef Ragu?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out bay leaves, sugar — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Quick Ground Beef Ragu make?
This recipe makes 4 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.