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Beef and Pork Ragu

Featured in Dinner Winners Every Time.

This slow-cooked Italian meat sauce combines savory beef and flavorful pork sausage for unmatched depth. Begin with a soffritto of fresh carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Add browned meats, then deglaze with good red wine. Stir in both crushed and chopped tomatoes for the best texture. Simmer gently to let the flavors develop fully. Excellent as a hearty topping for pasta or creamy polenta, it’s an indulgent and comforting meal made from quality ingredients and time-tested cooking.
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Updated on Thu, 03 Apr 2025 23:35:48 GMT
Rustic Italian Meat Sauce Pin it
Rustic Italian Meat Sauce | cookwithtaste.com

This genuine Tuscan Ragu turns basic components into a deep, filling sauce that brings Italian family cooking right to your table. Mixing meat, veggies, and fragrant herbs just right, this timeless sauce makes food that's both cozy and fancy.

After many years tweaking this old-world recipe, I've found that taking your time is what creates those complex, intense flavors that make a real Italian ragu so wonderful.

Crucial Ingredients Lineup

  • Ground beef: Go with 80/20 for tastiest results
  • Italian sausage: The fresher and better quality, the tastier
  • Soffritto vegetables: Cut them evenly and use fresh ones
  • Red wine: Pick something you'd happily drink
  • Tomato passata: Try to get San Marzano if you can
  • Fresh rosemary: Brings that true Tuscan touch
  • Quality olive oil: Extra virgin works best here

In-Depth Cooking Guide

Soffritto Preparation:
Cut veggies into same-sized bits. Warm oil slowly. Cook them until soft. Keep them from getting brown. This starts your flavor base.
Meat Browning:
Crumble meat into tiny chunks. Brown in smaller amounts if needed. Get those tasty bits stuck on the pan. Keep cooking till no pink shows. Add salt and pepper as you go.
Wine Integration:
Pour wine into the hot pan. Scrape all those stuck bits up. Cook until half gone. Make sure the alcohol cooks away. Keep it bubbling gently.
Sauce Building:
Mix in tomatoes bit by bit. Work the paste in completely. Add salt and spices carefully. Watch how thick it gets. Stir now and then.
Final Simmering:
Use very low heat. Take a look every so often. Adjust if too thick or thin. Taste and fix seasoning. Let everything come together.
Tuscan Ragu Pin it
Tuscan Ragu | cookwithtaste.com

I got this recipe while cooking alongside a nonna in Tuscany, where she taught me why sauce needs plenty of time to become amazing.

Heat Control Tricks

After making this tons of times, I now know that keeping a nice, gentle bubble is super important. Too hot and you'll burn it, too cool and the flavor won't grow right. I keep the heat just enough to see little bubbles pop up now and then, and tweak it as needed while it cooks.

Keeping It Fresh

This sauce actually tastes better the next day after sitting in the fridge as the flavors keep mixing together. I usually make twice as much, putting it in containers to freeze. When stored right, it stays yummy for about six months.

Ways To Enjoy It

While it's normally eaten with pappardelle pasta, this sauce works with lots of things. I really like it with rigatoni, since the sauce sticks in all the grooves, or over smooth polenta if you can't eat gluten. Fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a little drizzle of nice olive oil make it perfect.

Make It Your Own

I've tried different versions over time. Adding pancetta to the veggie mix brings more depth, and a bit of heavy cream at the end makes it richer. For special dinners, I sometimes throw in wild mushrooms.

Drink Matches

The same kind of red wine you cook with makes a great drink alongside this dish. I really enjoy this ragu with Chianti Classico or Sangiovese, which go well with the rich taste without being too much.

Best Pots To Use

A heavy Dutch oven works best for this sauce, giving even heat all around and stopping it from burning. The tight lid helps keep the right amount of moisture while it simmers for ages.

Tuscan Ragu Pin it
Tuscan Ragu | cookwithtaste.com

This Tuscan Ragu has become what I make most for family meals and when friends come over. Good ingredients plus slow cooking makes something really special that feels like you're eating in the Italian countryside. Whenever I cook it, I remember some dishes are worth the extra time to make them just right.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Which red wine works well?
Go with a dry wine you enjoy drinking, like Chianti or Sangiovese. Skip cooking wines.
→ Can the sauce be prepped ahead?
Absolutely! It tastes even better after sitting for a day or two. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
→ Why mix pork and beef?
Pork adds fat and spices, while beef brings richness, making the flavors more layered.
→ Is this freezer-friendly?
Yes, it stores beautifully in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
→ What pasta pairs nicely?
Wide noodles like tagliatelle or pappardelle hold onto the sauce perfectly.

Beef and Pork Ragu

An aromatic mix of beef and pork sausage that simmers slowly with sweet tomatoes, earthy red wine, and sautéed herbs for incredible richness. Serve over your favorite pasta or soft polenta.

Prep Time
~
Cook Time
110 Minutes
Total Time
110 Minutes
By: Milly

Category: Main Dishes

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: Italian

Yield: ~

Dietary: Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Base

01 Pork sausage, remove casing (1 pound)
02 Ground beef (2 pounds)
03 A splash of olive oil (1-2 tablespoons)

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

04 Celery ribs (2, cut into small pieces)
05 A sprig of fresh rosemary (just the leaves)
06 Garlic cloves (2-3, peeled)
07 A medium onion (chopped)
08 Carrots (2, chopped into chunks)

→ Liquids & Tomatoes

09 Canned tomatoes, chopped (14oz/400g)
10 Tomato passata or crushed tomatoes (17.5oz/500ml)
11 Dry red wine (1 cup/250ml)
12 Tomato paste (around 3 tablespoons)

→ Seasonings

13 A pinch of salt to your liking
14 Ground black pepper (about ½ teaspoon)

Instructions

Step 01

Drizzle some olive oil in a big pan and gently cook the onion, garlic, celery, rosemary, and carrots over low heat for 10 minutes. Keep stirring so nothing browns.

Step 02

Toss in the sausage and ground beef. Break it up with your spatula and cook until all the pink is gone.

Step 03

Pour the red wine over the meat, then let it bubble and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat.

Step 04

Add the tomatoes, paste, salt, and black pepper. Let it come to a gentle boil, then cover and let it cook slowly for 1.5 hours. Stir once in a while.

Notes

  1. If the sauce gets too thick, throw in a splash of water.
  2. The finished sauce should be rich, hearty, and packed with meat.
  3. Use any standard dry red wine, but skip the cooking stuff in bottles.

Tools You'll Need

  • A large, deep pan or Dutch oven
  • A lid to cover the pan
  • Spatula for stirring and breaking things apart

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 338
  • Total Fat: 18 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 11 g
  • Protein: 28 g