Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù)

Pasta alla Genovese in a serving bowl garnished with parsley with parmesan cheese on the side.

5 from 1 vote

Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù)

This Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù) recipe is comforting and delicious. What makes it so special is the rich flavor you get from the slow-cooked onion sauce base. You're going to need a lot of onions! It’s a perfect weekend meal. Personally, this is one of my go-to winter dinner party meals.

Prep Time20

Cook Time3

Total Time3 20

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $30

Equipment

Heavy pot (Dutch oven)

Ingredients

3 lbs Yellow onions - about 8 medium onions
1 Carrot
1 Celery rib
2 ½ lbs Beef chuck - Cut into large cubes
2 tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp Black pepper
2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup White wine
2 Bay leaves
1 Herb bundle - 5 sprigs of parsley and a few celery leaves
1 lb Rigatoni pasta
Chopped parsley
Grated Pecorino cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano

Instructions

Prepare the ingredients. Begin by slicing 3 lbs Yellow onions thinly and finely dicing 1 Carrot and 1 Celery rib . Season the beef cubes on all sides with 2 tsp Kosher salt and ½ tsp Black pepper. You may need more salt later in the cooking process.
Brown the meat. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat 2 tbsp Olive oil on medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Do this in batches not to crowd the pot. Remove the beef and set it aside, leaving the flavorful browned bits in the pot.
Build the base. Reduce to medium heat and add the diced carrots and celery. If the pot is dry, add a little bit of olive oil. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until softened. Stir in 2 tbsp Tomato paste and cook for another minute to release its flavor. Add 1 cup White wine to deglaze and scrape up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add half the onions. Add half the the sliced onions to the pot and stir to coat them in the olive oil and aromatics.
Add the beef, herbs and rest of the onions. Return the beef to the pot, nestling it into the onion mixture. Add 2 Bay leaves and the Herb bundle. Add the remaining onion slices. Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally. The cooking time will depend on the size of the beef chunks. The onions will release their moisture and break down into a rich, silky pasta sauce while the beef becomes fork-tender.
Shred the beef. When the beef is fork tender, shred it into the sauce using two forks and mix everything together. The ragu is now ready. Taste it and adjust the seasoning with more salt if you like. Keep it warm while you boil the pasta.
Cook the pasta and combine with ragu. When the sauce is ready, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1 lb Rigatoni pasta until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta water before draining. It can help loosen the sauce later if needed. Combine the strained pasta with the finished ragu. Add a splash of pasta water if necessary to achieve the desired consistency. NOTE: only combine the sauce and pasta if you're planning to serve the whole dish. If you want to save leftovers, keep the pasta and sauce separate for storage.
Serve. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated Pecorino cheese or Parmigiano Reggiano and fresh parsley.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

Ingredient Notes:

Cut of Beef: I prefer to use beef chuck (or sometimes called a chuck roast). I like to buy a large piece and cut it into large cubes myself, but you can ask your butcher to cut it for you. You can also use boneless short ribs (which will give you a richer sauce because of the fat) or stewing beef (which will give you a leaner sauce).

Onions: You’re going to need a lot of onions for this recipe. They will break down slowly and release their water. Yellow or sweet onions work best here.

Wine: White wine is the way to go. It helps deglaze the pan and adds a slight acidity to the dish. A dry pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc work well. Use a bottle you would actually drink as you only need about a cup of wine for this recipe. Do not use red wine as it will affect the color of the finished recipe. Dry vermouth or chicken stock can be used as substitutes.

Nutrition