Hearty Beef and Mushroom Ragu
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 medium red onion chopped
- 1 pound cremini mushrooms finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ cup red wine
- 28 ounces canned crushed tomatoes
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- salt and pepper
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 cup grated parmesan plus extra for serving
- freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up the beef into small pieces with a wooden spoon.
- Add chopped red onion and chopped mushrooms, stirring to combine. Saute until vegetables are softened, about 7-8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add garlic and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Saute for 1 minute. Add red wine and bring to a simmer.
- Add canned tomatoes, red pepper flakes, ground fennel, and dried oregano. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and continue to simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add balsamic vinegar, stirring to combine. Season ragu with salt and pepper and keep warm.
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
- Toss pasta with ½ cup pasta water, ragu, and 1 cup grated parmesan. Heat until pasta is well coated with sauce and the cheese has melted. Portion pasta into bowls and sprinkle extra parmesan on top. Finish with freshly cracked black pepper and serve immediately.
Notes
You can prepare the ragu up to 2 days in advance and reheat it before serving.