Easy White Ragu (30 mins)

white ragu with tagliatelle on a white background.

5 from 1 vote

The ground pork mince adds a lovely richness and umami flavour along with the soffritto which is then simmered in stock and cream seasoned with thyme and rosemary.

Prep Time5

Cook Time25

Total Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Italian

Servings: people

Calories: 1005kcal

Author: Emily Roz

Ingredients

1 white onion finely diced
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
1 carrot grated
1 celery stick finely chopped
200g pork mince I used 15% fat
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Salt and pepper
150ml stock vegetable or chicken
300ml single cream
1 tablespoon parmesan grated, plus extra for garnish
200g tagliatelle

Instructions

Place a frying pan on medium heat and add in a drizzle of olive oil. Follow with your chopped onions, garlic, grated carrot, and finely chopped celery. Season with salt and pepper and gently fry for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Once your onions have softened, add in the pork mince, thyme, rosemary, nutmeg and fry for a further 5-10 minutes. Stir occasionally.
Pour in your stock and single cream. Leave to simmer for 5-10 minutes while you cook your pasta.
Cook your pasta of choice in a pan of salted boiling water to packet instructions.
Add a few tablespoons of the pasta water into your white ragu to loosen the sauce as well as 1 tablespoon grated parmesan. Give the sauce a stir, taste, and season accordingly (do you personally want more salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary? Then add it in bit by bit!).
When your pasta is cooked, drain it and add it into your ragu pan. Combine thoroughly, then serve up with your parmesan, extra herbs, and enjoy!

Notes

Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.

To double quantity: This recipe can be doubled to make the dish for 4-6 people.

Top tips

This recipe takes around 30 minutes to make. However, if you'd like to enhance the flavour even further and you're not pushed for time, leave your soffritto to gently cook for 30 minutes. It will take a bit longer to make the whole dish, but it's worth it if you're looking for an extra boost of umami.
Add a glass of white wine after you've fried off your pork mince before your stock and cream to deglaze the pan, enhance the flavour of the dish, and tenderise the meat.
Choose a high % fat ground meat for the best tasting dish. The higher the fat content, the tastier the white ragu will be.

Leftovers:

Storage: Place any leftovers in airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Freezing: You can freeze the white ragu alone (leave the pasta out). Place it in an airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months. Remove from the freezer and place in the fridge to defrost overnight. Then follow the reheating instructions below.

Reheating: When reheating, add in a splash of milk to revive the sauce. Place it in the microwave with a lid loosely attached to the container, and heat up for 2 minutes, then give it a stir, then place it back in for another 2 minutes.

Nutrition