Tuscan Ragu is a rich, meaty tomato sauce that’s packed with flavor. Made with a combination of ground beef and pork sausage, this sauce is simmered with soffritto (onions, carrots, and celery), red wine, and herbs, resulting in a deeply satisfying dish. This Tuscan classic pairs perfectly with hearty pasta, like pappardelle or pici. It’s a comforting dish that brings the flavors of Tuscany into your kitchen, with a slow-cooked richness that makes every bite a delight.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

• 1-2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 ribs celery, diced

• 2 carrots, chopped

• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 sprig rosemary, leaves only

• 900g (2 lbs) ground beef

• 450g (1 lb) good quality pork sausage, casing removed

• 250ml (1 cup) dry red wine

• 400g (14oz) canned chopped tomatoes

• 500ml (17½ oz) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes

• 3 tbsp tomato paste

• Salt, to taste

• ½ tsp black pepper

Directions

1. Cook the Sofritto: In a large, deep frying pan or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and rosemary leaves. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables soften but don’t color.

2. Brown the Meat: Add the ground beef and sausage to the pan. Break up the meat with a spatula and cook until browned and no longer pink.

3. Deglaze with Wine: Pour in the red wine and cook for about 10 minutes over medium heat, allowing the wine to reduce slightly.

4. Add Tomatoes: Stir in the chopped tomatoes, tomato passata, tomato paste, salt, and pepper. Bring the sauce to a simmer.

5. Simmer the Ragu: Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Let the ragu simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of water to loosen it up.

6. Adjust Seasoning: Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.

7. Serve: Serve the ragu over pasta and enjoy!

Nutrients

• Calories: 338 kcal per serving

• Fat: 18g

  • Saturated Fat: 6g

  • Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g

  • Monounsaturated Fat: 8g

• Protein: 28g

• Carbohydrates: 11g

  • Fiber: 2g

  • Sugar: 5g

• Cholesterol: 89mg

• Sodium: 706mg

• Potassium: 862mg

• Vitamin A: 2499 IU

• Vitamin C: 13mg

• Calcium: 47mg

• Iron: 4mg

The Origins of Tuscan Ragu

Tuscan Ragu, sometimes referred to as “ragù alla Toscana,” is a classic Italian meat sauce that has been passed down through generations. Tuscany, a region known for its rustic, farm-to-table cuisine, is where this hearty dish originated. Like many traditional Italian recipes, the beauty of Tuscan Ragu lies in its simplicity. It relies on a few quality ingredients—ground beef, pork sausage, aromatic vegetables, tomatoes, and herbs—that are cooked slowly to develop rich, deep flavors.

Ragu is a versatile sauce, often served with a variety of pasta shapes in different regions of Italy. In Tuscany, it is commonly paired with broader, flat pasta shapes like pappardelle or pici, allowing the sauce to cling to the noodles and make every bite a savory delight. Traditionally, it’s a dish that would be served for special family gatherings, often simmered for hours over the stovetop.

The Key Ingredients: Meat, Vegetables, and Herbs

The heart of Tuscan Ragu is its meat, typically a combination of ground beef and pork sausage. The beef adds a rich, beefy flavor, while the pork sausage brings additional fat and flavor depth. The sausage adds juiciness to the ragu, ensuring that the sauce is rich and satisfying. The choice of quality pork sausage is key to achieving the best flavor, so opt for fresh, flavorful sausage without too many artificial additives.

Soffritto, the Italian version of a mirepoix, forms the aromatic base of the sauce. It consists of onions, celery, carrots, and garlic, which are sautéed in olive oil until softened. This mix of vegetables adds sweetness and depth to the sauce, balancing the richness of the meats. Fresh rosemary is a traditional herb used in Tuscan Ragu, infusing the sauce with a fragrant, woodsy aroma that complements the other ingredients beautifully.

The Cooking Method: Slow Simmering for Maximum Flavor

The process of making Tuscan Ragu begins with cooking the soffritto. Onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and rosemary are gently sautéed in olive oil, releasing their natural sweetness and flavors. This process is done over low heat to ensure that the vegetables soften without caramelizing, which can give the ragu a more delicate, balanced flavor.

Once the soffritto is ready, the ground beef and pork sausage are added to the pan. The meat is browned and broken up with a spatula, allowing it to release its juices and fat, which enriches the sauce. After the meat is fully browned, a splash of red wine is added to deglaze the pan, scraping up any flavorful browned bits that have stuck to the bottom. This step is crucial for adding depth to the sauce, as the wine imparts a subtle acidity that complements the richness of the meat.

Next, the tomatoes—both chopped and passata—are stirred in, along with tomato paste, salt, and pepper. The combination of different types of tomatoes adds complexity to the sauce, with the passata providing a smooth texture and the chopped tomatoes offering bursts of flavor and texture. Once the ingredients are combined, the ragu is left to simmer on low heat for 1.5 hours, allowing the flavors to meld together.

Simmering the ragu for this long period helps concentrate the flavors and tenderize the meat. If the sauce thickens too much during cooking, a splash of water can be added to achieve the desired consistency. Stirring occasionally ensures that the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan and that all the flavors are evenly distributed.

Adjusting the Seasoning: A Taste of Tuscany

Once the ragu has finished simmering, it’s time to taste and adjust the seasoning. Adding more salt and pepper, if needed, ensures that the sauce is perfectly seasoned. A small amount of sugar can be added to balance the acidity of the tomatoes, creating a harmonious flavor profile. The result is a sauce that is both savory and slightly sweet, with layers of flavor from the meats, vegetables, and herbs.

Serving Suggestions: The Perfect Pairings

Tuscan Ragu is best served with hearty, wide pasta such as pappardelle or pici. The wide noodles are perfect for soaking up the rich sauce, making each bite a flavorful experience. The ragu can be served over the pasta or mixed directly into the pasta for a more traditional presentation. A generous sprinkle of freshly grated pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese is the perfect finishing touch, adding a salty, nutty flavor that complements the richness of the ragu.

While pasta is the most common pairing, Tuscan Ragu can also be enjoyed with other accompaniments, such as crusty bread for dipping into the sauce or a simple green salad to provide a refreshing contrast to the rich flavors of the ragu. A glass of full-bodied red wine, such as Chianti or Sangiovese, pairs beautifully with the dish, enhancing the flavors of the meat and sauce.

Health Considerations and Modifications

While Tuscan Ragu is undeniably a rich and indulgent dish, it can be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet when consumed in moderation. The sauce provides a good amount of protein from the beef and sausage, as well as vitamins and fiber from the vegetables. If you’re looking to lighten the dish, you can use lean ground meat or turkey sausage instead of pork sausage. For a gluten-free version, simply pair the ragu with gluten-free pasta or a vegetable-based pasta, such as zucchini noodles.

If you’re following a low-carb or keto diet, you can serve the ragu with cauliflower rice or spiralized vegetables instead of pasta to keep the dish lower in carbs. Additionally, using less oil and skipping the cheese topping can reduce the overall fat content.

Conclusion

Tuscan Ragu is a classic, comforting dish that embodies the heart of Italian home cooking. The combination of ground beef, pork sausage, aromatic vegetables, and slow-cooked tomatoes creates a rich, flavorful sauce that is perfect for any pasta. This dish is a true reflection of Tuscany’s culinary traditions, offering a satisfying and delicious meal that will make you feel as though you’re sitting at a trattoria in the heart of Italy. Whether you’re cooking for a family dinner, a special occasion, or just a cozy weeknight meal, Tuscan Ragu is a dish that will never fail to impress.