Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu (Lamb Ragu d’Abruzzo)
, Published Sep 24, 2024
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This Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu (Lamb Ragu d’Abruzzo) is richly delicious and yet so easy to make in a crockpot or the stove. Pair it with pasta and freshly grated Pecorino for the ultimate comfort food meal!
My husband and I visited a highly rated Italian restaurant for our anniversary recently. Sadly, it proved to be an expensive and disappointing experience but it didn’t dampen my love for Italian food in the slightest. If anything, it just made me more determined to recreate Italian dishes at home!
One of the plates on our tasting menu was Lamb Ragu d’Abruzzo – billed as “pasta with lamb sauce”. It was one of the more successful items on the menu and yet it still felt somehow lacking… My husband said at the time “I bet you can make this at home and it would taste better” – so here we are.
I used ground lamb for my ragu (same as the restaurant version) and I was pleasantly surprised by how well the earthy and sweet lamb pairs with pasta. It tastes quite different to the more well-known beef ragu, lighter somehow and yet intensely rich.
You can make ragu on the stove but I find the slow cooker version so much simpler – especially if your slow cooker has a browning function (I highly recommend the GreenPan Slow Cooker). Slowly braising the lamb allows for all the flavors to meld together and intensify creating a rich sauce that’s delicious served over pasta, gnocchi or polenta.
Lamb Ragu Ingredients
One thing not included in this grocery list is red pepper which is sometimes added to Abbruzzi-style lamb ragu recipes. I decided to leave it out to let the delicate flavor of the lamb to come through but you can add some if you like.
- Olive oil – a good quality olive oil (but not the super expensive extra virgin stuff).
- Onion, celery and carrots create the base for this hearty sauce – this classic trio is called soffrito and it’s the flavor booster in many Italian recipes.
- Salt, ground pepper and a little brown sugar.
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic and lots of it!
- Lamb – ground lamb (a.k.a lamb mince).
- White wine – not essential if you are making this recipe in a slow cooker. I know red wine is frequently used in ragu – I think it would be too overwhelming in this lamb pasta sauce.
- Crushed tomatoes or finely chopped tomatoes – use the best quality you can afford as it will make all the difference to the overall taste.
- Chicken broth – or you can use a chicken bouillon cube. It’s crucial not to add too much liquid if cooking in a crockpot as it would make the sauce a bit watery.
- Rosemary, thyme and bay leaves – if you can, tie these in a small bundle as it will make it easier to discard later on.
- Chili (optional) and red pepper flakes (chili flakes) for a touch of heat.
- Pecorino romano or Parmesan cheese to serve.
How to Make Slow Cooker Lamb Ragu
Full measurements and instructions can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page. Please take a look at the steps and video before attempting this recipe!
Finely dice the onion, celery and carrots. If you are short on time, this little vegetable chopper gadget is very useful!
Heat the olive oil in the slow cooker (if it has a browning function) or in a large skillet. Add the diced vegetables and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and brown sugar. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened but not browned.
Add the white wine, if using, and increase the heat so that it cooks down and the aroma dissipates. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or so until fragrant.
Now add the ground lamb and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned. At this point you will need transfer everything to your slow cooker if you have started this recipe in a separate pan.
Stir in the tomatoes and chicken broth and add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and chili. Cover and cook for 8-12 hours on the LOW setting or for 6 hours on the HIGH setting.
Discard the bay leaves, herbs and chili. Have a taste of the ragu and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed. Serve over pasta such as papardelle, tagliatelle or mafalde with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated cheese and a side of Focaccia.
Cooking on the stove
You can cook your lamb ragu in a casserole or Dutch oven on the stove without altering the recipe. Just bear in mind that it will need to simmer over low heat for 45 minutes after all the ingredients have been added, with an occasional lazy stir to make sure there’s enough liquid in the pot. Take a look at the recipe card notes for further instructions.
Recipe Notes
⭐ Lamb ragu tastes even better the day after you make it – make a big batch and store leftovers in the fridge for up to five days. Alternatively freeze the sauce in freezer-safe containers for up to three months, thawing overnight in the fridge before reheating.
⭐ Ground lamb is quite fatty (making for a richer sauce). If you want to remove the extra fat you can strain some at the end of cooking or store the ragu, once it has cooled down, in the fridge overnight. The fat will solidify and you can easily skim and discard the following day.
⭐ If the sauce feels a little watery after cooking in a crockpot you can cook on HIGH with the lid off for 30 minutes or so it becomes more concentrated. Alternatively add a crushed bouillon cube (stock cube) instead of using broth.
⭐ Do I need to brown the lamb? Browning the lamb will add an extra dimension to the ragu and better depth of flavor. You don’t HAVE to brown it if you are really pressed for time but it is highly recommended.
Related Recipes
- Slow Cooker Venison Ragu
- Greek Spaghetti With Meat Sauce (Makaronia me Kima)
- Slow Cooker Bolognese
- Lemon Garlic Shrimp Pasta (Easy, Quick, One Pot)
HAVE YOU MADE MY LAMB RAGU RECIPE? Please leave a rating, post a photo on my Facebook page, share it on Instagram, or save it to Pinterest with the tag #supergoldenbakes and make my day! If you have any questions, message me on Instagram and I will do my best to answer them quickly.
Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion , finely diced
- 3 celery sticks , finely diced
- 1 large carrot , peeled and finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper , sliced (optional – see notes)
- 2 tbsp olive oil , or as needed
- 2 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp brown sugar (optional)
- 6 cloves garlic , minced
- ¼ cup (60ml) white wine
- 1 pound (450g) ground lamb
- 28 oz (2 x 400g cans) tomatoes, crushed or finely diced
- ⅓ cup (80ml) chicken broth or stock made with 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 1 chili pepper (optional)
To serve
- pasta of your choice , pappardelle or tagliatelle recommended
- Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese , freshly grated
- salt and pepper , to season
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Finely dice the onion, celery and carrots. If you are short on time, a little vegetable chopper gadget is very useful! See notes if using the pepper.1 large yellow onion, 3 celery sticks, 1 large carrot, 1 red bell pepper
- Heat the olive oil directly in your slow cooker (if it has a browning function) or in a large skillet. Add the diced vegetables and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and brown sugar. Sauté over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened but not browned.2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tsp coarse sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp brown sugar
- Add the white wine, if using, and increase the heat so that it cooks down and the aroma dissipates. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or so until fragrant.¼ cup (60ml) white wine, 6 cloves garlic
- Now add the ground lamb and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned. At this point you will need transfer everything to your slow cooker if you have started this recipe in a separate pan.1 pound (450g) ground lamb
- Stir in the tomatoes and chicken broth and add the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme and chili (if you can, tie the herbs in a bundle to make them easier to discard at the end). Cover and cook for 8-12 hours on the LOW setting or for 6 hours on the HIGH setting.28 oz (2 x 400g cans) tomatoes, crushed or finely diced, ⅓ cup (80ml) chicken broth , 2 bay leaves, 2 sprigs rosemary, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 chili pepper
- Discard the bay leaves, herbs and chili. Have a taste of the ragu and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve over pasta such as papardelle or tagliatelle with a generous sprinkling of freshly grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and a side of Focaccia or garlic bread.pasta of your choice, Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, pinch red pepper flakes
Notes
- Add the sliced pepper in with the other chopped vegetables – it will soften and dissolve into the sauce during the long cooking time.
- If the ragu feels a little watery after cooking in a crockpot you can cook on HIGH with the lid off for 30 minutes or so so that the sauce becomes more concentrated. Alternatively add a crushed bouillon cube (stock cube) in the slow cooker instead of using broth.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch Oven. Add the diced vegetables and sprinkle with the salt, pepper and brown sugar. Sauté over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are softened but not browned.
- Add the white wine and increase the heat so that it cooks down and the aroma dissipates. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for a minute or so until fragrant.
- Add ground lamb and break it up with a wooden spoon. Cook for 4-5 minutes until browned.
- Stir in the tomatoes and 1 cup of chicken broth and add the rosemary, thyme, bay leaves and chili. Partially cover the pan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes or until the sauce is reduced. If the pot is looking a little dry add a splash of water or extra broth.
- Discard the bay leaves, herbs and chili. Have a taste of the ragu and adjust the seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is always approximate, and will depend on quality of ingredients and serving sizes.
Thank you!! I ❤️ this Excellent tasting sauce!
you may want to adjust the amount of tomatoes. 28lbs of tomatoes?!
oops – yes that’s ounces!! Thanks for noticing