Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu

5 from 1 vote

This Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu 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!

Prep Time10

Cook Time8 15

Total Time8 25

Course: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Lamb Ragu

Servings:

Calories: 946kcal

Author: Lucy Parissi | Supergolden Bakes

Equipment

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

Video

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.

Cooking on the stove

Note this version requires more chicken 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