Slow cooked ragu
A deep, slow simmered beef and pork ragu to make once and turn into lasagne, pasta bakes, cottage pie and chilli.
Make this once, then cook it into 31 different dishes.
- Time3 hr
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £2.13 a head
- Makesabout 1.3 kg, enough for 2 or 3 meals for 4 people
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
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Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole or pan over a medium heat. Add the pancetta and cook for 5 minutes until the fat runs and it starts to crisp.
5 min - 2
Turn the heat up. Add the beef and pork mince in two batches and brown for 8 to 10 minutes, breaking up the lumps, until deeply browned with no pink remaining. Do not crowd the pan or the meat will stew.
10 min - 3
Lower the heat, add the onion, carrot and celery, and cook for 8 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
8 min - 4
Pour in the wine and bubble hard for 3 minutes, scraping the pan, until reduced by about half.
3 min - 5
Add the tomatoes, stock, bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, partly cover, then cook on the lowest heat for 2 hours, stirring every 20 minutes. Add a splash of water if it catches.
120 min - 6
Remove the lid for the last 20 minutes to thicken. The ragu should be rich, thick and glossy, with fat pooling at the edges. Take out the bay leaves and thyme stems and season.
- 7
Cool in shallow containers within 90 minutes. Divide into portions. You should have about 1.3 kg.
About slow cooked ragu
Slow cooked ragu is a thick, meaty sauce made by browning beef and pork mince, then simmering it with a base of onion, carrot and celery, tomato and wine for two hours or more. The classic ragù alla bolognese from Bologna in northern Italy is the best known version.
It tastes deeply savoury, a little sweet and rounded, with tender meat in a rich, glossy sauce. Long gentle cooking is what turns ordinary mince into something special, and the pancetta, wine and tomato purée add layers of flavour. In Bologna it is traditionally served with fresh tagliatelle, not spaghetti.
One batch makes about 1.3 kg, enough for two or three meals for four people at 450 g each. Use it for tagliatelle, lasagne, pasta bakes, jacket potatoes, cottage pie, chilli, stuffed peppers and cannelloni.
Tips
- Brown the meat properly. Dark, crusty bits in the pan are where most of the flavour comes from, so work in batches and resist stirring too often.
- The traditional recipe adds 100 ml of whole milk with the wine. It is optional, but gives a softer sauce. Use oat milk for a dairy free version.
- Wine can be replaced with extra stock and a tablespoon of red wine vinegar if you prefer a non-alcoholic dish.
- Skim off excess fat from the surface after chilling, if you want a leaner sauce.
- For a gentle kick, add a pinch of chilli flakes with the garlic.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 90 minutes in shallow containers. Keeps up to 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer in portions. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot all the way through. Reheat only once.
Dishes you can make with slow cooked ragu
Tagliatelle alla Bolognese with Fresh Egg Pasta
NFLasagne al Forno with Fresh Pasta and Spinach
NFCannelloni al Ragù
EFNFBaked Ziti with Ragu, Ricotta and Mozzarella
EFNFRagu Jacket Potatoes with Crispy Kale
GFDFEFPolenta e Ragù (Soft Polenta with Slow Cooked Ragu)
GFDFEFArancini al Ragù (Sicilian Rice Balls)
GFNFGnocchi al Forno al Ragù (Baked Gnocchi with Ragu)
NFTorta al Ragù (Italian Ragu Pie)
NFPeperoni Ripieni al Ragù (Ragu Stuffed Peppers)
DFEFNFZucchine Ripiene al Ragù (Ragu Stuffed Courgette Boats)
GFEFNFPizza Bolognese (Ragu and Mozzarella Pizza)
EFNFQuestions
How long should ragu simmer?
At least 2 hours on the lowest heat, partly covered. Three hours is even better. Short cooking leaves the meat firm and the sauce thin and sharp. The long simmer makes it tender, glossy and rich.
Is this ragu gluten free and dairy free?
Yes, as listed. It uses gluten free stock and has no flour, milk or cheese, so it is gluten free, dairy free, egg free and nut free. Check your stock, pancetta and tomato purée labels.
Can I make it in a slow cooker?
Yes. Brown the meat and vegetables in a pan first, then transfer everything to the slow cooker and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Remove the lid for the last hour to thicken.
Can I use only beef mince?
Yes. Use 750 g of beef mince. The pork gives a softer texture and sweetness, but all beef works well. Choose mince with about 15 percent fat for the best flavour.
How do I turn it into other dishes?
Layer it with white sauce and pasta for lasagne, top with mash for cottage pie, add a tin of kidney beans and chilli powder for chilli, or stir it through cooked pasta for a bake.
More base recipes
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.