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Ragù di Carne (Meat Sauce)

This is the classic ragù di carne (meat sauce) recipe from my family. It is a simple meat sauce recipe: you can find lots of variations of it.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Course Sauce
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 1 carrots chopped
  • 1 stalk of celery finely chopped
  • 1 or 2 cloves of garlic riced
  • 4 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound ground beef (or pork)
  • 3/4 to 1 can canned tomatoes (Prego or similar brands)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato concentrate (paste) (optional)
  • 1 pinch salt

Instructions
 

  • Make a soffritto by gently sautéing the chopped onion, carrot and celery in olive oil until the vegetables are very soft. Make sure not to brown them.
  • Add the ground beef (or pork) to the pot, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and mixing to combine it well with the soffritto.
  • Add a pinch of salt and let is simmer gently, stirring (with the wooden spoon) until the meat has lost its raw look.
  • Add the canned tomatoes and stir again. Optional: add a bit of tomato concentrate (tomato paste) along with the canned tomatoes.
  • Then let it simmer for 45 minutes, stirring only occasionally until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened and developed a deep flavor (you can let it go longer if you like). If the sauce gets too thick before you think it’s done, then just add a bit of water as needed.