This quick weeknight lamb ragu is loaded with tender vegetables, garlic, tomato and rosemary. The full-flavored meat sauce pairs perfectly with chewy ziti. Finished the dish with lots of sharp Pecorino Romano cheese.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 35 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary, plus more for topping
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 pound ground lamb
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 28-ounce can whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, crushed by hand
- 12 ounces ziti
- Grated pecorino romano cheese, for topping
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are well coated, about 1 minute. Add the lamb, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
- Add the pasta to the sauce and cook, tossing, until combined and well coated, gradually adding some of the reserved cooking water if the sauce seems too dry; season with salt.
- Divide the pasta among bowls. Top with grated pecorino romano, a few grinds of pepper and rosemary.
Nutrition Facts
| Calories | 710 |
| Total Fat | 28 grams |
| Saturated Fat | 8 grams |
| Cholesterol | 76 milligrams |
| Sodium | 946 milligrams |
| Carbohydrates | 77 grams |
| Dietary Fiber | 7 grams |
| Sugar | 9 grams |
| Protein | 38 grams |
Reviews
This is delicious, absolutely delicious. Saw it in the Magazine and, since I had ground lamb in the freezer (leftover from Sunny Anderson’s Stuffed peppers!) and had all of the other ingredients in house, decided to make this. With some homemade rigatoni, this was ALL of the tasty – and easy. I Love to make old school Bolognese, but this might replace that. Truly an excellent recipe. (P.S. – I added more rosemary, b/c we really like rosemary.) You should cook this.