It is said that the earliest Italian ragùs were prepared without tomatoes, which is where this version, known as Ragù Bianco or White Ragù, comes from.

The magic is in something very simple: a good Italian soffritto, fresh herbs, wine, and, most importantly, time. Cooking it slowly over low heat allows all those flavors to come together and gives the meat a rich, delicious flavor.

Many traditional versions include pancetta. This time, I used sweet Italian sausage mixed with ground beef. I’ve also made it with pancetta, and it is absolutely delicious! So feel free to adjust it to your taste or simply use what you have available.

To finish, a little butter, some pasta water, and plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano… and that’s it! I served mine with a simple lettuce and walnut salad with a slightly sweet dressing, which pairs perfectly with the ragù.

I’ll be sharing the dressing video soon. 😉🥗

Before You Start 💡

Do all your prep before you begin cooking. Chop the vegetables, garlic, and herbs, measure your liquids, and have all your ingredients ready to go.

Most importantly, prepare the sausages ahead of time by removing the casings and breaking the meat into pieces. This way, once you start cooking, you won’t have to stop to look for or prep ingredients along the way.

Ingredients 🧅

• 1.5 lb ground beef
• 3 sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
• 2–3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3–4 oz white wine
• 1 1/2 cup beef broth
• Fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage, about 1 large sprig of each
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano, to taste
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
• Pasta: I used rigatoni, but linguine or pappardelle would also work beautifully

Instructions

In a large skillet, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft and tender.

Add the sweet Italian sausage (casings removed) and the ground beef. Season again with salt and pepper and cook thoroughly, breaking up the meat as it browns.

Deglaze the pan with the white wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release all those flavorful browned bits. Cook until the wine has almost completely evaporated.

Add the beef broth and stir to combine. Add the fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage. Cover and simmer over low heat for approximately 40–45 minutes, allowing all the flavors to come together. Once the ragù is ready, remove and discard the herb stems.

Shortly before the ragù is finished cooking, cook the pasta in a large pot of generously salted water until al dente. Before draining, reserve some of the pasta cooking water.

Add the cooked pasta directly to the ragù along with the butter and a splash of pasta water. Toss everything together very well until the sauce becomes creamy and beautifully coats the pasta.

Serve immediately and finish with freshly ground black pepper and plenty of freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Enjoy! 💫

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