Why Restaurant Ragu Tastes So Much Better

ground beef

🥗Healthier: ground turkey

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground turkey is leaner, while ground pork is often less expensive.

red wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: beef broth

Non-alcoholic wine provides similar flavor without alcohol, while beef broth is cost-effective.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: grated pecorino

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free while pecorino is often less expensive than parmesan.

Start by rendering pancetta in a pan on low heat to release fat.

Add diced carrots, onion, and celery (sofrito) to the pancetta and cook until soft and sweet, about 10 minutes.

Season the sofrito with a pinch of salt during cooking for better flavor.

Grate in a few cloves of garlic and cook for an additional couple of minutes until fragrant.

Remove the sofrito from the pan and set aside.

Increase heat and add a touch of neutral oil to the same pan.

Add beef mince to the hot pan and cook until it releases water and begins to caramelize.

Break up the mince with a wooden spoon to avoid clumping and maximize surface area for browning.

Once the beef starts to lightly color, reduce heat to continue caramelizing it slowly.

Add diced pork belly to the browned beef and mix gently, allowing the flavors to combine.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens