Tuscan Style Pork Ragu

pork shoulder

🥗Healthier: chicken thighs

💰Cheaper: ground pork

Ground pork is more affordable and still flavorful.

red wine

🥗Healthier: grape juice

💰Cheaper: white wine

Grape juice offers a non-alcoholic option while white wine can be less expensive.

canned tomatoes

🥗Healthier: fresh tomatoes

💰Cheaper: tomato paste

Tomato paste is often less expensive and can be used in smaller amounts.

parmesan cheese

🥗Healthier: nutritional yeast

💰Cheaper: pecorino cheese

Nutritional yeast is dairy-free and pecorino is often cheaper.

Dice the pork shoulder or pork butt into about three-quarter inch pieces.

Chop fresh rosemary as finely as possible.

Chop flat leaf parsley as finely as possible.

Dice jalapeno chili without seeds (optional to keep seeds for spiciness).

Dice red onion to the same size as your thumbnail.

Dice celery into small pieces.

Dice carrot into small pieces.

Heat olive oil in a pan and add the diced pork, cooking until browned on the edges.

Add diced red onion, jalapeno chili, chopped rosemary, crushed garlic, and salt and pepper to the pan.

Cook for around 8 to 10 minutes until the onions are translucent and flavors meld.

Add diced carrots and celery to the pan and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

Crush fennel seeds with a pestle and mortar and add to the pan.

Add chopped flat leaf parsley and cook for another 5 minutes, bringing everything to a boil.

Pour in red wine and bring to a boil.

Add tomato pulp and tomato sofrito to the pan, stirring to combine.

Pour in beef stock or chicken stock and bring everything to a boil again.

Once boiling, reduce heat to low (number one on a scale of one to five) and cover the pan.

Simmer for about 2 to 2.5 hours until the pork is tender and flavors are concentrated.

Cook rigatoni according to package instructions.

Serve the pork ragu over the rigatoni and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens