Spaghetti with Beef Ragu
and caesar salad
Meaty pasta sauce known as ragu gets its flavor from a long, slow simmer. To get those rich flavors in a weeknight friendly dish, we offer an option to finish the sauce in a slow cooker so the flavors develop while you go on about your day. Caesar salad makes a classic accompaniment to this Italian dinner.
Smarts: We double the ragu to use in tomorrow's tamale pie!
Smarts: We double the ragu to use in tomorrow's tamale pie!
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Ingredients
Beef Ragu (enough for 2 meals):
- Onions, small - 1 , chopped
- Garlic - 4 cloves , chopped
- Oil, cooking - 1 Tbsp
- Oregano, dried - 1 tsp
- Beef, ground and lean (sub ground pork or turkey) - 1 lb
- Sausage, Italian mild or spicy - 1 lb
- Tomato sauce (28 oz / 794 g can) - 1 can
- Stock, any type - 1/2 cup
- Vinegar, red or white wine - 1 tsp
- Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Spaghetti with Beef Ragu:
- Cheese, parmesan - 2 oz , grated
- Pasta, spaghetti or linguini - 8 oz
- Beef ragu (ingredients listed separately) - ~3 cups
Caesar Salad:
- Garlic - 1 clove , chopped
- Bread, sandwich, preferably a day or two old (sub store bought croutons) - 2 slices , cubed
- Anchovy filets (opt) - 1/2 , mashed
- Oil, olive - 1 Tbsp + 3 Tbsp
- Mayonnaise - 2 Tbsp
- Mustard, Dijon - 2 tsp
- Lemons - 1/2 , juice of
- Worcestershire sauce (opt) - 1 tsp
- Lettuce, romaine - 1 head , chopped
Prep
- Onions / Garlic (for ragu and salad) - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- Cheese - Grate. (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Make croutons - Slice bread into even cubes. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add first part of olive oil and bread cubes to the hot pan. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until cubes are golden brown on all sides. (If bread is toasting too slowly, turn up the heat, but stay close to the skillet to be sure the cubes don’t burn.) (Can be done up to 3 days ahead)
- Caesar dressing - Mash anchovy filets with a fork. Combine with garlic (the portion for the salad), mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce and second part of olive oil. If you prefer a smooth dressing, you can blend it with an immersion blender. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be done 1 day ahead)
- If making ragu in slow cooker: - Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then onions to heated oil. Saute until onions are soft, ~4 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute. Add beef and sausage and season with some salt and pepper. Cook until meat is browned, ~5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl of a slow cooker. Add tomato sauce, stock, vinegar and sugar. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
- Lettuce - Chop.
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Make
- If making ragu on stovetop: - Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add cooking oil and then onions to heated oil. Saute until onions are soft, ~4 minutes. Add garlic and oregano and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute. Add beef and sausage and season with some salt and pepper. Cook until meat is browned, ~5 minutes. Add tomato sauce, stock, vinegar and sugar. Bring to a simmer and allow sauce to simmer for at least 15 minutes but as long as an hour. (The longer the sauce simmers, the more the flavors will develop.)
- Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Salt generously and add pasta. Cook until al dente, tender but not soggy.
- Taste ragu and season with salt and pepper if needed. You can also add additional sugar or vinegar to suit your taste.
- Toss lettuce with caesar dressing. Top with croutons.
- Drain noodles and top with half the ragu (remember to save the other half for Tuesday). Serve with caesar salad on the side and top everything with grated cheese. Enjoy!
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