Braised Lamb Ragu Recipe

This authentic Italian Braised Lamb Ragu recipe is super easy to make and packed with flavors everyone will love.

It is rich, hearty, and meaty-ultimate comfort food for lazy weekends or special occasions such as Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter.

And it goes perfectly with pasta (of your choice), gnocchi or polenta, and a glass of red wine!

Jump to:

• What is Traditional Ragu?
• Why This Recipe Works
• What Part Of Lamb is Best For Ragu?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• Step-by-Step Instructions
• Top Tips From the Chef
• Alternative Cooking Methods for Lamb Ragu
• Storage and Reheating Instructions
• Serving Suggestions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Braised Lamb Ragu Recipe

This cozy and comforting dish is also a great way to use up any leftover lamb meat you have from your Sunday lunch or Christmas dinner.

Serve this braised lamb ragu with some crusty bread to mop up every last bit of the delicious sauce.

What is Traditional Ragu?

Ragu is a classic meat-based Italian sauce usually served with pasta. The type of meat can be minced/ chopped pork, lamb, beef, chicken, or duck.

The meat is usually braised with some vegetables (onions, peppers, tomatoes, and carrots), some stock (lamb, beef, or chicken), and aromatics (rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves) low and slow.

The most famous ragu is the Bolognese Sauce and it is usually served with pasta or used as a filling for Lasagna.

Why This Recipe Works

• This Braised Lamb Ragu Recipe is very easy to follow with step-by-step pictures and instructions.

• This easy recipe makes the perfect meal for a lazy Sunday lunch with a minimum of preparation.

• You can use leftover lamb from your roast dinner to make this delicious braised Lamb Ragu.

• It's hearty, delicious, and full of Mediterranean flavors.

• The leftovers of Lamb Ragu freeze beautifully. You can keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months!

What Part Of Lamb is Best For Ragu?

I use lamb shoulder for this Italian meat sauce recipe but you can use different cuts of lamb including leg of lamb or lamb chops as long as they are marbled with some fat and connective tissue.

You can cut your lamb chunkier to avoid extra hard work but make sure you cook long enough to achieve a "fall-apart" texture for the meat.

Alternatively, you can use ground lamb or leftover roast lamb as well.

Just make sure you reduce the cooking time to one hour and only use half the amount of liquid.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Lamb - I use lamb shoulder for this recipe but you can use any other part of the lamb as long as they are marbled with some fat. Alternatively, you can also use ground meat or leftover roast lamb. Cut your lamb into small pieces to reduce the cooking time.

• Garlic - For a less garlicky flavor you can use whole garlic and discard it after browning with oil but I prefer chopping and letting it cook together with the lamb.

• Tomatoes - Any type of tomatoes you have in hand works well with this recipe. I even use cherry tomatoes if that's all I have in the fridge.

• Tomato paste - It is a great ingredient to enhance the tomato flavor as well as give a bright color and umami taste to the dish.

• Dry white wine - Red meat generally requires red wine but this recipe works perfectly with white wine or vermouth. Use any type of white wine that you would happily drink.

• Stock - A good homemade Chicken Stock or Beef Stock is a key to delicious lamb ragù. You need a small amount of liquid if your lamb is diced small. Add extra stock if you cut your lamb chunkier.

• Cheese - Use your favorite hard cheese but pecorino cheese or parmesan cheese are the best options for pasta dishes. Try and avoid ready-grated cheese as it contains preservatives and they don't melt together as well when cooking.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Making this comforting dish is very easy and straightforward.

However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:

Brown the Meat

Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot on low heat then add olive oil, garlic, and bay leaves.

Sauté until the garlic slightly turns brown.

Turn the heat up, add the lamb, and sauté until brown.

You can skip browning the meat if you are using leftover lamb for your ragu sauce.

Simmer the Sauce

Pour the dry white wine into the pan and reduce until syrupy consistency.

Add the sweet red peppers and chili or red pepper flakes (if using), then sauté for a few minutes.

Stir in the tomato paste then add the chopped tomatoes, black pepper, salt, and stock.

Bring the pan to a boil and lower the heat.

Gently simmer for 2 hours or until the meat is tender and there is hardly any liquid in the pan.

Serve

When the rich sauce is ready, cook your choice of pasta al dente.

Don't cook the pasta all the way as it will cook an extra few more minutes with the ragu which will help the sauce come together with the pasta.

Add some pasta water if the sauce is too thick.

Add chopped parsley, stir well, and serve with grated parmesan or pecorino cheese.

Top Tips From the Chef

• If the sauce is too thick, you can simply add a bit of water or stock to loosen it up.

• Use other fresh herbs such as fresh rosemary and thyme, or replace the lamb with ground beef to add a twist to the recipe.

• Don't cook the pasta all the way as it will cook an extra few more minutes with the ragu.

• You can use leftover lamb meat for this recipe. Just make sure you reduce the cooking time to one hour and only use half the amount of liquid.

Alternative Cooking Methods for Lamb Ragu

Slow Cooker

Brown the lamb and sauté the vegetables on the stovetop as instructed.

Transfer everything to a slow cooker, add the remaining ingredients, and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the lamb is tender and the flavors meld together.

Instant Pot

Using the sauté function, brown the lamb and sauté the vegetables in your Instant Pot.

Then, switch to the pressure cooking mode, add the remaining ingredients, and cook on high pressure for about 45-60 minutes, depending on the size of the lamb pieces.

Release pressure naturally or use a quick-release method.

Oven Braising

Preheat your oven to 325°F (163°C).

Follow the stovetop instructions until you add the liquid and tomatoes.

Instead of simmering on the stovetop, transfer the Dutch oven or oven-safe pot to the preheated oven.

Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours or until the lamb is fork-tender.

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Storage

Allow the leftover lamb ragu to cool to room temperature.

Transfer it to an airtight container or a sealable freezer bag.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Reheating

To reheat lamb ragu sauce on the stovetop, place a saucepan over medium-low heat.

Add the refrigerated lamb ragu and a splash of water or broth to loosen it up if it has thickened.

Stir occasionally and heat until it reaches your desired serving temperature. This may take around 10-15 minutes.

You can also use a microwave to reheat the leftovers.

Transfer a portion of lamb ragu to a microwave-safe dish.

Cover the dish with a microwave-safe lid or microwave-safe plastic wrap, leaving a small vent for steam to escape.

Heat on medium power (50%) in 1-minute increments, stirring between each increment until the desired temperature is reached.

Serving Suggestions

Although it is more common to serve Lamb Ragu with pappardelle, I love serving this hearty sauce with pasta, such as penne, rigatoni, or tortiglioni as the meaty chunks are easily mopped up by tube-shaped pasta.

You can also serve this versatile sauce on a bowl of Pomme Puree (Creamy Mashed Potatoes) along with some green salad such as Beetroot and Feta Salad, Lebanese Fattoush Salad, or Rocket Salad With Parmesan.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For more delicious lamb recipes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this delicious Slow Cooked Lamb Ragu served with pasta as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂 

Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!

This post uses affiliate links. This means that if you click on them and then buy something, we get a small amount of commission to keep the site running, but it doesn’t cost you anything more.