Quick Lamb Ragù With Artichokes
Updated March 27, 2024
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 25 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Salt
- 12ounces pappardelle, fettuccine or other long, wide noodle
- 1pound ground lamb
- 2tablespoons tomato paste
- 3garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, plus more to taste
- ½cup dry white wine (optional)
- 2pints cherry tomatoes, halved
- One (12- to 14-ounce) container artichokes, drained, quartered if necessary (about 1½ cups)
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½cup mint or basil leaves, torn if large
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
812 calories; 37 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 14 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 81 grams carbohydrates; 11 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 36 grams protein; 1218 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Reserve 1½ cups pasta water and drain.
- Step 2
Meanwhile, in a large Dutch oven or skillet, add the ground lamb and use a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula to press the meat into a thin layer that fills the pot. Cook over medium-high undisturbed until deeply browned underneath, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt, add the tomato paste, garlic and red pepper, then break up the meat into bite-size pieces and stir until cooked through and the tomato paste is a shade darker, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the wine, if using, or ½ cup water and stir, scraping up browned bits, until reduced by half.
- Step 3
Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until about half the tomatoes are softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Smash some of the tomatoes to help create a sauce. Add ⅔ cup pasta water and the artichokes and scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Season to taste with salt and red pepper, then turn off the heat until the pasta is ready.
- Step 4
When the pasta is ready, add the butter and pasta to the Dutch oven. Toss vigorously over medium until the pasta is well coated in sauce. Add dribbles of pasta water as needed until the sauce glosses the pasta. Season to taste with salt and red pepper, then stir in most of the herb leaves, saving a few for garnish.
Private Notes
Comments
Hey, not every pasta sauce needs to be cooked for 3 hrs., no matter how much you like Hazan—and I do make her pasta sauces. Lamb (even ground) has considerably more flavor than beef, and I really enjoy this lamb ragu recipe. It’s considerably better than one would expect given how easily the dish is made.
Absolutely delightful! This will be in my regular pasta rotation, and everyone should try this dish. Made this on a date night in with my boyfriend (he watched March Madness and made us cocktails while I cooked lol). Made the dish pretty much as is. Added a splash of fish sauce to kick up the umami. And then finished with dill rather than mint. Dill pairs so well with lamb! Hope you all enjoy
I’ve made this twice. The first time I followed the recipe precisely. The second time, I upped the red pepper to a teaspoon and used a cup of dry white wine while reducing the pasta liquid to a quarternof a cup. The second time was really good - nice flavors. And, it came together very quickly.
Definitely a keeper. I cook a lot and used to cook professionally, so when I look for new recipes, it’s more for ideas than for actually following the recipe step-by-step. I look at the comments before I cook for more ideas & did take some of your ideas. I took the lamb out after browning & added olive oil, onion, garlic & anchovy to develop more flavor. Once that softened, I added the tomato paste & peperoncino, sautéed a few minutes more, added the lamb back with a spoonful of harissa & sautéed a few more minutes. I think I followed the recipe for the most part after that except for adding spinach along with the butter & pasta at the end. I really liked it & feel it’s a good base recipe, especially when you’re looking to get rid of odds & ends in the fridge - a great way to utilize some veggies in the back of the crisper. That being said, it is not a Ragu. A Ragu is a “rich, slow-cooked Italian meat sauce”. That’s the literal definition. I’m assuming they’re implying it would have the depth of flavor of a Ragu. Not only does it not have that, it’s also not really a sauce in the traditional sense. This pasta is what they call “lightly dressed”. I do feel the depth of flavor that I had in my dish, was not from the actual recipe, but from the tips and tricks, I took from the comments & some techniques of my own. It’s a great pasta recipe for spring & summer when you don’t want a sauce simmering for hours on the stove. I would have called it “Spring Lamb & Artichoke Pasta”.
Very good, although 12 ounces of pasta (I used DeCecco egg fettuccine) was way too much. It’s probably enough for 6 people.
Yummy recipe - as it is written. I used red wine vs white wine, and was happy with that change. Next time, I would add some small diced carrots. I used radiatore pasta and loved it. Really good recipe!