Ragu Napoletano Recipe (Neapolitan-Style Italian Meat Sauce)

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Ragu Napoletano is a hearty meat sauce made with beef, pork, and Italian sausage that’s slowly simmered with tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings, creating a rich and flavorful meat sauce that the whole family will love.

overhead view of ragu napoletano over pappardelle in white bowl

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Typical of slow-cooked family recipes, my Ragu Napoletano makes a large batch of meat sauce that’s easily frozen and will provide extra meals for those days you don’t feel like cooking.

close up of ragu napoletano over pappardelle in white bowl

There isn’t much work involved in creating this classic Neopolitan meat sauce. Once it’s prepped, and on the stovetop, all you need to do is let it simmer until all the meats are fork tender and the sauce is a rich, hearty masterpiece.

It’s the perfect dish to start on a Sunday morning, filling the house with a delicious aroma as it simmers. You can be sure everyone will be home for this Sunday Dinner!

Ingredients to make Ragu Napoletano

Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make Ragu Napoletano. In Chef Spea,k this is called the “Mise en Place” which translates to “Everything in its Place”.

Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed up the cooking process, it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.

olive oil
pork ribs (pork shoulder can be substituted for ribs)
beef chuck
sweet Italian sausages
small dice
carrot
garlic
red pepper flakes
dried oregano
salt
black pepper
red wine
whole tomatoes in juice – San Marzano (crushed by hand or with a food processor)
fresh basil
romano cheese or parmesan cheese for serving
Italian parsley – garnish

How to make Ragu Napoletano

pork ribs and beef chuck seasoned with salt and pepper on a white platter

Pat dry the spare ribs and beef chuck with paper towels.
Season the ribs and chuck with salt and black pepper.

six images showing how to make Neapolitan meat sauce

Place a large skillet or large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the hot pan.
Carefully place the spare ribs in the pan and allow them to sear on each side for 3-4 minutes. After searing both sides remove the ribs from the pot and set them aside until needed.
Add the beef chuck pieces and sausage meat to the pan and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Break up the sausage using a wire whip or spoon.
Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the red wine to the pan to deglaze the pan and loosen all the tasty bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the ribs back to the pan, along with the tomatoes and seasonings. Mix together enough to mix the seasonings into the sauce and cover all the meat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Continue simmering for 3-4 hours depending upon how much time you have. Stir the mixture occasionally during the simmering process, but don’t disturb or open the pot often.
Remove the ribs from the pot and after allowing them to cool slightly, remove the bones, cartilage and any other items that don’t belong in the sauce and return the meat to the pot.
Add the basil to the sauce and mix it into the sauce. Taste the sauce and reseason as needed with salt and pepper.

*Simmering the sauce for 3-4 hours is what creates a rich tomato sauce. Make sure to plan out the day you’re going to make this sauce, giving enough time for the slow simmer.

partial view of ragu napoletano over pappardelle in white bowl

Serve the ragu over pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigitoni.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or fresh chopped basil. Serve the pasta with grated romano or parmesan cheese.

In Southern Italy, the types of meat used in a Neopolitan Ragu can vary depending upon what is readily available when making the sauce. So feel free to adapt it to your taste preferences. This is one of my favorite Neopolitan Ragu recipes and the one I make at home.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the difference between bolognese sauce and ragu?

The main difference between a bolognese and a ragu is the use of dairy (milk, cream and grated cheese) in the bolognese sauce. The other is that a bolognese sauce will always be made with ground meat and a ragu can be made with ground meat or whole pieces of meat that break apart during the cooking process.
A lot of the differences in a ragu sauce will come down to the region of Italy where the sauce is made.

What is the difference between a Neopolitan Ragu and Bolognese?

Bolognese sauce always uses ground meat to make the sauce, while a Neopolitan Ragu uses whole meats and more tomato in the sauce. Neopolitan ragu also does not contain dairy products, whereas dairy is used heavily in a bolognese ragu.

More Pasta Sauce Recipes You’ll Love!

Ragu Napoletano

Chef Dennis Littley

Ragu Napoletano is a hearty meat sauce made with beef, pork, and Italian sausage that's slowly simmered with tomatoes, herbs, and seasonings, creating a rich and flavorful meat sauce that the whole family will love.

5 from 36 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 3 30

Total Time 3 45

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Servings

Calories 358 kcal

Ingredients

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 -4 pounds pork spare ribs cut into 4 sections (Pork Shoulder can be substituted for ribs)
2 pounds beef chuck cut into 2 inch chunks
1 pound mild Italian sausage meat removed from casing
2 cups onion small dice
1 cup carrot peeled and small dice
3 tablespoons garlic finely minced
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 cups dry red wine
84 ounces peeled whole tomatoes in juice I used D.O.P. San Marzano- crushed by hand
3 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
romano cheese for serving
fresh Italian parsley finely chopped for garnish

Instructions

Pat dry the ribs and beef chuck then season heavily with salt and black pepper
Place a large skillet or large dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add olive oil to the hot pan.
Carefully place the ribs in the pan and allow them to sear on each side for 3-4 minutes. After searing both sides remove the ribs from the pot and set them aside until needed.
Add the beef chuck pieces and sausage meat to the pan and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. Break up the sausage using a wire whip or spoon. Break up the sausage using a wire whip or spoon.
Add the onions, carrots and garlic to the pan and allow to cook for 2-3 minutes.
Add the red wine to the pan to deglaze the pan and loosen all the tasty bits that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.
Add the ribs back to the pan, along with the tomatoes and seasonings. Mix together enough to mix the seasonings into the sauce and cover all the meat.
Bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat to simmer and cover. Continue simmering for 3-4 hours depending upon how much time you have.
Stir the mixture occasionally during the simmering process, but don't disturb or open the pot often.
Remove the ribs from the pot and after allowing them to cool slightly, remove the bones, cartilage and any other items that don't belong in the sauce.
Return the meat to the pot.
Add the basil to the sauce and mix it into the sauce. Taste the sauce and reseason as needed with salt and pepper.
Serve the ragu over pappardelle, tagliatelle or rigitoni.
Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or fresh chopped basil. Serve the pasta with grated romano or parmesan cheese.

Nutrition

Calories: 358kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 20gFat: 27gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 86mgSodium: 401mgPotassium: 468mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2418IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 2mg

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Comments

5 from 36 votes (32 ratings without comment)