The secret sauce from Naples, revealed
Genovese Sauce is Italy’s hidden gem. Unlike Bolognese, it doesn’t rely on tomato sauce. Instead, it’s all about melting onions, tender beef, and time. Lots of time. We’re talking 6 hours of slow cooking in a pot, and yes… it’s absolutely worth it.
Some cook it fast, some skip the sofrito, and most people outside of Campania have never even heard of it. But once you try it, I promise this rich, slow-cooked beef and onion ragù will become your new obsession. This is a traditional recipe, but I added a few twist like blending the soffritto for a silky texture that even the kids will love (they won’t even know there are veggies in there!)
The onions are slowly simmered until they release their natural moisture and that juice becomes the braising liquid for the meat so there is no stock needed. The onions almost completely melt down and transform into the foundation of a rich, jam-like ragù that fills the hollow center of ziti, so every bite is bursting with flavor.
This Genovese sauce is so good, you don’t just have to serve it with pasta. Honestly, it’s a dish on its own! Spoon it over a thick slice of crusty bread for a bruschetta-style breakfast, or serve it on top of creamy polenta as a main course. And if you’re feeling like something a little different, you can use it as a filling for a savory pie. Trust me, once you taste it, you’ll start finding excuses to eat it any way you can.
Watch PASTA ALLA GENOVESE How to Make the Secret Neapolitan MEAT SAUCE
Italians have kept this Genovese Sauce a secret and it’s one of the best ragù’s you will ever try
Vincenzo’s Plate Tips to make Genovese Sauce
Pick Your Cuts
If you can’t source chuck steak, or you want to try something different, you can use beef brisket. It can be a little more pricey, but it’s a fantastic option for slow cooking. If you’re stuck, just ask a local butcher for any cut of beef that loves to simmer low and slow. When it comes to pork, if you’re not a fan of pork rashers, try pork medallion or pork scotch fillet instead. You can use any cut as long as your pork and beef can handle a long cook.
Choose Your Onion
The soul of this Genovese Pasta is the onions and you need at least 1.3kg. Don’t use less. Brown onions give the best balance of sweetness and depth, while red onions add extra punch. On the other hand, white onions/ yellow onions give a milder finish.
Tears of Joy (and Onion)
The secret of beef Genovese sauce even surprised me, but it all comes down to the onions. Lots of them – even more than you might think necessary! To minimize the sting in your eyes when prepping, slice your onions over a bowl of water or keep a wet paper towel nearby. It won’t work miracles, but every little bit helps!
Penne for Your Thoughts
Ziti is the best choice of pasta to serve with this sauce as it traps all the rich ragù inside each tube. If you can’t source it? Penne or rigatoni will work well too!
A Moist Soffritto Will Work Best
Keep an eye on your soffritto while it cooks. If it starts to stick or look too dry, add a splash of water to keep things moving smoothly.
Only White Wine Allowed!
This pasta Genovese sauce loves white wine as it keeps the flavors light and lets the onions shine. Red wine is not the right flavour at all for this dish so avoid using it as a substitute.
Tomato is Optional
Some cooks in Naples like to throw in a few cherry tomatoes or a spoon of tomato paste for acidity and balance. After testing this recipe many times, I don’t think it is needed at all, but try it out for yourself if you think yours needs it.
Bay Bye!
Don’t forget to remove the bay leaf before serving. No one wants to bite into that surprise.
Leftover Friendly
This Genovese sauce recipe makes a big batch and that is entirely on purpose. Freeze leftovers in portions, then reheat gently on the stovetop (not the microwave!) and serve over freshly cooked pasta. Your mid-week self looking for comfort food but with no time to make it, will thank you.
How to Serve Genovese Sauce
Once your pasta is off the stove, sprinkle generously with pecorino cheese and give it a good toss so it’s beautifully coated. Grab a flat plate and pile on a hearty serving of pasta, then spoon over a generous amount of the pulled beef and onion sauce right on top. Finish with another sprinkle of pecorino for that perfect salty kick.
Genovese Sauce
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 1 large-sized bowl
- knife
- Chopping-board
- Mandoline or onion slicer
- Food processor
- wooden spoon
- Dutch oven or large-sized pot
- Large pot for pasta
- Medium sized pan
Ingredients
- 1/4 brown onion, quarter
- 1 small carrot
- 1 stick of celery
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 mug of water
- 600 g / 21.2 oz chuck steak
- 300 g / 10.6 oz pork rashers
- 1.3 kg / 45.8 oz brown onions
- 1 glass white wine, about 150ml
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil, EVOO
- Salt & pepper
- 300 g / 10.6 oz ziti pasta, or as much as you like
- Pecorino Romano, to taste
Instructions
- Cut the brown onions in half and use a mandoline or onion slicer to slice them into thin pieces. Soak the slices in a bowl of water to help reduce the sharpness and minimize tears.
- Separately, roughly chop ¼ of a brown onion, the carrot, and celery into small pieces. Add them to a food processor with a generous amount of EVOO and a splash of water. Blend into a smooth mixture.
- Cut the large pieces of beef chuck and pork rashers into small, even-sized chunks, then set them aside.
- Place your Dutch oven over medium heat, then add about 3 tablespoons of EVOO and pour in the blended soffritto mix. Cook for around 10 minutes, stirring occasionally using a wooden spoon.
- Add the chopped meat to the pan and stir to combine with the soffritto. Increase to medium-high heat and brown the meat. Cover with a lid and let it cook in its own steam for 2 minutes.
- Add salt and pepper (not too much), stir, and toss in the 4 bay leaves. Put the lid back on and let it simmer for another 2 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan and let it cook uncovered for about 5 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.
- Add in the sliced onions. Gently mix to combine and bring some of the meat to the surface. Season again with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 4 hours, stirring every 30 mins.
- After 4 hours, remove the lid and continue to cook the sauce uncovered for another 2 hrs on low heat to let the liquid reduce and concentrate the flavor.
- Once the sauce is thick and jammy, gently squash the meat using a spoon or spatula to pull it apart. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook the ziti according to the package instructions. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water before you drain the pasta.
- In a medium-sized pan, add as much Genovese ragù as you like. Once the pasta is al dente, transfer it to the pan and stir well to coat. If needed, add a splash of reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce and create an even creamier texture then toss to emulsify.
Video
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!
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This Dutch Oven Changed the Way I Cook Pasta Genovese and Here’s Why
For this pasta Genovese recipe, I’m using my brand-new Dutch oven from Bare Cookware and let me tell you, it’s a total game changer. Traditional cast iron Dutch ovens can be heavy, crack over time, and let’s be honest, they’re not exactly dishwasher friendly. But Bare Cookware has taken this classic kitchen essential and made it even better.
With an aluminum exterior, it’s 40% lighter, and the stainless steel interior means no chipping, no cracking, and it’s even dishwasher friendly. It also distributes heat evenly for perfect slow cooking and comes with a lifetime warranty. Right now, it’s part of a Kickstarter campaign, and I backed it immediately. If you want to be one of the first to own what I call the Ferrari of Dutch ovens, click here to grab the limited-time discount.
Want More Dutch Oven Recipes? Try These:
- SLOW COOKED BEEF RAGU PASTA – Melt-in-your-mouth beef, herbs, and red wine come together in this rich, slow-cooked ragù that wraps around every ribbon of pasta like a warm Italian hug.
- OSSOBUCO RECIPE – Fall-off-the-bone veal shanks simmered in a rich, flavorful sauce. This Italian classic is pure comfort food, perfect with risotto, polenta, or warm crusty bread.
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