Date Night Lamb Ragu Rigatoni

CategoryDifficultyIntermediate
Yields4 Servings
Prep Time30 minsCook Time2 hrs 40 minsTotal Time3 hrs 10 mins
 1 tbsp vegetable oil
 2 small shallots
 1 carrot, finely chopped
 1 celery, finely chopped
 2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
 1 ½ lbs lamb shoulder
 1 ½ cups red wine
 3 tbsp tomato paste
 28 oz San Marzano crushed tomatoes
 1 bay leaf
 2 cups water
 ½ tsp crushed red pepper
 1 tbsp soy sauce
 1 tbsp balsamic
 16 oz rigatoni
 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
 1 sprig rosemary
 3 tbsp heavy cream
 Salt and pepper to taste
 Pecorino and parsley to top
1

To begin, heat a dutch oven with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Cube and brown your lamb on all sides until browned on all sides. Remove from dutch oven.

2

With the heat still on, add in your shallots, carrot, celery, onion and garlic cloves in the pot and sweat for 10-15 minutes. Add your tomato paste and red pepper and let the flavors combine and melt down.

3

Add your wine, water, balsamic and soy sauce and reduce for another 10-15 minutes. Next, add your crushed tomatoes, broth, rosemary, bay leaf and lamb back in. Mix well. Leave on the stove on medium low heat for about an hour.

4

Transfer to a 350 degree oven for another 2-3 hours until the lamb is tender and falls apart. Remove the lamb chunks, shred them and add back in your sauce. This is the time where you can transfer your sauce to the fridge or freezer.

5

To finish your ragu, mix cooked rigatoni and a dash of heavy cream in a pan with your pasta lamb ragu, top with pecorino and parsley, serve and enjoy!

Ingredients

 1 tbsp vegetable oil
 2 small shallots
 1 carrot, finely chopped
 1 celery, finely chopped
 2 small yellow onions, finely chopped
 1 ½ lbs lamb shoulder
 1 ½ cups red wine
 3 tbsp tomato paste
 28 oz San Marzano crushed tomatoes
 1 bay leaf
 2 cups water
 ½ tsp crushed red pepper
 1 tbsp soy sauce
 1 tbsp balsamic
 16 oz rigatoni
 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
 1 sprig rosemary
 3 tbsp heavy cream
 Salt and pepper to taste
 Pecorino and parsley to top

Directions

1

To begin, heat a dutch oven with a drizzle of vegetable oil. Cube and brown your lamb on all sides until browned on all sides. Remove from dutch oven.

2

With the heat still on, add in your shallots, carrot, celery, onion and garlic cloves in the pot and sweat for 10-15 minutes. Add your tomato paste and red pepper and let the flavors combine and melt down.

3

Add your wine, water, balsamic and soy sauce and reduce for another 10-15 minutes. Next, add your crushed tomatoes, broth, rosemary, bay leaf and lamb back in. Mix well. Leave on the stove on medium low heat for about an hour.

4

Transfer to a 350 degree oven for another 2-3 hours until the lamb is tender and falls apart. Remove the lamb chunks, shred them and add back in your sauce. This is the time where you can transfer your sauce to the fridge or freezer.

5

To finish your ragu, mix cooked rigatoni and a dash of heavy cream in a pan with your pasta lamb ragu, top with pecorino and parsley, serve and enjoy!

Date Night Lamb Ragu Rigatoni
IngredientsDirections

Recipe and photography courtesy of the American Lamb Board and LindseyeatsLA.