Pasta with Lamb Ragù

Pasta with lamb ragu is a deeply comforting Italian dish from Molise, a small region in south-eastern Italy known for its rustic, slow-cooked recipes. Made with a handful of simple ingredients – lamb, tomatoes, red wine, rosemary, and garlic – this dish lets the flavour of the meat truly shine. The result is rich, cozy, and incredibly satisfying, making it perfect for cold winter days when only a hearty bowl of pasta will do.

Hello, folks – how are you doing? I hope you all had a great and productive week, and you are now ready for a fantastic weekend! Are you cooking anything special? If you are still looking for something special, then please make this Pasta with Lamb Ragù.

I know with days getting warmer and brighter, many of us will start leaning towards lighter meals. But it is still winter, we are good to sneak a few more hearty recipes!

Why You’ll Love This Pasta with Lamb Ragu

• Authentic and regional: Inspired by traditional cooking from Molise, this lamb ragu stays true to Italian simplicity and technique.
• Rich yet balanced: Red wine, rosemary, and garlic enhance the lamb without overpowering it.
• Slow-cooked comfort: Gentle simmering transforms simple ingredients into a deeply savoury sauce.
• Perfect for make-ahead meals: Like most ragù, the flavour improves with time.
• Hearty and satisfying: Ideal for cold evenings and relaxed weekend cooking.

The Pasta Project

This is another recipe from one of my favourite blogs the Pasta Project. Be sure to check the original post Pasta with Lamb Ragu (Lamb Sugo) – The Pasta Project, too. Along with the Frank’s blog Memorie di Angelina – Easy authentic Italian recipes, I refer to it often when I am looking for Italian cooking techniques and authentic pasta recipes.

This lamb ragu is straightforward. Just a bunch of simple ingredients and some patience – as with any ragu, it needs quite some time to simmer. The good news is that you don’t need to babysit it too much.

Ingredients You’ll Need for This Pasta with Lamb Ragu

• Boneless lamb: The star of the dish, slowly cooked until tender and flavourful.
• Tomato passata or peeled tomatoes: Forms the base of the sauce; a mix with fresh tomatoes works beautifully.
• Short thick pasta: Rigatoni, penne, or fusilli hold the sauce well.
• Red wine: Adds depth and richness while helping tenderize the lamb.
• Fresh rosemary: Provides a classic aromatic backbone to the sauce.
• Garlic: Infuses the oil and sauce with warmth and savoury depth.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Used generously, as in traditional Italian cooking.
• Salt and black pepper: Essential for balancing and sharpening flavours.
• Stock (optional): Useful if the sauce thickens too much during long simmering.
• Pecorino Romano: Salty, sharp cheese that pairs beautifully with lamb.

How to Make Pasta with Lamb Ragu

Start by gently warming olive oil in a heavy pan or Dutch oven. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook until fragrant and softened, allowing the aromatics to infuse the oil. Increase the heat slightly and add the lamb, stirring and searing it until browned on all sides.

Pour in the red wine and let it simmer briefly so the alcohol evaporates. Add the tomato passata or tomatoes, season with salt and pepper, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and let the sauce simmer slowly for at least one hour, stirring occasionally. If the sauce thickens too much, add a splash of stock or water. A longer simmer — up to two hours — will give you the most tender, flavourful result.

While the ragu finishes, cook the pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente. Reserve some pasta water, then drain. Combine the pasta with the lamb ragu, loosening the sauce with a little reserved water if needed. Serve immediately with grated Pecorino Romano.

More Italian Pasta Recipes to Try

Are you looking for more comforting pasta dishes like this pasta with lamb ragu? Be sure to check more recipes below:

• Venetian Duck Ragu Pasta
• Ragù alla Bolognese (Classic Pasta Bolognese Sauce)
• Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù)
• Pasta alla Genovese (Beef and Onion Ragù)
• Croatian Beef Ragù Pasta (Šporki Makaruli from Dubrovnik)

I’d love for you to try this pasta with lamb ragu. If you give this recipe a go, please share your results in the comments, message me on Instagram, or post your photos with the hashtag #havocinthekitchen. I look forward to seeing your creations and hearing your thoughts.

Cheers!

Pasta with Lamb Ragù

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

This pasta with lamb ragu features slow-cooked lamb, aromatics, and a deeply savoury sauce inspired by traditional Italian cooking.

The recipe adapted from the Pasta Project

Course: Pasta and GnocchiCuisine: Italian, Molise

5.0 from 3 votes

Print

Servings

4-5

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 lb. (450 gr.) boneless lamb

• 2 1/2 cups (600 gr.) tomato passata or peeled tomatoes – I used a half of passata and a handful of cherry tomatoes

• 1 tbsp. rosemary sprigs, roughly minced

• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

• 3 tbsp. (45 ml.) extra virgin olive oil

• 2/3 cup (158 ml.) red wine

• salt and pepper, to taste

• some stock – you may not need it

• Pecorino Romano, grated, for serving

• 450-500 gr. short thick pasta like rigatoni, penne, or fusilli.

Directions

• Place a heavy frying pan, pot, or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and cook until the garlic is soft, about 3-4 minutes.
• Increase the heat to medium-high, add the lamb, and cook until seared, stirring continuously.
• Add the red wine and let the alcohol evaporate for a minute or so.
• Add the tomato passata or tomatoes. Season with salt and ground black pepper, to taste.
• Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let the sauce simmer for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the sauce becomes too dry, add more passata or some stock. I simmered it for nearly 2 hours, and the lamb turned tender and falling apart.
• To cook pasta, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Salt well. Add in the pasta and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente. Reserve one cup of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• Combine the cooked pasta with the lamb ragu. If the sauce looks dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water.
• Serve immediately, topped with Pecorino Romano if desired.