Lamb Ragu Pappardelle - Recipe

Who else is starting to crave indulgent comfort food? With the nights drawing in, all I want to do is snuggle up and indulge in a warming meal after a long day.

This easy lamb pappardelle recipe will hit all the right spots this winter, as not only is it quick to cook, but the tender lamb mince mixes deliciously with the onion, garlic and tomato to create a dish that oozes flavour and warmth. The addition of paprika and cumin to the passata adds another depth to the dish - you can also increase the heat even more by adding some freshly diced chilli to the dish too!

I used pappardelle pasta for this recipe, as the sauce coats and covers the threads of pasta, keeping it moist and rich. However you can substitute the pappardelle for a different pasta, another favourite of mine in rigatoni which also works well in this recipe.

I used Athleat’s grass fed lamb mince in my recipe, which I ordered as part of my RepBox meat subscription box. This regular meat subscription box means I don’t need to worry about heading to the supermarket to stock up on meat for my meals. Instead, I know I have a regular meat subscription box delivery scheduled which I can amend whenever I need too. This flexibility is great as it allows me to experiment with new recipes whenever I feel the urge!

Cooking time: 45 mins
Feeds: 3-4 people

Ingredients:

450g minced lamb
200g pappardelle
1 white onion, diced
6 small cherry tomatoes, diced
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbsp olive oil
500g passata
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried herbs
1 tsp balsamic vinegar (or glug of red wine if preferred)
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

Freshly grated parmesan
A sprig of fresh basil (optional)

Methods:

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan over a medium heat.
Once the oil is hot, add the onion and garlic. Cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
Add the paprika, cumin, salt and stir, making sure they don’t burn. If you need to bring the heat down add a dash of water to it.
Now add the lamb mince and break it down in the pan.
As the lamb is browning, add the paprika, cumin, salt and stir. After the lamb has browned and fully mixed with the other ingredients, add the passata to the pan.
When the sauce starts to simmer, add the diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.
Simmer for 20 mins to allow the lamb to cook and the sauce to reduce and thicken. In a separate pan, add the pasta to simmering water and cook for 10 minutes.
Halfway through simmering the sauce, use a masher to squeeze the tomatoes so the juices release in the sauce.
When the sauce has thickened and reduced, season to taste by adding more salt, pepper and mixed herbs. Drain the pappardelle and add to the sauce. Turn the heat off and stir the pasta thoroughly into the sauce.
To serve, plate up in a pasta bowl and grate fresh parmesan on top along with a sprig of fresh basil. Enjoy with warm ciabatta bread to scrape up the remaining sauce.
This lamb ragu pappardelle can be made in large batches as it will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days, and you can even freeze it for over 3 months. I find this recipe is enough to feed my husband and I for dinner and lunch the next day too!

Let me know if you try this recipe at home in the comments below.