Gnocchi alla Genovese
a traditional beef and onion ragù served with homemade potato gnocchi
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Cold weather hits, and all I want is a comforting plate of pasta. Something meaty, rich, and super satisfying—this Gnocchi alla Genovese is just that. It’s a ragù is made with lots, and lots of onions, slow-simmered along with tender beef. The final sauce is smooth and creamy from the onions, super flavorful, and has a slight sweetness.
Like many ragùs, this sauce is simple to make—it just takes time. For this recipe, I’ve given you a few options: you can slowly simmer it on the stovetop, throw it in the oven, or use a pressure cooker to save time. I’ll let you choose your own adventure here. If you haven’t made this before, you’ve got to try it—I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Ingredients
The Geneovese Sauce
1 lb chuck roast
1/4 lb guanciale or pancetta optional
4 onions ~3 lbs, thinly sliced
1 carrot 0.3 lbs, grated
1 celery 0.2 lbs, grated
1 cup white wine divided
1 bay leaf
To Serve
1lb Gnocchi or ziti, rigatoni
Parmiginao-Reggiano freshly grated
Instructions
Cube your beef and pat dry with a paper towel. Season well with salt and pepper. Brown in a large sauté pan with olive oil. Make sure the beef is browned on all sides. This step is crucial for developing flavor, so take your time.
Once beef is browned, remove it and set aside. Add diced guanciale or pancetta to pan, and let it render in the beef fat. Once crisped and golden brown, remove from pan and set aside with the beef.
Remove any excess fat from the pan leaving at least 2-3 tablespoons to cook vegetables.
Add sliced onions. Season with salt and sauté until soft and translucent.
Add in grated carrots and celery. Sauté with onions another 5 minutes.
Pour in 1/2 cup white wine, scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Return meat to the pan and nestle into sautéed vegetables. Add in bay leaf.
Cover and simmer on stovetop for a minimum of 3 hours. You’ll know the meat has cooked long enough when it easily shreds. It should be practically falling apart.
Alternative cooking methods:
Oven method: Cook at 300°F, tightly covered. Stir every 20-20 minutes making sure sauce does not burn.
Pressure cooker: 40 minutes, with a natural release. You will need to reduce final sauce more at then end since there will be less evaporation during the cooking time.To finish sauce, remove beef and add in remaining 1/2 cup white wine. Let sauce simmer for another 20 minutes.
While sauce is simmering, shred your beef.
Return beef to pan, simmer until sauce thickens. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. It should be a thick sauce, not at all soupy. You want it to cling to your pasta.
To serve: Toss with pasta of choice, adding a splash of pasta water for a silky sauce. Top with freshly grated Parmesan and eat up!
Notes: Serve with you favorite pasta. Rigatoni and or ziti are pretty classic. If you can find it get long ziti and break it into smaller bits. I served this with some homemade potato gnocchi that I had stashed in the freezer. Very delish!
A few other recipes you might like…
Bacon Amatriciana
Homemade Potato Gnocchi
The Best Short Rib Ragù
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