Pasta alla Genovese is a rich Italian beef and onion sauce that is braised low and slow on the stovetop until it reaches a soft and jam-like texture. Serve over your favorite pasta.
What is Pasta alla Genovese?
It’s a fantastic slow-braised sauce (also called Sugo alla Genovese or “la genovese”) made with beef and a generous quantity of onions. The sauces cooks low and slow on the stovetop until the beef is fall-apart tender and the onions are a jammy consistency.
This rich sauce is very onion-forward in terms of flavor, while the beef and other ingredients play a supporting role. In addition to the beef and onions, salty pancetta also adds a nice depth of flavor, plus leeks, carrots, celery, garlic, herbs and spices, tomato paste, white wine and beef stock.
We served our Pasta alla Genovese with strands of parpadelle pasta, but any other sturdy pasta would work as well.
Origins of Pasta alla Genovese
Although the name “Genovese” suggests that this dish originated in Genoa, Italy – it’s actually considered a principal sauce of Naples, dating back to the 15th or 16th century.
At different points throughout this recipe’s history, the ratio of meat to onions, carrots, and celery varied based on the expense and availability of meat. Some purists would not include tomato products of any kind, making the onion flavors even more pronounced.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef – We used chuck – a flavorful and budget friendly cut of beef, but other flavorful cuts will also work. Depending on the cut you choose, the cooking time may vary.
- Pancetta – This adds a nice salty flavor to the dish.
- Onions – We used a combination of yellow and red onions, as well as shallots.
- Other Vegetables – Leeks, carrots, celery and garlic
- Seasonings – Fresh thyme, bay leaves, fresh parsley stems, plus kosher salt and black pepper.
- Other ingredients – Tomato paste, extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil, white wine, and beef stock.
- Pasta – Your choice of pasta…we chose pappardelle.
- Garnish – Chopped fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Cooking Tips & Tricks
- When buying the ingredients for this dish buy enough onions and shallots so they are double the weight of the beef. For example, if your beef chuck is three pounds, buy six pounds total of onions and shallots. Our beef weighed three pounds so we bought 2 1/2 pounds of yellow onion, 2 1/2 pound of red onion and one pound of shallots.
- The onions will cook down and release their juices. If you notice an excess amount of liquid during the cooking process, remove a few cups but save that liquid. Then, as the onions continue to cook, add a little back in at a time if needed. This will ensure that the onions sauté and caramelize instead of boiling or steaming from too much moisture.
- Tie the thyme and bay leaves together with butcher’s twine so it’s easier to find and remove them once the dish is cooked.
- In this recipe, you’ll partially cook the pasta, then add it to the sauce to finish cooking, so the pasta absorbs the flavors of the Genovese sauce. Before draining the cooked pasta, save some of the pasta cooking water. Add some of the pasta water to the sauce along with the pasta, if needed, to loosen the Genovese sauce.
Pasta alla Genovese
Pasta alla Genovese is a rich Italian beef and onion sauce that is braised low and slow on the stovetop until it reaches a soft and jam-like texture. Serve over your favorite pasta.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 hours
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Category: pasta
- Method: braise
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
3 pounds beef chuck
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 ounces pancetta, cut into small cubes
3 cups carrots, diced (about 3 medium)
1 cup celery, diced (1 stalk)
1/2 cup tomato paste, divided
4 medium garlic cloves, sliced
8 diced parsley stems (tops will be used as garnish)
1/2 cup white wine
2 1/2 pounds yellow onion, cut in half top to bottom, then sliced with the grain
2 1/2 pounds red onion, cut in half top to bottom, then sliced with the grain
1 medium leek, diced
1 pound shallots, cut in half top to bottom, then sliced with the grain
1 cup beef stock
4 small or two large thyme sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 pound or more pasta of your choice, we used Pappardelle
Grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
Chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Cut the chuck roast and half horizontally into equal two steaks of equal thickness.
- Season the beef on all sides with the salt and pepper.
- Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat and add the olive oil and vegetable oil. Once hot, add the two steaks and sear on all sides, about 10-15 minutes. Then remove the beef to a plate.
- Turn heat down to medium high and add the pancetta and cook to crisp, about five minutes.
- Add the carrots and celery and cook and stir for about eight minutes or so, or until slightly soft.
- Add half of the tomato paste, garlic and parsley stems and stir and cook for about two minutes.
- Add the wine and cook to evaporate, for about five minutes.
- Add the onions, leek, shallots and stock.
- Tie the thyme and bay leaves together with butcher’s twine then add on top of the onions.
- Cook and stir to break down the onions a bit, for about ten minutes.
- Place the seared beef on top and nuzzle them down into the onions so that they are completely covered.
- Turn the heat to low, cover and cook for three hours, checking every 30 minutes to make sure the bottom isn’t sticking.
- As the onions cook, they will give up some liquid. Ladle off a few cups after the first 30-60 minutes to a bowl and slowly add that back in over the next few hours. This allows the onions to slowly sauté and caramelize and not boil or steam.
- After three hours, remove the lid and continue to cook for one more hour. Any liquid will steam off so add more of that saved liquid so that the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- Remove the thyme and bay leaves and dispose.
- Remove the beef to a cutting board and with two forks, pull it apart into chunks and pieces.
- Add the remaining tomato paste into the sauce and stir.
- Place all the beef back into the sauce and stir.
- Cook the pasta per box directions but cook slightly less than fully cooked and save a few cups of the pasta water.
- To serve, in a large skillet, heat as much of the sauce as you wish for the number of servings. Stir in partially cooked pasta and enough pasta water to finish cooking the pasta.
- Ladle or spoon into plates or bowls and serve with chopped fresh parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Pasta alla Genovese ahead of time? Yes, the Genovese sauce can be completely cooked, cooled and stored in the refrigerator. Cook pasta just before serving. Use pasta water to the thick Genovese sauce to finish cooking pasta for serving.
- How do I store leftovers? Store covered and refrigerated for up to three days.
- How do I reheat leftovers? Similar to the steps above, add some reserved pasta water to the leftover sauce and pasta when warming through.
- Can I freeze? The sauce can be frozen, but not the pasta.
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