Pasta alla Genovese Recipe: Tips for Making the Italian Dish
Written by MasterClass
Last updated: Apr 1, 2024 • 3 min read
Featuring fork-tender beef and a broth built from slow-cooked carrots, celery, and onions, pasta alla Genovese is Italian food at its best: simple, efficient, and delicious.
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What Is Pasta alla Genovese?
Pasta alla Genovese is an Italian pasta dish that pairs tubular-style noodles with a simple, slow-cooked beef and onion ragù. Unlike ragù alla Bolognese and ragù Napoletano of Campania, which incorporates rich dairy products like cream, butter, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, “la Genovese” was initially conceived of as a way to make the most of a pot of braised meat, not as a standalone pasta sauce.
Like pesto alla Genovese, which features a green sauce made from fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and cheese pounded together into a paste, pasta alla Genovese gets its name from Genoa, the capital of the northwestern coastal region of Italy. However, this so-called Genovese sauce actually hails from Naples, to the south.
3 Tips for Making Pasta alla Genovese
La Genovese requires a little more planning ahead than most weeknight pasta recipes, but the low-and-slow cooking method results in deep flavor and unbeatable texture.
- 1. Choose the right kind of meat. Use large pieces of leaner cuts like chuck roast or short rib—any cut that traditionally requires braising—for Genovese. For best results, skip the pre-cut cubes of meat at the butcher’s counter for larger pieces that you can portion after cooking.
- 2. Choose the right style of noodle. Tubular pasta types like paccheri, penne, rigatoni, and ziti are ideal for Genovese, capturing enough of the sauce without overwhelming the other components. Learn about the different types of pasta.
- 3. Use a multi-cooker. If you’re short on time or planning ahead, make the Genovese sauce in advance in either a pressure cooker or a slow cooker. Cook the noodles just before you’re ready to serve.
Classic Italian Pasta alla Genovese Recipe
makes
prep time
15 mintotal time
3 hr 15 mincook time
3 hrIngredients
- 1
Season the meat with salt and pepper and set it aside.
- 2
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
- 3
Add the carrots and celery to the pot and sauté until softened, 5 minutes.
- 4
Add half of the sliced onions to the pot and season with salt and pepper.
- 5
Add ¾ cup of the wine and the tomato paste, if using, and continue to cook until the onions begin to turn translucent.
- 6
Place the seasoned meat on top of the vegetable mixture and cover with the reserved sliced onions.
- 7
Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and place the bay leaf on top.
- 8
Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook on the stovetop for 1 hour.
- 9
Remove the lid and gently stir the mixture.
- 10
Partially cover the pot, and continue to cook until the meat gives way under a fork but still has enough structure to hold together, about 1–2 hours longer.
- 11
When you’re ready to serve, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- 12
Add the noodles to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions, until al dente, 6–8 minutes.
- 13
Using a spider strainer, transfer the pasta directly from the pasta water to the finished sauce, reserving the leftover pasta cooking water.
- 14
Using tongs, gently toss the pasta to coat and continue to cook the mixture over low heat until the noodles soak up some of the liquid, about 1 minute.
- 15
If the sauce seems too thick, use a bit of the reserved pasta water to thin to your preferred consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Serve immediately.
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