Easy Pork Apple Ragu is heavy on flavorful ingredients, but is surprisingly light. Pick your favorite pasta and apples, and give this Ground Pork and Beef Ragu recipe a try. A dish that’s got all the good stuff, this one’s a definite keeper!
Difference Between Ragu and Ragout
First, I have to explain the difference between a Ragu and a Ragout. Basically, the first is Italian, the second French and both are a slightly different kind of sauce.
A French ragout is a very thick stew full of any meat, including veal, lamb, poultry, pork and fish, with or without vegetables.
Ragu is a sauce containing ground meat with various vegetables, white wine, broth, sometimes a little tomato sauce or paste, sometimes cream or milk and usually served with pasta.
For the record, Ragu is also a worldwide company that produces a line of Italian sauces.
Pork Ragout or Ragu
This recipe is definitely a Pork Ragu and I love dishes like this. Easy, light and so full of flavor! Making an Easy Pork Apple Ragu is a fabulous weeknight dinner idea.
I believe you will be pleasantly surprised at how much you enjoy this dish. Different and definitely delicious.
You can use whichever vegetables you have on hand or desire. The same goes for the pasta. Use your favorite kind or whatever you have around.
We tried this recipe with all of the ground meats. Everything from ground beef, pork, turkey, sausage, and chicken.
We found the ground pork or ground pork and beef blend to be so much tastier in the end. That is why we are using them in this recipe.
Pork and Beef Ragu
This easy ground pork and beef ragu recipe asks for 1 pound of ground pork and/or ground beef.
I found a lovely ground pork and beef blend for sale at my local market. I have been using this alot lately.
Before I found or noticed the blend I would purchase ground beef and ground pork separately, in bulk. I would get home and weigh out half pound packages of pork and beef for my freezer.
If I was feeling really energetic I would mix them both together and freeze afterwards.
Normally I do not do any mixing. I just weigh and freeze.
With this recipe you can use just ground pork. Only ground beef or a combination of both. The choice, as always, is up to you.
Pork Ragu Recipe
You can serve just about anything or nothing else with this pasta dish. Usually, we serve salad and/or bread if we are making this for company.
I used to stick with pretty basic salads and now I am always on the hunt for something a little different than what we are used to.
Salads just got boring.
Now I find myself going so crazy with salads that I am guilty of almost serving a meal with a meal.
Don’t get me wrong, the salads are amazing. Just too much. Way too much.
I totally have to work on that. Less is more. My husband always says that and I probably should work on it. Even though I don’t always believe it’s true.
Terrible, I know.
Needless to say, Now, if it is just “us”, I frequently don’t serve anything else with pork ragu. Just a big old bowl of pasta!
Pasta with Pork
Lately, I have been preparing this pork and pasta dish with onions, peppers and mushrooms. I urge you to use up whatever you have on hand.
All vegetables work here. Use your favorites.
All pork pasta recipes are completely flexible. Actually most recipes are so why should this recipe be any different? Make this dish exactly what your family will like.
Same applies to pasta. Use whatever you like or prefer. We have used literally every popular pasta out there. Everything from macaroni to spaghetti to our favorites, rotini and penne.
Really though there are too many kinds of pastas to mention.
Just go with your favorite and you won’t be disappointed.
Ground Pork Ragu
This Ground Pork Ragu Recipe or as my friend says, your “pork mince ragu” recipe is a kid approved, easy weeknight dinner.
I am pretty sure it’s the apple.
Apples add so much flavor to this incredible dish and Patrick my son always used to comment about it.
He thought it was strange to eat pasta with an apple inside it and cheese on top.
I knew he was a happy camper because there were never any leftovers. Ever.
Even his friends ate it all and that, to me, speaks volumes.
Ingredients for Easy Pork Apple Ragu
- ground pork and/or ground beef
- your favorite pasta
- onion
- mushrooms
- sweet pepper
- oil
- apple
- garlic
- thyme
- broth
- dry sherry or white wine or dry white vermouth
- white wine vinegar
- Parmesan cheese
- salt
- pepper
How to make Easy Pork Apple Ragu
In a large skillet, over medium to medium-high heat cook pork and/or beef until no longer pink. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces.
Add mushrooms and onions. Continue to cook until tender.
Stir regularly.
Add apples, peppers and garlic and continue to stir.
Next, add your sherry, wine or vermouth and let it reduce while you are stirring.
Add broth, vinegar and thyme and and simmer.
Stir occasionally.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare pasta according to package directions.
Serve Ragu over top of pasta with parmesan cheese.
Enjoy!
Other Ground Pork Recipes to Try
Perfect Parmesan Double Pork Burger
The Best Bacon Wrapped Pork Meatloaf
Easy Black Bean, Green Bean and Pork Stir Fry
More Delicious Pasta Dishes to Try
Our Favorite Loaded Pasta Carbonara
Chicken Pasta in Sherry Cream Sauce
Million Dollar Pasta Casserole
Meat Lovers Pizza Pasta Casserole
Creamy Beef and Mushroom Stroganoff
Simple Skillet Chicken Stroganoff
Cheesy Pizza Spaghetti Casserole
Easy Pork Apple Ragu Video
Easy Pork Apple Ragu
Equipment
- large skillet
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil divided, as needed
- 1 pound ground pork and/or ground beef
- 1 medium onion, diced
- ½ pound mushrooms. chopped
- 1 large pepper, any color, diced
- 1 large apple, diced
- 2-4 tablespoons garlic, minced
- ¼ cup dry sherry or white wine or dry white vermouth
- 3 tablespoons thyme, dried more or less to taste
- 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 pound pasta, your favorite variety
- Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded as deisired
- pepper
- salt
Instructions
- In a large skillet, over medium to medium-high heat, cook ground pork and/or ground beef until no longer pink. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon into small pieces.
- Add onions and continue to cook for between 3 and 4 minutes.
- Add mushrooms into your skillet and continue to cook for about another 6 or 7 minutes and the mushrooms are tender. Stir regularly.
- Add apples, peppers and garlic and continue to stir for another couple of minutes.
- Add your sherry, wine or vermouth and let it reduce to almost nothing while you are stirring.
- Add broth, vinegar and thyme and reduce heat to medium-low or low and simmer for 30 minutes, almost covered. Stir occasionally.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste. Prepare pasta according to package directions.
- Serve Ragu over top of pasta with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!
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