Shortcut Vegetable Ragu is a healthy, veggie-packed pasta recipe that goes from fridge to table in just 30 minutes. This weeknight-friendly recipe is perfect for busy nights!
“If I could give this recipe 10 stars, I would! It’s easy, delicious and everyone loves it. … This has been a favorite in our family for years!”
One dish (besides hot dogs) that I can always count on my crew to devour at dinnertime is spaghetti and meat sauce. Rain or shine, summer or winter – it’s always a win.
In my never-ending quest to get my family to eat more vegetables, I decided to sneak a bunch of ’em into my go-to meat sauce to see if they would notice.
Happily, they did not.
Vegetable Ragu has all the familiar flavors of spaghetti and meat sauce, and is PACKED with healthy ingredients!
What is Ragu?
Ragu is an Italian pasta sauce made from simmering big hunks of meat with vegetables, herbs, wine, and sometimes milk or cream until it becomes thick and rich. It’s a perfect slow-cooked Sunday supper, and I happen to have an EXCELLENT recipe.
My shortcut Vegetable Ragu is the busy weeknight version!
Fresh vegetables including carrots, celery, and mushrooms are cooked with onions and garlic, high-quality marinara sauce, chicken stock, fresh basil, and ground beef to create a crowd-pleasing pasta sauce that goes from fridge to table in just 30 minutes.
Serve with cooked pasta and dinner’s done!
Wine and Dairy-Free Ragu
Although ragu is traditionally made with both wine and dairy, I nix both in this weeknight-friendly version of ragu, and don’t miss them.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin ItMake-Ahead + Freezer-Friendly
Vegetable Ragu gets better as it sits in the fridge, so feel free to make the recipe ahead of time. It also freezes beautifully, so you can double or triple the recipe then freeze for later.
- To make-ahead: Cool then scoop the sauce into a glass storage container with a lid (plastic will stain) and refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat in a pot on the stove.
- To freeze: Cool then scoop the cooked ragu into a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze flat for up to 6 months. Thaw in the fridge then reheat in a pot on the stove.
Pair with Gluten-Free Focaccia
How to Make This Recipe
Step 1: Prep and soften the vegetables.
Start by mincing fresh vegetables in a food processor, which saves a ton of time. If you don’t have a food processor, mince the vegetables finely.
To the bowl of your food processor, add onion and garlic then pulse until they’re finely minced.
Add the mixture to a large skillet over medium heat with extra virgin olive oil then saute until tender, 5 minutes.
Next, add carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the food processor then process until the vegetables are finely chopped.
Finely chopping the vegetables ensures they soften quickly and kind of melt into the sauce.
Add the vegetables to the skillet, turn the heat up to medium-high, season with salt and pepper, then saute until tender, 5-7 more minutes.
Step 2: Add the ground beef.
Add ground beef to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, then saute until it’s no longer pink, breaking the ground beef up as it cooks.
Step 3: Add the liquids, then simmer.
Time for the star of the dish – a jar of high-quality, store-bought marinara sauce, which will make your Ragu taste slow cooked in a fraction of the time.
Be sure to use a high-quality marinara sauce like Gino’s (regional), Rao’s, or Bove’s. This is no time for Prego or, ironically, Ragu brand tomato sauce!
Simmer the marinara sauce with a splash of chicken broth for 10 minutes with the lid partially on top, then stir in chopped fresh basil. Love the pop of fresh flavor the basil brings to the dish.
Toss the ragu with cooked spaghetti and dinner’s done. I hope you love this easy, tasty way to healthify spaghetti night – enjoy!
More Easy Italian Recipes
- Pasta Pomodoro
- Gluten Free Meatballs
- Crock Pot Italian Beef Sandwiches
- Chicken Meatballs
- Italian Rice Ball Skillet
- Crock Pot Sausage and Peppers
- Pastina Soup (aka Italian Penicillin)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1/2 onion, roughly chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large carrot, peeled then roughly chopped
- 1 rib celery, roughly chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms, roughly chopped
- salt and pepper
- 1 lb ground beef
- 24 oz high-quality marinara sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
- 1 lb spaghetti
Directions
- To a food processor, add the onion and garlic then pulse until minced, or finely mince by hand. Heat the oil in a large skillet with high sides over medium heat then add the onions and garlic and saute until softened, 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add the carrots, celery, and mushrooms to the food processor then pulse until minced, or finely mince by hand. Add to the skillet then turn the heat up to medium-high. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper then saute until tender, 5-7 minutes.
- Add the ground beef to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, then saute until the beef is no longer pink, breaking it up finely as it cooks. Add the marinara sauce and chicken broth to the skillet then stir to combine, turn the heat down to medium, place a lid partially on top, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in fresh basil then taste and add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then add the spaghetti and cook until it's all dente. Drain then scoop into bowls, top with the vegetable ragu, and then serve.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are estimates only. Please read our full nutrition information disclaimer.
Yummy! I made this years ago when I first started following you and then made it again last night for dinner! Still just as delicious! I always know that your recipes will be a hit! Thanks for being a reliable source for yummy food!
I’m so glad this is a recipe you can count on, Caroline! Thank YOU so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
If I could give this recipe 10 stars, I would! It’s easy, delicious and everyone loves it. Done and done. This has been a favorite in our family for years! I began making it when my boys were little to sneak in more veggies, but now they know the veggies are there and they still love it. This is my go-to meal that I make for families we know if someone has a baby or has a surgery and needs help. Everyone always loves it and always asks for the recipe. Somewhere along the line I started making it with DeCecco brand Mezzi Rigatoni which is the short cut rigatoni and it’s the perfect pasta for this sauce. Just wanted you to know how special this one is to our family. Thank you, IGE!!! :)
Hey,ni made this tonight for my 15 year old daughter and myself for dinner. My TEENZILLA pronounced it “oooh, that’s GOOD!” Jackpot! She never says anything I make is good,…and with her reaction, I am eagerly awaiting my husbands tomorrow night when he get back in town! I’ll let you know Iowa Girl! Thank you so much for this recipe!
Wohoo! So glad this dish won over your teenzilla!! Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
Absolutely love this sauce! My husband and I have been making this for years, and now it’s one of our toddler’s absolute favorite dinners! She scarfs down a huge bowl and always asks for more! I do add some frozen riced cauliflower to the veggie mixture while it’s sautéing to get even more veggie goodness! We’ve served this over regular noodles of all shapes, couscous, zucchini noodles, cauliflower/kale gnocchi, and always love it! Thanks for a delicious and easy recipe!
Love that, Alison!! So glad you ALL enjoy the recipe. I used to make this a ton when my kids were little to get them to eat their veggies too. :) Thank you so much for your feedback and recipe rating!
This is on my regular meal rotation and one of my 10 year old son’s favorites.