This Bright and Springy Lamb Ragu is not at all the tomato-forward kind. It is light and bright with lots of acidity from fresh cherry tomatoes and a pop of freshness from loads of spring mint. The meaty lamb really shines in this pasta dish. The sauce is created with the juices released from the tomatoes, pasta cooking water, a dollop of creme fraiche for creaminess, and an obscene amount of Pecorino Romano. You may be questioning my use of cherry tomatoes, and if you’ve been a reader for any amount of time, you know I celebrate peak-season produce, but here is the exception. I truly believe that cooking rules are absolutely meant to be broken, and cherry tomatoes bring sweet perfection when cooked lightly.
Why I Love This Bright and Springy Lamb Ragu
Lamb can hit the table fast any night of the week and also feels a little special. Whether you are grilling lamb chops, roasting an entire rack, or my favorite go-to during the week, ground lamb. Having a pound of ground meat in my fridge or even my freezer is a lifesaver for a last-minute dinner option. The beauty of ground meat is that it can be cooked from frozen in a pinch. Place the block of meat in a pan with ½ cup of water and one tablespoon of olive oil, and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Place a lid on the pan and cook gently, occasionally turning the meat and breaking off chunks as it defrosts. When the meat is fully defrosted, remove the lid, turn the heat to medium-high, and allow the liquid to evaporate. Once the water has evaporated, the ground meat will start to caramelize. Then proceed with your recipe. This takes about 15-20 minutes tops.
This ragu comes together in the amount of time it takes to boil water and cook the noodles, the best kind of meal to prepare on busy weeknights. It’s not a heavy lift on the mental load, is easy on the prep, and will delight your taste buds.
Make It Your Own
- Sub any ground meat for ground lamb
- Peas would be a great addition
- Omit cherry tomatoes
- Use any pasta shape you want
- No creme fraiche, no problem, leave it out or use sour cream
How To Make This Bright and Springy Lamb Ragu
Step 1: Bring a large pot of water (at least 1 gallon) to a boil. When the water is boiling, add 2 Tablespoons of salt and bring back to a boil. Cook to just shy of the package directions about 10-12 minutes. The pasta should be close to al dente with a bit more bite than you would like. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta.
Step 2: While the water is coming to a boil, heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, break the ground lamb into chunks and add to the pan, leaving space between the chunks so they are not crowded. Season with 1 tsp of salt. As the lamb starts to brown on one side, break up the chunks with a wooden spoon and brown all sides. I like to leave slightly larger bites of lamb.
Step 3: When the lamb is caramelized, add the onion and garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the cherry tomatoes and the other tsp of salt. Stir. Cook for 3-4 more minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. You can gently mush the tomatoes down to release more juice.
Step 4: Starting with 1 cup, add some pasta cooking water, and toss to combine. Stir in the mascarpone cheese. When the pasta is almost done cooking, drain it and add it to the pan with the ragu. Continue to cook, tossing the pasta and sauce. Slowly add the grated Romano to the pan, then toss the pasta and sauce until the sauce coats the noodles. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a saucy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in 2/3 of the torn mint leaves. Garnish with the remaining mint leaves, and serve with more grated Romano.
Things You Need From Your Pantry
- Spaghetti
- Onion
- Garlic
- Olive oil
Things You May Need From The Store
- Ground lamb
- Creme Fraiche
- Cherry tomatoes
- Mint
- Pecorino Romano
More Springtime Recipes
- Spring Asparagus and Pea Rigatoni
- Spatchcock Za’atar Chicken with Blistered Carrots and Potatoes
- Chamomile-Lavender Strawberry Shortcake
- Something Like Borscht
Bright and Springy Lamb Ragu
Course: Anyday Dinner, Pan to TableCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy6
servings5
minutes30
minutesIngredients
1 lb dry spaghetti
2 tsp kosher salt, plus 2 Tablespoons for pasta water
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 lb ground lamb
1 yellow onion, medium diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pint cherry tomatoes
1 cup pasta cooking liquid, plus more as needed
1/4 cup creme fraiche
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano, plus more for serving
1 bunch mint, leaves picked and torn
Directions
- Bring a large pot of water (at least 1 gallon) to a boil. When the water is boiling, add 2 Tablespoons of salt and bring back to a boil. Cook to just shy of the package directions about 10-12 minutes. The pasta should be close to al dente with a bit more bite than you would like. It will finish cooking in the sauce. Reserve 2 cups of pasta water before draining the pasta.
- While the water is coming to a boil, heat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, break the ground lamb into chunks and add to the pan, leaving space between the chunks so they are not crowded. Season with 1 tsp of salt. As the lamb starts to brown on one side, break up the chunks with a wooden spoon and brown all sides. I like to leave slightly larger bites of lamb.
- When the lamb is caramelised, add the onion and garlic, and stir to combine. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onion becomes translucent. Add the cherry tomatoes and the other tsp of salt. Stir. Cook for 3-4 more minutes until the tomatoes start to burst. You can gently mush the tomatoes down to release more juice.
- Starting with 1 cup, add some pasta cooking water, and toss to combine. Stir in the creme fraiche. When the pasta is almost done cooking, drain it and add it to the pan with the ragu. Continue to cook, tossing the pasta and sauce. Slowly add the grated Romano to the pan, then toss the pasta and sauce until the sauce coats the noodles. Add more pasta cooking water as needed to achieve a saucy consistency. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Stir in 2/3 of the torn mint leaves. Garnish with the remaining mint leaves, and serve with more grated Romano.
