Get ready to transport your taste buds to the sunny island of Sicily with this authentic and delicious recipe for ragù alla Siciliana. This slow-cooked meat sauce is rich, hearty, and packed with flavour. With a few key tips and tricks, you can easily recreate this traditional Italian dish in your own kitchen. So, get ready to impress your guests with this authentic Sicilian ragu recipe!
Servings
10
Ready In:
3h 25 min
Calories:
446
Good For:
Sunday Lunch
About this Recipe
By: Silvana Lanzetta
Have you ever heard of Ragù alla Siciliana? If you haven’t, you’re missing out on a real treat! It’s not very well-known outside Italy, but I’m sure you’ve tasted it before without even realising it. It’s the delicious ragu used to make the mouth-watering rice arancini.
I was lucky enough to have an aunt named Luciana who was an absolute master at making the Sicilian Ragù. Every time we visited her for Sunday lunch, she would serve it up and it was always the highlight of the (very large) meal. As soon as we started eating, there was complete silence around the table – it was that good.
Aunt Luciana was a real pro when it came to this dish. She would serve the ragù with rigatoni, or she would make a Sicilian timballo with anelli pasta. No matter what she did with it, the results were always incredibly delicious.


Sicilian Timballo, made with Ragù alla Siciliana and anelli pasta
Wines
- Nero d’Avola
- Cersauolo di Vittoria
- Eloro doc
- Menfi Rosso
- Etna Rosso DOC
- Corvo Rosso
- Sangiovese di Romagna IGT
- Barbera d’Asti DOCG

Sicily


Nutrition
While this Sicilian Ragù recipe is delicious and hearty, it is also high in calories and fat. Enjoy it in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
- Proteins 28%
- Carbs 23%
- Fats 44%

The Ingredients
Meat
Wine
With the ragù alla Siciliana, the wine you choose is crucial. Red wine is the way to go, and a strong wine like Nero d’Avola is ideal. But if you can’t get your hands on Nero d’Avola, don’t worry – just look for the strongest red wine available at your local supermarket. Trust me, the wine you choose will make a big difference in the final taste of your sauce.
It might seem like a small detail, but choosing the right wine will add a special depth of flavour to your ragù that you won’t get with a weaker wine. So, don’t be afraid to go the extra mile and find that perfect bottle of red wine.
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Peas
Tomato Sauce
Herbs & Spices
When it comes to seasoning your Sicilian ragu, less is definitely more. All you need is a good pinch of nutmeg, a few bay leaves, and some black pepper. Trust the natural flavours of your ingredients and resist the urge to go overboard with the seasoning. Remember, simplicity is key when it comes to creating the perfect ragu.

Ragù alla Siciliana
- Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
- Yield: 10 portions 1x
Description
Introducing the ultimate comfort food: Sicilian ragu! Sicilian ragu -or ragu alla siciliana- is a slow-cooked, tomato-based meat sauce that is a staple in the Italian region of Sicily.
Ingredients
- 700 grams of minced beef
- 300 grams of minced pork
- 250 grams of carrots
- 250 grams of onions
- 250 grams of celery
- 400 ml of red wine (Nero d’Avola)
- 500 ml of water
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 700 grams of tomato puree
- 2 bay leaves
- 250 grams of peas
- 1 pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and Black Pepper to taste
- 4–6 tablespoons of extra virgin olive
Instructions
Finely chop the carrot, celery, and onion. The smaller the better, as they will need to disappear when cooked. You can use a mixer to make this step easier.
Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and fry for about ten minutes until they are softened.
Add the mixed ground beef and pork and let it brown, stirring continuously. Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg.
Pour in the red wine and let it simmer until the alcohol has evaporated.
Add the peas and let them cook for a few minutes. Stir in the tomato concentrate and tomato puree.
Add half a litre of water to the saucepan and mix everything. The water should bring the liquid level in line with the meat. Raise the heat and bring to boil.
As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat and add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. When the reaction is over, add the bay leaves.
Cover with the lid and let it cook on low flame for 150-180 minutes. If it gets too dry, add more water.
Remove the lid and check the consistency. If it’s too thick, add water. Otherwise, let it thicken over medium-high heat for a few more minutes.
Serve hot with your favourite pasta or bread.
Notes
For this recipe, traditional meats include beef and pork, but feel free to use whichever meat you prefer. However, it’s recommended to avoid chicken and turkey as they can be too bland for this particular dish.
To achieve the most flavorful sauce, it’s recommended to cook it for an extended period of time. The longer the sauce simmers, the better it will taste. For even more enhanced flavour, consider making the sauce a day in advance and allowing it to meld overnight. This will give the flavours ample time to blend together, resulting in a truly delicious ragu.
Once prepared, this sauce can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Simply reheat it on the stovetop as needed.
If you have leftover sauce, it can be frozen in convenient single portions and thawed when needed. The sauce can be stored in the freezer for up to three months. When you’re ready to use it, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Pasta
- Method: slow cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
Keywords: pasta, beef, pork, tomato sauce, sicilian food, sunday meal, special occasions