With the typical Montreal Spring weather in full swing (experiencing snow one second, then rain and sunshine the next), I was excited to use fresh ingredients to make this simple pork ragu. What pops out the most while eating this dish, is how incredible the thyme and rosemary taste. I use fresh herbs quite often but for some reason, they tasted extra delicious in this ragu inspired by Skinny Spatula.

It takes almost no time to put together and you’ll never want to grab a store-bought tomato pasta sauce again. If you want a hearty yet light sauce, this one is a win-win!

Simple Pork Ragu

Ingredients

1 Medium Onion, finely diced
1 Medium Carrot, diced or grated
2 Celery Stalks, diced
2 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
450 g (1 lb) Lean Ground Pork
1 Tbsp each Fresh Thyme, Rosemary finely chopped
⅓ cup Dry Red Wine (I use a replacement)
2 Tbsps Tomato Paste
14 oz (400g) Chopped Tomatoes
1 cup Chicken Stock
300g (10.5 oz) Thinner Linguine, Pappardelle, or Preferred Pasta
⅓ cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste

Instructions

Heat the olive oil in a large, deep pan or Dutch oven. Fry the onion, carrot, and celery stalks for 7-8 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute.

Add the ground pork and cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly browned, breaking it up as it cooks. Stir in the thyme and rosemary, and add the red wine replacement. If using red wine, cook for 1-2 minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

Stir in the tomato paste, chopped tomatoes, and chicken stock. Bring it to a boil and then lower the heat; simmer for 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens. If you have the time, allowing it to simmer for up to 45 minutes is even better. At this time, cook the pasta according to the instructions and reserve a cup of the pasta water before draining.

When the sauce is ready, stir in the pasta and add some of the reserved pasta water if it looks too thick. Then stir in the parmesan and season to taste.

Serve immediately with some extra grated parmesan on top. You can never have too much cheese, right?

Enjoy!

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