Italian Ragu

By KeyIngredient

For ragu, it's necessary to mince the vegetables so that they dissolve into the sauce and add flavor rather than texture. Brown the meat in a large pan, then add the vegetables — they'll soak up the flavor from the drippings.

Makes: 4 servings; Total time: 30 minutes

Nutrition Information
Per serving: 340 cal; 20g total fat (5g sat); 72mg chol; 526mg sodium; 15g carb; 4g fiber; 23g protein

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 celery rib, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 lb. ground sirloin
• 1/2 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage
• 1 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz.)
• 1 tsp. each dried basil and dried oregano

Preparation

Step 1

Mince onion, celery, carrot, and garlic in a food processor; set aside.
Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add sirloin and sausage to pan and sauté until brown. Add minced onion, celery, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 2–3 minutes.
Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Stir in red wine and cook 1 minute. Add broth, tomatoes, basil, and oregano; reduce heat to a simmer and cook 15 minutes. Serve over Creamy Polenta.