If you’re looking to elevate your pasta game beyond the usual marinara or meat sauce, it’s time to explore La Genovese. Despite its name, this dish hails from Naples, not Genoa. Genovese is a slow-cooked onion and beef sauce, rich, sweet, savory, and unlike anything you’ve had before. It’s the kind of Sunday-simmered magic that fills your kitchen with old-world aroma and your belly with joy.
Here’s how to master this soulful southern Italian dish.
🍝 Ingredients for Neapolitan Genovese Sauce (Serves 4–6)
For the Sauce:
- 2.5 lbs yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1.5 lbs beef chuck or beef shank, cut into chunks
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For Serving:
- 1 lb pasta (ziti, paccheri, or rigatoni are traditional)
- Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional but glorious)
👨🍳 Instructions
1. Caramelize the Onions (Low & Slow)
In a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or deep pot, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add all of the sliced onions and a good pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 20–30 minutes until the onions become soft and translucent. Then reduce the heat and continue cooking for another 30–40 minutes until golden and sweet. This is the base of the sauce—take your time.
2. Add Veggies & Meat
Toss in the chopped carrots and celery. Cook for about 5 minutes. Then nestle the beef chunks into the onion mixture. Add the rosemary, bay leaf, and a bit more salt and pepper. Sear the meat gently for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally.
3. Deglaze and Simmer
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pot, scraping up all those delicious brown bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer until mostly evaporated—about 5–7 minutes.
4. Slow Cook to Perfection
Cover and simmer on very low heat for 2.5 to 3 hours. Stir occasionally. The onions will break down into a rich, jammy sauce, and the beef will become fork-tender.
5. Boil Pasta & Combine
Cook pasta al dente according to package instructions. Remove the beef and chop or shred it if you plan to mix it back in. Toss the pasta with the onion sauce and some of the beef (if using). Top with Parmigiano if desired.
🛒 Recommended Amazon Products for Making Genovese Sauce
Recreate that traditional Neapolitan flavor with these high-quality kitchen essentials:
🍲 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven – Perfect for slow-cooking onions and meat to perfection.
🔪 Vegetable Chopper – Quickly and evenly dice onions, carrots, and celery.
🧂 Italian Sea Salt – Enhances the deep savory flavor of the sauce.
🧄 Extra Virgin Olive Oil – A high-quality EVOO is essential for building that rich base.
🍝 Ziti or Paccheri Pasta – Traditional pasta shapes made to soak up the Genovese sauce.
🧀 Parmigiano-Reggiano Wedge – Grate fresh cheese for a finishing touch.
🍷 Dry White Wine for Cooking – Use a bottle you’d also drink, and make sure it’s dry!
🌿 Fresh Bay Leaves & Rosemary – For that slow-simmered aromatic layer.
💡 Tips for Success
- Use sweet yellow onions—this isn’t the place for red or white onions.
- Don’t rush the caramelization process. That’s what builds the sauce’s depth.
- Want to go full traditional? Serve the beef as a second course (secondo), and the onion-coated pasta as your first (primo).
Slow food is soul food, and Neapolitan Genovese is proof. It takes time and care, but the results are unforgettable. Try it once, and it might just become your favorite Sunday ritual.
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